Comparison Sutainable Development between Costa Rica and UAE

Tourism in International Relations
Lecture : Drs Usmar Salam MIS
Uky Wardhono
International Relations
07/250300/SP/21918

Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of the global economy and developing countries are attempting to cash in on this expanding industry in an attempt to boost foreign investment and financial reserves. While conceding that the uncontrolled growth of this industry can result in serious environmental and social problems, the United Nations contends that such negative effects can be controlled and reduced. Arguing that 'tourism needs to be more sustainable. In the my first study case, I’m interested with sustainable development with ecotourism in Costa Rica. First, let me introduced Costa Rica, Costa Rica is located in Central America, nestled between Nicaragua and Panama, and bordered on the east by the Caribbean Sea and the west by the Pacific Ocean. It has given priority to the conservation of its natural resources, protecting 25% of the national territory in National Parks or other natural areas. The country offers world-class eco-tourism and adventure travel. The Costa Rica Tourist Board, created in 1955, is an autonomous institution of the State, responsible for regulating the tourism activity in Costa Rica and promoting Costa Rica’s tourism attractions and destinations both at a national and international level. The Costa Rica Tourist Board creates tourism norms, regulations, incentives and grants the tourist declaratory for Costa Rica’s hotels, travel agencies, rental cars and other tourism organization and service provider.
In the past year in Costa Rica, each year nearly 17 million hectares of rain forest plant area roughly equal to that of Wisconsinþare lost world-wide as a result of deforestation. Because more than half of all the species on the planet are found in rain forests, this destruction portends serious environmental consequences." The primary reasons for deforestation have economic linkages, including the extraction of hardwood for fuel and the clear-cutting of land for agriculture and cattle ranching. However, because of the disastrous consequences of the past, many nations, including Costa Rica, have embarked on projects to promote ecotourismþthe result of a reconciliation of development and conservation strategies to achieve sustainable development. In short, ecotourism is defined as "purposeful travel that creates an understanding of cultural and natural history, while safeguarding the integrity of the ecosystem and producing economic benefits that encourage conservation." Costa Rica embarked on implementing ecotourism programs for two primary reasons: first, because tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of many economies in Latin America and because of its ability to generate needed foreign exchange which is critical for developing countries. Second, ecotourism has been argued to be a win-win situation for local inhabitants, the environment, as well as the economy in general as the country moves toward achieving sustainable development. This type of tourism comes in many forms and has been successful in aiding the decline of deforestation however, with the rise in ecotourism we have seen the advent of numerous other problems that are still harmful to the rain forests, and thus, ecotourism is a concern for our interest in how trade and the environment impact one another.

