Visit Punta Islita, Costa Rica

Hotel Punta Islita opened in 1994 in an area where cattle ranching and wood extraction was the basis of the local economy. Prior to this, the area's tropical dry forest had been stripped due to the unsustainable practices that were being undertaken. Since the opening of Punta Islita, the environmental degradation has been reversed.

The hotel sponsors complimentary education, professional training, scholarships, student loans and English programs. Investment in the local communities (nine in total with a population of approximately 1,300 people) has led to a growth of local enterprises ranging from seafood processing plants to furniture workshops and cafés. This has created a positive cycle that spurs further positive economic benefits. Active recycling programs operate very successfully within the grounds of the hotel and employees are educated on this policy, which works very effectively.