The “Costa Rica Plastic Free” campaign launched in partnership between the Preserve Planet organization and the WilDTours Costa Rica company, aims to eradicate the use of single-use plastic bottles in the tourism industry.
This initiative is committed to sustainability as a way to reactivate tourism, mainly due to the economic impact caused by the pandemic in the sector.
“With this campaign we want to reduce the use of this type of plastic, until we eradicate the use of single-use plastic bottles in the tourism industry, opting for more sustainable alternatives such as reusable containers and returnable glass bottles. The planet faces a very serious environmental problem due to plastic pollution “, explained Luis Diego Marín, Preserve Planet regional coordinator.
The campaign includes beach cleaning and green space reforestation
According to the organizers of the initiative, touristic places in the country will be visited to promote sustainable tourism and reject single-use plastic, together with special guests. Also, beaches will be cleaned and green spaces will be reforested.
Likewise, through filming that will take place on each of the dates -which will highlight the culture of the inhabitants of the place-, people will be invited to do national tourism.
In this alliance, companies such as rent a car, hotels, tour operators, restaurants, and tourism chambers joined, who will share the campaign on their social networks, as well as other digital information, tourism promotion, and media platforms.
The plastics industry is the third-largest in the country and Costa Rica is the largest plastic importer in all of Central America. 80% (440 tons) is thrown into the sea; 11% (60.5 tons) remain in landfills and the environment; while only 9% (49.5 tons) is recycled.
