Sustainable ecotourism in the Rio Tempisque Basin (Costa Rica) : Can ecotourism be beneficial for the biodiversity and the livelihood of the local communities?

Abstract

The objective of this research is to contribute to the two-sided problem of the Rio Tempisque Basin, providing a livelihood for the local communities and the conservation of the biodiversity, by analysing the opportunities and constraints for the development of ecotourism in this kind of areas and local communities. The research took place in the Rio Tempisque Basin in the three villages of Rosario, Puerto Humo and Pozo de Agua. The objective is reached by answering the following main research question: ‘How, and to what extend do the local institutions and livelihoods determine the opportunities and constraints for the development of ecotourism in the Rio Tempisque Basin?’