Community-based ecotourism to meet the new tourist's expectations: an exploratory study

C
ASE STUDIES REPORTS
 
 
Case 1: The indigenous reserve of Malekus in Costa Rica
(Auzias, Labourdette & Varela, 2008) 
 
The indigenous reserve of Maleku is located at the north of the country. Among the 24 
indigenous reserves in the country, only 5 of them, including the Maleku community, kept their 
customs and habits. Ten years ago, a chief of the community, Wilson Morera Elizondo, wished to 
save the Maleku culture and encouraged the young people to perpetuate their language and their 
traditions by explaining to them that it would bring a new source of revenue and better living 
conditions for the community. From an ecological and cultural perspective, he had ranchos 
(traditional houses) built with local materials to accommodate for tourists eager to discover one 
of the first civilizations of Costa Rica, its natural environment, its traditions and its knowledge 
inherited from ancestors. Today, this community-based ecotourism project allows visitors to 
discover and share the everyday life of the community. The visitors are thus placed in the 
traditional ranches and are catered typical meals, prepared from food products collected in the 
reserve. Activities are varied and are primarily based on the discovery of the natural environment 
and the Maleku culture. Activities include excursions to the main sites of ecological and cultural 
interest and to cultivated lands, excursions to discover fauna and flora, excursions in the primary 
forest, participation in the indigenous ceremonies and further discovery of the Maleku culture 
such as learning about medicinal herbs used. In parallel, there is a reforestation program and a 
conservation program to preserve the natural habitat of the animal species. As a result of these 
programs, the ecological impact of tourism is minimized; waste is sorted and organic waste is 
given to the animals of the community or transformed into fertilizer. All the people who work for 
this project belong to the Maleku community. Artisanal products made by the inhabitants are sold 
in the information center of the reserve and for each tourist, 1$ is put in a community chest. 

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