(EMAILWIRE.COM, September 15, 2010 ) SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Horizontes Nature Tours was recently recertified by Costa Rica’s official Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) at the highest possible 5-Leaf rating for sustainable practices, making Horizontes the first tour company in Costa Rica to achieve the venerable 5-Leaf rating twice in a row. Horizontes Nature Tours’ first 5-Leaf CST Rating was awarded in 2006.
The Certification for Sustainable Tourism Program (CST) is a product of the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) and regulated by the Costa Rican National Accreditation Commission. The CST was designed to differentiate tourism businesses using a 5 "level" scale of sustainable tourism achievement based on the degree to which they comply with a sustainable model of natural, cultural and social resource management. The CST also measures service management and the quality of client interaction, as well as impact on Costa RicaÂ’s natural, cultural and social resources.
What does this mean for our partners? Aside from helping us lower our impact on ecologically fragile and culturally sensitive areas, certification brings many positive effects:
• Quality Assurance in line with sustainable practices: Horizontes follows strict environmental, social, operational and ethical policies to guarantee standards of quality and safety. Read about them at: http://www.horizontes.com/our-policies.htm.
• Stronger bonds with our suppliers and partners: By stimulating awareness of sustainability issues and through the selection of our suppliers, we can foster long-term relationships with those who share common objectives and philosophies.
• Motivated staff: Working in sustainable tourism feels good for all the staff, and helps us all give our best efforts at work.
• Permanence in the marketplace: Sustainability means that we take steps to ensure our economic success in the long term.
• Landscape and biodiversity preservation: Through our partnerships, we are helping ensure that the Costa Rican tourism industry is preserving its treasures for those who may follow in the footsteps of our travelers.
• Community Involvement: Horizontes’ commitment to sustainable practices means that we are actively looking for ways to involve communities in our tourism programs.
For more information on the CST, please visit the official website at: http://www.turismo-sostenible.co.cr/en/
For more information on HorizontesÂ’ efforts in sustainability, visit our section on Sustainable Travel at www.horizontes.com.
