TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVE FOR THE TURTLE FISHER COMMUNITY OF LIMÓN, COSTA RICA TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVE FOR THE TURTLE FISHER COMMUNITY OF LIMÓN, COSTA RICA Phase I: Planning April 2002 1 TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVE FOR THE TURTLE FISHER COMMUNITY OF LIMÓN, COSTA RICA TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................................................................................... 6 1. 0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 7 1.1 Project background ..................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Project partner organizations ..................................................................................... 8 1.2.1 Asociación de Pescadores de Cieneguita y Portete ...................................... 8 1.2.2 Caribbean Conservation Corporation .............................................................. 8 1.3 Project location ........................................................................................................... 9 1.4 Project beneficiaries .................................................................................................... 10 1.5 Project concept ........................................................................................................... 13 1.6 Objectives ................................................................................................................... 14 1.7 Methodology ............................................................................................................... 15 2.0 PROJECT TECHNICAL STUDY .............................................................................. 17 2.1 Physical-climatic and environmental analysis ............................................................ 17 2.2 Consultative meetings results .................................................................................... 20 2.3 Field trip results .......................................................................................................... 23 2.4 Analysis of tourism in the nation and the region ........................................................ 30 2.4.1 The tourism industry in Costa Rica ............................................................... 30 2.4.2 Tourism on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast .................................................... 32 2.4.2.1 North Caribbean zone - Barra del Colorado and Tortuguero ....................... 33 2.4.2.2 South Caribbean zone - Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Gandoca-Manzanillo 35 2.4.2.3 Puerto Limón - city center ............................................................................. 36 2.4.3 Status of the tourism industry of the Caribbean coast .................................. 38 2.4.4 Profile of visitors to the Caribbean coast ....................................................... 40 2.4.5 Pending projects for Limón that affect the fishing community ....................... 41 "Crucible of Dreams" - Tourism Plaza Project Limón 2001 .......................... 41 Fishery Multi-Service Terminal in Portete Bay ............................................. 42 Relationship between parallel projects and proposed project ...................... 43 3.0 SYNTHESIS AND CONCLUSIONS............................................................................. 45 3.1 Tourism in Costa Rica .................................................................................................. 45 3.2 Insertion into regional tourism industry ........................................................................ 45 3.3 Attractions to develop ................................................................................................... 46 2 TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVE FOR THE TURTLE FISHER COMMUNITY OF LIMÓN, COSTA RICA 3.4 Limitations .................................................................................................................... 47 3.5 Stakeholder acceptance ............................................................................................... 48 3.6 Collaboration ................................................................................................................. 48 3.7 Visitor potential ............................................................................................................. 49 3.8 Project feasibility .......................................................................................................... 50 3.9 Recommended project site .......................................................................................... 50 4.0 PROJECT MASTER PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................53 4.1 Plan of tourism activities and services to offer ............................................................... 53 4.2 Architectural plan ............................................................................................................ 54 4.2.1 Existing facilities at the site ............................................................................ 54 4.2.2 Recommended improvements to the existing facilities ..................................... 55 4.2.3 Facilities proposed for construction or improvement ... .................................. 56 4.3 Training plan ...................................................................................................................57 4.4 Marketing and promotion plan ........................................................................................58 4.4.1 Marketing abroad to potential international visitors ...................................... 59 4.4.2 Marketing within Costa Rica to international visitors .................................... 59 4.4.3 Marketing to Costa Rican and regional tourists ............................................ 60 4.4.4 Signage ......................................................................................................... 61 4.4.5 Image ............................................................................................................. 62 4.4.6 Improving marketing and promotion in the future .............................................62 4.5 Financial management and notes on operations........................................................... 62 4.6 Budget ........................................................................................................................ 65 Annexes ....................................................................................................................................... Annex 1. Preliminary architectural plans for the fishers tourism project .................................. 68 Annex 2. References/Bibliography. ............................................................................................ 76 Annex 3. List of Acronyms. ...................................................................................................... 77 3 TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVE FOR THE TURTLE FISHER COMMUNITY OF LIMÓN, COSTA RICA TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVE FOR THE TURTLE FISHER COMMUNITY OF LIMÓN, COSTA RICA Feasibility Study and Master Plan Prepared by: Concepto Visual Integrado Oscar Cuevas For: Fishers Association of Cieneguita and Portete (ASCIENPE) and the Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC) With financial assistance from: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Firedoll Foundation - Caribbean Conservation Corporation - Asociación de Pescadores de Cieneguita y Portete April 2002 4 TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVE FOR THE TURTLE FISHER COMMUNITY OF LIMÓN, COSTA RICA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Drawing on the successes of the ecotourism industry at Tortuguero, Costa Rica where turtle-based tourism now provides eco- nomic incentives for local people to protect rather than eat turtles, the Asociación de Pescadores de Cieneguita y Portete (ASCIENPE) and the Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC), worked with the turtle fish- ers and vendors to plan an ecotourism project to replace and hopefully exceed the revenues generated by the consumptive turtle trade of Limón. In 2002, the planning phase of the project was completed, to plan and determine the amount of funding required for full project implementation. Financial support was provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Firedoll Foundation for this activi- ty. Concepto Visual Integrado, an architectural consulting group, was hired to work with ASCIENPE and CCC in the preparation of an inte- grated social, technical and economic feasibility study and pre-proposal. Beneficiary groups participated in the planning process via consultative meetings. The resulting master plan recommendations and funding requirements are available in print versions and can be viewed on-line at the CCC web page (www.cccturtle.org). ASCIENPE is now seeking funding for the full project. The Costa Rica government is promoting growth of the tourism industry for Limón and is supportive of this and other projects to aid the area's fishers. The development of a successful model for non-consumptive use of sea tur- tles through ecotourism by an endemic group of fishermen in Limón could prove replicable in sister communities along the Caribbean