Costa Rica promotes sustainable events with its MICE Forest program
The initiative integrates meeting tourism with environmental conservation, promoting responsible corporate meetings that actively contribute to the regeneration of the dry forest in Guanacaste
Costa Rica continues to strengthen its leadership in sustainability by applying this approach to one of the fastest-growing segments in the tourism industry: meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions. Since 2016, the country has promoted the MICE Forest program, an initiative that offsets the carbon footprint of events and meetings through concrete ecological restoration actions in the tropical dry forest.
The project was born with the goal of offering an environmentally responsible alternative for holding business meetings, connecting participants with local conservation efforts. The approach allows each event to leave a positive mark, transforming its environmental impact into tangible contributions to ecosystem recovery.
The MICE Forest is being developed at the Horizontes Experimental Station in Guanacaste. It protects a 158-hectare area undergoing natural regeneration, previously degraded by livestock farming. Instead of planting trees, the project promotes the spontaneous growth of native species, creating a more resilient, biodiverse environment suitable for local wildlife.
Thanks to the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) program, the area's protection is guaranteed for a period of ten years. Furthermore, the offset achieved so far is estimated to be equivalent to the capture of approximately 13,300 tons of CO₂, equivalent to 13,300 trees growing for 15 years.
Beyond its environmental impact, the initiative also serves a social and educational function: the station is managed by members of the local community, who, in addition to receiving training and decent employment, actively participate in ecosystem protection. The site is frequently visited by school and university groups interested in learning about the dry forest and its regeneration processes.
The Forest MICE program reflects Costa Rica's structural commitment to a regenerative tourism model, in which each corporate meeting becomes an opportunity to restore, educate, and generate environmental and social well-being.