Costa Rica, represented by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), was elected as a country for the regional presidency for the Americas of the International Social Tourism Organization (ISTO), a position it will hold for a period of two years.
ISTO Americas is responsible for promoting and developing tourism for all people, inclusive, supportive and sustainable, in South America, Central America, the Caribbean and North America.
Sergio Rodríguez is the current president of ISTO Americas and the new representative for Costa Rica will be Alberto López, from the general management of the ICT. Likewise, Costa Rican Stephanie Sheehy, executive director of the Costa Rican Accessible Tourism Network, was reelected as vice president of the ISTO Americas Council.
"Costa Rica receives this designation with great honor and responsibility, also as a recognition of the role that the country has played in promoting social tourism for all people, with inclusive programs and the firm belief that tourism activity, if managed under a sustainability model, is a driver of development and well-being for communities," said William Rodríguez, Minister of Tourism of Costa Rica.
Our country, through the ICT, has promoted programs such as Tourism for All, which allows people in vulnerable socioeconomic conditions or with physical limitations to live tourist experiences, as well as activities in alliance with entities or organizations such as the Costa Rican Social Security Fund, Funcavida, the Costa Rican Accessible Tourism Network, among others, to promote more inclusive tourism with populations of older adults, cancer survivors or patients, children and young people.
In addition, in conjunction with the economic and environmental axis of tourism sustainability, the social dimension is also strengthened with initiatives such as "Crafts with Identity", which brings together 18 artisan groups that sell their products from a perspective that maintains national and cultural identity, and is also a source of income for more than 350 artisans.
The Integrated Management of Tourist Destinations, which allows the measurement of indicators reflected in the Social Progress Index (IPS), is another of the actions in which the country stands out before ISTO, since it allows the quantification of the socioeconomic well-being of the populations and the environmental impacts derived from tourist activity.
30 years of history in the Americas
ISTO arrived in the Americas in 1994 and was legally established in 1996. In these 30 years of management on the continent, it has seen the growth and deepening of links between private companies, non-governmental organizations, academies and public administrations in favor of a tourism development that prioritizes service to people, communities and territories, under the promotion of concepts such as social, responsible or community tourism.
ISTO Americas is currently comprised of more than 70 organizations from 17 nations, as well as 15 individual partners.
The International Social Tourism Organisation (ISTO) is an international non-profit association that brings together 190 organisations from 45 countries with actions revolving around themes such as accessibility, fair trade, environment, solidarity and quality of life.
Source: ICT.