The history of Mistico Park, where Costa Rica's famous suspension bridges are located, started at the beginning of the 20th century. Landelina Rodríguez and Adrián Castillo, natives from La Fortuna, San Carlos, dedicated their life to work the land they had inherited from their parents on the slopes of Arenal Volcano. At the beginning of 21st century, the family decided to open this natural forest sanctuary to the public, and they hired a company to develop the Puentes del Arenal ecotourism project, which would allow thousands of people to enjoy the beauty of the forests in a comfortable and comfortable way. comfortable. safe. Under the Mistico Park brand, today the park offers not only the attraction of suspension bridges, but also a wide variety of routes that allow visitors to enjoy direct contact with nature, where many native species live in an ecosystem with great diversity biological In Mistico Park, inclusive ecotourism is promoted, which offers the highest level of comfort possible to all visitors with accessible trails. These have no stairs, have railings and the surface material is non-slip concrete. During our visit to Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park we observed different joint ecosystems forming a belt of transition vegetation with a high level of biodiversity, that can be found along the border between two types of forests: highlands and lowlands, collecting species from both areas. Over years of evolution, plants from lowland rainforests, typical of Sarapiquí and Tortuguero, has experienced an altitude migration up to 500-600 meters, allowing it to meet and interact with plants from the highlands. For this reason, the treetops in Mistico Park offers a rich environment in biodiversity, with a strong presence of several species of epiphytic plants, birds, mammals, butterflies and much more. Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park is a great example of good practices on implementing SDGs from local actions to attain sustainability.

En el marco de la Semana Mundial de Acción por los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible y en el Primer Festival de Acción por los ODS Costa Rica 2019, estaremos celebrando el Día Mundial del Turismo, con la charla Turismo y empleo: un futuro mejor para todos. Esta actividad totalmente gratuita se realizará a las 9:00 am en el Auditorio de Administración Universitaria de la Universidad Técnica Nacional (Sede Central, Villa Bonita) Alajuela, Costa Rica.

Sustainable Gastronomy Day emphasizes the need to focus the world’s attention on the role that sustainable gastronomy can play. It also reaffirms that all cultures and civilizations are contributors and crucial enablers of sustainable development. The set of dishes and culinary uses of a particular place is one more expression of the natural and cultural diversity of the planet. Chef Cristian Morera Leiva is very clear about the concept of sustainable gastronomy, in his restaurant Katú he combines the legacy of the Costa Rican indigenous culture, the local economic development, as well as the protection of the environment. We went to visit him for tasting the delicious menu, we also knew the details that make this restaurant an example on sustainability to follow:

Nuestro objetivo es hacer del café un impulsor del desarrollo ecoturístico alternativo, en forma inclusiva y accesible, sostenible con el ambiente y de beneficio para las comunidades de la región. La Ruta del Café de Costa Rica (Región Occidental) contribuye a revalorar un conjunto de poblaciones del país que siempre han estado en el imaginario colectivo de la nación en su conjunto y que representan alternativas frescas y diferentes para los visitantes nacionales y extranjeros. Es un reconocimiento a quienes habitan esos hermosos lugares de la geografía costarricense y han sabido guardar para todos, la riqueza cultural e histórica que encierran. También son constantes las buenas prácticas agrícolas en las fincas y el beneficiado en armonía con la naturaleza, en el que están comprometidos los productores, beneficiadores y exportadores.

We are an organization that works for the construction of peace through environmental conservation, decarbonization against climate change and sustainable development focused on ecotourism in Costa Rica. With communities, organizations, institutions and business, we have developed the Action Campaign for the Sustainable Development Goals. Our objective is to make sustainable coffee plantations an alternative ecotourism development promoter, in an inclusive, accessible and diverse way, sustainable with the environment, for the benefit of the communities in the region. Our vision is to develop the region's growth in a sustainable, inclusive, accessible and diverse way, with the joint effort of micro entrepreneurs and communities, coordinated by local and international authorities. Ecotourism and social innovation alternative services -on an inclusive, accessible and diverse rural circuits, contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals, as new opportunities are generated, it has a direct impact on the social development of the local communities involved. This project is also based on the World Tourism Organization's Code of Ethics for Tourism, which is a fundamental reference for responsible and sustainable tourism, linked to economic prosperity, job creation and resource growth for environmental protection, this global set of principles were designed to guide tourism development, and is equally aimed to governments, tourism companies, destinations, local communities and responsible tourists for a sustainable tourism industry. As one of the largest socio-economic sectors in Costa Rica, sustainable tourism can stimulate economic growth, create decent work and entrepreneurial opportunities, and help thousands of people out of poverty and improve their livelihoods.

El Turismo en la Era Digital En la actualidad, las empresas y las personas están conectadas, intercambian información y realizan transacciones de formas que nunca habíamos imaginado. La combinación de plataformas digitales, las opiniones y contenidos creados por el usuario, la integración de las redes sociales, los sistemas de posicionamiento global y el uso de los macrodatos y la inteligencia artificial han transformado nuestra forma de gestionar, consumir y compartir la información.