Costa Rica is currently undergoing a period of rapid economic and social change. As this resource-rich, wonderfully biodiverse country continues along a path of rapid development, it is increasingly influenced by global policy such as the Central American Fair Trade Act (CAFTA) and foreign markets. Costa Rica's economy has shifted from one predominately based on agriculture to one driven by ecotourism and technology exports. At the same time, brisk population growth is straining natural and developed resources. The country is at a critical juncture as resource management decisions are being made in an effort to keep pace with competitive global markets.
The Third Virtual Congress on Latin American Tourism Industry and Destination Competitiveness, recently recognized Costa Rica with the “Tourism for All” award in the category “Innovation in Tourism and Hotels.” The implementation of the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) program created by the Costa Rica Tourist Board (ICT) was the main reason for such recognition. After a meticulous evaluation, the CST program was selected based on its vision and feasibility to promote sustainable tourism. The recognition was given as an incentive to encourage sustainable tourism actions that would allow a growth in Costa Rica. Plans also include replicating the program in every country in Latin America. The conference’s main topic was “Hotel and Tourism Small Businesses: Present and Future.” Other countries that participated were Argentina, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras Nicaragua, Panamá, Spain, United States, and Venezuela.Costa Rica’s development model is enhanced with the implementation of the CST. The CST objective is to categorize and differentiate tourism companies according to their model of sustainability in the natural, cultural, and social resources areas. Four basic areas are evaluated: biological and physical environment, service platform, customer service, and socioeconomic environment. The CST program was created by the ICT in 1999 and it has been internationally recognized by the World Tourism Organization. Presently 94 companies ranging from tour operators and hotels are certified in Costa Rica.
For my second study cases I choose UAE ( United Arab Emirates) Dubai, as my second study case. Urban regions are known for their extensive use of natural resources and prolific generation of waste substances. They also import goods and services, and export waste products, leaving an impact not only on their immediate environment but also on distant environments over a longer time period. The challenge of civic authorities to provide adequate living conditions, water, sanitation, public transportation, and waste management features prominently in all urban development policies and action programs.
For a country like the United Arab Emirates (UAE), urban development is a major concern of policymakers, planners, public officials, and environmental advocates. The UAE has been progressing steadily on the path of growth and development over the last three decades, propelled by an oil-rich economy. Although not affluent in other natural resources, the country scores high on development indices in recent years due to unprecedented economic growth, high per capita income, and robust social development. Among all the nations in the Arabian Gulf region, the UAE has emerged as a hub of commerce, stability, security, and peace. According to the 2005 Human Development Index Report compiled by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the UAE has risen in rank to occupy the 41st position among the developed nations of the world. Because of its economic growth and relatively open immigration policies, the UAE has attracted large numbers of people from all over the world, particularly from Asia and Europe. The UAE has urbanized rapidly over a comparatively brief time frame. Prominent cities like Dubai have expanded several times their size in comparison with what they used to be, even as recently as the 1970s and 1980s. Today, Dubai features prominently on the global map of emerging places, and is now considered by some experts to be among the “world cities”.
The population of the UAE has been increasing by more than 5 percent annually for the past 15 years. The immigrant population in the UAE has grown by more than 6 percent annually during this same time period. One consequence is the UAE’s large-scale boom in construction due to the huge expansion of urban areas, facilities, and infrastructure. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region, more than US$300 billion is being invested in building urban residential, commercial, tourism, leisure, and entertainment projects. Of this, the UAE accounts for US$36 billion, according to estimates of the Arab Real Estate and Construction Association. In the next five years this amount is expected to double, making the UAE “the pearl of the east”.
While construction and real estate is a major contributor to Dubai’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it is also among the prime resource-intensive sectors. Thus, growing cities such as Dubai need to plan along sustainable lines in order to reduce their negative environmental impacts and natural resource depletion. There is ample scope for establishing direct links between environmental and developmental issues in urban growth. By promoting sustainable lifestyles, cleaner production, renewable energy, water resources management, reduction of solid waste and sewage treatment, reuse and recycling of materials, ecological urban design and construction, public health, cultural expression and social responsibility of residents, cities can strive to be magnets for long-term environmental sustainability.
Taking up the cause of sustainable development, the Emirates Environmental Group (EEG), a leading non-government organization (NGO) based in Dubai, has emerged as one of the most active civil society NGOs in the United Arab Emirates. EEG, as it is popularly known, has been a pioneering force behind the mainstreaming of such potent issues as education for sustainable development, waste management, and separation of recyclable materials at source, the three R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle), water and energy conservation, renewable energy production, sustainable transportation, public transit, combating desertification by expanding urban green spaces, promoting recourse efficient green buildings, and encouraging corporate social responsibility. EEG’s operations are targeted at building effective outreach among key stakeholders including governments, businesses, communities, and civil society groups. EEG’s vision is to facilitate a green and sustainable UAE.
EEG has spearheaded community waste recycling through successful collection campaigns for aluminum cans, paper, cartridges, plastic, and glass. By facilitating sorted collection, EEG aims to promote sound cyclical use of materials, reduction of emissions and pollution, mitigating global climate change and reducing the ecological footprint of the UAE. A few years ago, EEG mounted an awareness campaign to popularize the concept of green buildings in an environment that was still unfamiliar with the imperative for sustainability. Raising awareness among policymakers, communications media, professionals, and community leaders, EEG is now the conscience behind the movement to form a green building council for the UAE, to establish minimum environmental quality standards and objective and transparent rating systems, and to build environmentally sustainable structures. EEG has supported various national and local initiatives to improve and expand public transportation systems, by promoting public education on the economic and environmental benefits of urban transit. EEG has enlisted the active support of the corporate sector to steer growth and development in the direction of sustainability. In 2004, EEG launched the multi-stakeholder Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Network in the UAE, bringing together the heads and hands of urban economic development in a single, structured, composite body.

References
http://www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/eco-tour.html
http://huwu.org/esa/sustdev/csd/icftu2.pdf
http://www.world-tourism.org/frameset/frame_sustainable.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Costa_Rica
http://www.ameinfo.com/80724.html