COMMUNITY RURAL TOURISM
Community Rural Tourism
Based on Community Rural Tourism
Community Rural Tourism allows you to live an authentic experience, with personalized attention, giving you the enjoyment of our rurality, to know the essence and identity of Costa Rica, characterized by the quality offered by each of the companies that offer this product.
In a perfect combination of nature and culture, you will discover the Pure Life of Costa Rica, by enjoying and sharing diverse environments full of peace, comfort, coexistence with our customs and traditions, immersed in splendid natural diversity.
In a characteristic family atmosphere of the offer, it is common to enjoy personalized attention that allows you to strengthen your knowledge of rural culture, agricultural traditions, and small artisan industries; to enter into the rurality of our country through traditional gastronomy, the authenticity of the communities, and the richness expressed in their way of life in a natural environment, where sustainable practices promoted by entrepreneurs prevail as part of these products.
Historical Review
In Costa Rica, there is the Association of Community Rural Tourism in Costa Rica (ACTUAR), which emerged in 2001, during the first Ecotourism meeting, organized by the United Nations Program for Small Grants (PPD). They have supported over 50 community rural tourism initiatives as a means to promote sustainable development.
The purpose of ACTUAR is to promote environmental, social, cultural, and economic sustainability of community rural tourism initiatives in Costa Rica, by establishing strategic partnerships for the marketing of community tourism, strengthening the capacity of partners, and managing resources. Among its values is the protection of natural resources through livelihood generation for men and women.
Community-based rural tourism offers the opportunity to freely experience the essence of life in the countryside and most of the pristine natural landscapes with excellent hosts. It also provides people from the countryside the opportunity to showcase the activities, traditions, and lifestyles of the local population.
Experiences of rural tourism develop from cooperatives or community associations that own private ecological reserves or are close to areas of environmental and cultural interest. These communities offer new experiences that combine tourism services, such as accommodation, visits, and crafts, with the stunning landscapes and vibrant culture of their location, including agricultural culture, indigenous cultures, or Afro-Caribbean cultures. This allows our guests to discover the real Costa Rica, explore tropical paradises, benefit, and share with the communities that are involved in the conservation of natural resources, have fun, and relax in a healthy and creative way.
Every person who takes a trip through the community-based rural tourism modality has the opportunity to learn not only about the natural beauties of the country but also about the ways of life and the culture of the place they visit.
In this way, the communities within this guide have decided how they want to present themselves to the visitor, to lead and manage their own initiative, to feel proud to share who they are and what they do, the impressive natural and cultural wealth that they have inherited. Community-based rural tourism is based on respect for the host community, guests, and this planet that we share.
Nature lovers will be able to get a glimpse of the wilderness in the company of a local guide who will tell them about the traditional uses of plants, tell them stories of what happened in that forest, and convey much more than facts: experiences.
Community-based rural tourism is implemented by community associations. Communities have private ecological reserves or are located near areas of environmental and cultural interest. All of them offer visitors a mix of ecological and cultural adventures, in addition to the usual tourist services such as accommodation, tours, and handicrafts. Those who visit them have the opportunity to discover the authentic Costa Rica, as they will be able to explore much more than the popular tourist routes and meet people committed to the conservation of rural areas.