For businesspeople and entrepreneurs who operate in the potentially lucrative tourism industry of Costa Rica, getting the coveted Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) from the National Board of Tourism (Spanish initials: ICT) is like finding the Holy Grail in the midst of a forest property that the government has not yet turned into a national park. More than 20 years into the CST program, however, some tourism and hospitality operators are wondering if going through the bureaucratic gauntlet is actually worth the hassle.

Sustainable hospitality and tourism, is defined by the ICT’s CST program as:

“the degree to which [tourism and hospitality] operations comply to a model of sustainability.”

CST evaluators ask questions and investigate business operations as they relate to how companies interact with the natural habitat and ecosystem they operate in, how they involve tourists in their sustainable models and how they benefit the community. Companies that provide lodging are further evaluated in their energy saving and carbon footprint reductions strategies. Tour agencies are evaluated for their accurate sustainable product management and marketing. Businesses are rated by ICT on a scale from zero to five leaves, with five being more than 95 percent sustainable.

According to a recent blog post by the Cayuga Collection, a lodging group that operates various ecolodges in Costa Rica as well as in Nicaragua, the CST program has become mired in red tape and questionable practices. As with other government programs in Costa Rica, the Cayuga Collection -which was among the first businesses to receive a CST- believes that the time has come for reform, or at least a comprehensive review of the program.

The Cayuga Collection blog post cites a letter from a hotelier not affiliated with the group who is concerned that unreasonable consulting fees that do not make sense are being attached to the CST evaluation process, and that some businesses are no longer truly focused on sustainability; they are simply looking to “get more leaves” so that they can attract more tourists. In other words, the CST program has become more of an image thing instead of truly encouraging sustainability and conservation.

The Cayuga Collection is asking others involved in the vast tourism industry of Costa Rica to contribute ideas and comments on this important issue. To find out more, visit their blog.