Costa Rica Leads Global Shift to Sustainable Ecotourism as GSTC Urges Action

Highlighting Costa Rica as a global leader in ecotourism, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) CEO Randy Durband has called for unified standards to manage rising visitor volumes.

The Core Transit Update

International tourism corridors and regional destination networks are integrating conservation frameworks to mitigate environmental pressures. During an exclusive interview at the PATA Annual Summit 2026 in Korea, GSTC CEO Randy Durband—who brings more than 40 years of industry experience—emphasized that sustainable tourism must transition from marketing commitments to structured operational standards.

Costa Rica leads this shift through its national Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) program, protecting biodiversity areas and national parks. Other countries are adopting distinct policies: Bhutan uses a high-value Sustainable Development Fee system, Japan enforces digital crowd management to control overtourism, and major brands like the Ascott Hotel Group have targeted 100 per cent property certification by 2028 to verify sustainability throughout their supply chains.

Ecotourism Leaders & Countries Under Pressure

Planning an eco-friendly vacation requires verifying local sustainability credentials and understanding destination management systems. The following tables outline the leading sustainable countries and summarize destinations facing major tourism pressures.

Stated Sustainable Country	Major Government Sustainability Actions	Stated Evidence-Based Sustainability Focus
Costa Rica	National ecotourism strategy, protected areas, CST program	Nature conservation, renewable energy, community travel
Bhutan	High-value, low-impact tourism model, Development Fee	Visitor management, cultural protection, conservation
New Zealand	Tourism sustainability frameworks, Māori partnerships	Biodiversity protection, low-impact travel, culture
Norway	Sustainable Destination certification, green mobility	Climate action, responsible transport, nature
Slovenia	Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism	Sustainable destination certification & standards
Japan	Regional tourism management, overtourism controls	Crowd management, regional dispersal, preservation

Countries leading sustainable tourism transformation.

Stated Destination	Main Stated Sustainability Challenge	Stated Evidence-Based Issue
Spain	Overtourism in major destinations	Pressure on housing, infrastructure, & local communities
Italy	High visitor concentration	Historic cities face crowd management challenges
Greece	Island resource pressure	Water availability and seasonal tourism concentration
Thailand	Environmental pressure on popular sites	Marine ecosystem protection challenges
Indonesia	Rapid tourism expansion	Waste management and ecosystem protection needs
Maldives	Climate vulnerability	Sea-level rise and waste management concerns

Countries facing major tourism sustainability pressure.

Traveler Logistics Guide

From a ground-level perspective, the best way to navigate this is to choose hotels and tour operators that hold recognized third-party certifications (such as the Costa Rican CST or GSTC-aligned credentials) when booking your regional itineraries, as this guarantees your vacation spending directly funds community-based conservation rather than greenwashed corporate marketing campaigns. Checking local park entry regulations is recommended.

To plan your sustainable travel:

Allow Safe Connecting Windows: When transiting through remote eco-lodges in Bhutan or Costa Rica, allow at least four hours of travel buffer to account for unpaved mountain roads and seasonal weather detours.
Observe Local Waste Rules: In island destinations like the Maldives or Greece, water and waste treatment plants are heavily strained. Minimize plastic usage and conserve domestic water supplies.
Support Community Guilds: Book tours guided by local residents or indigenous groups (such as Māori experiences in New Zealand or tribal guides in Costa Rica) to ensure direct economic benefits to local communities.
Verify Entry Fees: Countries like Bhutan charge a mandatory daily Sustainable Development Fee. Budget this into your overall travel costs before applying for entry visas.

Infrastructure Impact Assessment

The implementation of unified sustainability certifications and the management of regional visitor flows protect vulnerable ecosystems from severe recreational degradation.

By directing traveler demand to certified properties (such as Ascott's properties by 2028) and regions utilizing clean transport (like Norway's electric vehicle fleets), the global tourism strategy supports eco-friendly construction jobs, funds wildlife preservation, and ensures that regional transit networks operate at carbon-efficient levels.