Península Papagayo has joined as a Member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)
Península Papagayo is a 1,400-acre private club and resort community located on Costa Rica’s north Pacificas. This region, part sophisticated resort, part primitive playground, invites visitors to bask in its pristine beaches and marvel at its diverse ecosystems, from lush tropical rainforests to vibrant coral reefs.
Known for its friendly local communities, Peninsula Papagayo exemplifies the Pura Vida lifestyle that Costa Rica is celebrated for.
Sustainability in Península Papagayo
The resort’s commitment to sustainability started over twenty years ago with the creation of a pioneering community outreach program called Creciendo Juntos, dedicated to improving access to quality healthcare and education in the nineteen communities surrounding Peninsula Papagayo.
The resort is committed to reducing its main environmental impacts by measuring its carbon footprint and water footprint and allocating resources to implement ambitious reduction plans.
Moreover, in a partnership with reducing its main environmental impacts by measuring its carbon footprint and water footprint, and allocating resources to implement ambitious reduction plans. In a partnership with FONAFIFO and ClimateTrade, Peninsula Papagayo offers its guests and residents the opportunity to offset CO2 emissions from travel in ways that can positively impact local families. FONAFIFO carbon credits do that by increasing forest cover in Costa Rica, protecting and restoring nature, and preserving a sense of place for future generations.
- The resort also promotes sustainable practices related to water conservation, waste reduction and biodiversity restoration: 100% of the water used is treated, processed, and reused in the irrigation of green areas.
- Constant flow monitoring system and generation of alerts to prevent leaks and detect possible anomalies.
- Elimination of single-use plastics in the guest-facing experience, and creation of a Sustainable Sourcing Code for the purchasing departments.
- Energy efficiency audits and energy efficiency actions such as: transition to led lighting, AC automatic shutdown in guest rooms, presence sensors, electric golf carts, and electric bike share programs available for guests and residents.
- Coral restoration project in Culebra Bay, the largest in the country.
- Biodiversity research studies: wildcats monitoring, mangrove characterization, and seagrass restoration.
- Energy efficiency audits and energy efficiency actions such as: transition to led lighting, AC automatic shutdown in guest rooms, presence sensors, electric golf carts, and electric bike share programs available for guests and residents.
- Biodiversity research studies: wildcats monitoring, mangrove characterization and seagrass restoration.
You can read their latest ESG Impact Report here.
“We are thrilled to join the GSTC. The global environmental and social challenges can only be addressed through successful partnerships and synergy creation. In this sense, GSTC is the perfect forum to meet other industry leaders and share experiences toward more sustainable tourism.” says Susana Vicente Alamo, ESG Director of Península Papagayo.
GSTC Welcomes Península Papagayo
“We are pleased to welcome Península Papagayo as a new member of the GSTC. The dedication of the leadership of this resort-filled peninsula to sustainability is genuine, and we are excited to provide any support we can to their efforts to help each resort with continuous improvement in their sustainable practices,” says Randy Durband, CEO of GSTC.
GSTC encourages destinations pursuing sustainability practices in tourism development and management to join as GSTC members and apply the GSTC Destination Criteria, which eventually can help achieve certification by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body.
About Península Papagayo
Situated on Costa Rica’s North Pacific coast in the province of Guanacaste, Peninsula Papagayo is Latin America’s ultimate coastal retreat offering an unparalleled closeness to nature and a lifetime of adventure in one of the most peaceful and biodiverse countries in the world. The community includes Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo, Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo, Bahias by Antoine Predock, the Clubhouse at Prieta Beach, the Arnold Palmer Signature Ocean Course at Peninsula Papagayo, Marina Papagayo, and an exclusive collection of oceanfront homes and villas.
For more information, visit the website: https://peninsulapapagayo.com. Picture: © Penínusla Papagayo
About the GSTC
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council® (GSTC®) establishes and manages global sustainable standards, known as the GSTC Criteria. There are two sets: Destination Criteria for public policy-makers and destination managers, and Industry Criteria for hotels and tour operators. These are the guiding principles and minimum requirements that any tourism business or destination should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for conservation and poverty alleviation.
The GSTC Criteria form the foundation for GSTC’s assurance role for Certification Bodies that certify hotels/accommodations, tour operators, and destinations as having sustainable policies and practices in place. GSTC does not directly certify any products or services, but provides accreditation to those that do. The GSTC is an independent and neutral USA-registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that represents a diverse and global membership, including national and provincial governments, leading travel companies, hotels, tour operators, NGOs, individuals and communities – all striving to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism.
Information for media and the press: www.gstcouncil.org/about/for-the-press/
