MONTEVERDE, COSTA RICA — Nestled in the lush green hills between the ecotourism hamlet of Monteverde and the local town of Santa Elena, Hotel Belmar blends into the cloud forest with its warm wood-paneled walls and rich surrounding flora.
Unlike most luxury resorts, it offers no swimming pool, no televisions and no air conditioning, which comes as an unpleasant surprise to a small number of guests who arrive not knowing what they’re getting into.
Instead, it offers a more radical amenity: a promise to leave the land better than generations of tourists have found it.
Sustainable tourism, long considered the gold standard for responsible travel, aims to minimize the negative impact of tourism on the environment, culture and local economies. While it promotes practices like reducing waste, conserving water and supporting local businesses, critics say it too often stops short of meaningful change. Or worse, that it is deceptive marketing known as greenwashing.
Ideally, sustainable tourism ties the industry to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the effort to end poverty, hunger and other global problems. Costa Rica has done a better job of that than most.
The nation has managed to reverse deforestation, bringing total forest cover to 57%. It has achieved 98% renewable energy thanks to hydropower.
Despite these efforts, the nation still struggles with inequality and other challenges. The rapid expansion of tourism has raised concerns about the marginalization of local communities, overdevelopment in ecologically sensitive areas and pressures on wild animals, among others.
Enter regenerative tourism, a model meant to push beyond sustainability to empower locals, restore ecosystems — generally, to manage travel in a way that strengthens destinations and the people who live there.
According to Dr. Brooke Hansen, associate director of the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of South Florida and founder of consulting firm Regenerative Tourism Solutions, regenerative travel sets a higher bar than sustainability. Unlike sustainable and ecotourism models that aim to minimize harm, regenerative tourism seeks to improve the social, cultural and environmental health of the places people visit.
“Sustainable tourism is a great word, and we've been using it for a long time,” Hansen said. “But sustainability has so many problems. There's an important difference in those two different ways to look at tourism. I actually think we need both.”
A key pressure, she said, is the disenfranchisement of local communities. Costa Rica’s booming tourism sector has increasingly drawn foreign investors who control a growing share of hotels, tour companies and real estate.
Earlier this year, National University of Costa Rica published survey results on local beliefs about expats from the United States, Canada and Europe. Nearly 87% of respondents said they believe foreign residents are acquiring significant portions of beachfront property, often converting them into short-term rentals or high-end tourism ventures. More than two-thirds of respondents said they believe that “land in the interior of the country is being seized.”
The goals of regenerative tourism could tackle such problems if they become systemic and not just marketing words, said Hansen. She said that would mean building systems where local people not only participate in tourism but lead it, a core principle of regeneration.
A pressing challenge, she said, is the blurred line between genuine regenerative practices and greenwashing, the marketing tactic where businesses appear environmentally responsible without meaningful action.
A 2023 report by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council emphasized that inconsistencies in certification programs and vague claims make it difficult for travelers to distinguish between genuinely sustainable businesses and those leveraging eco-friendly language for branding.
“It’s difficult for travelers to figure out what is a bona fide ecotourism site and what is a greenwashed site,” Hansen said. “Luckily, we do have standardized and recognized certifications, but it’s an ongoing problem, and we’re trying to address that at the industry level, too.”
In 1997, the Costa Rican Tourism Board launched its Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) program to assess and certify tourism businesses based on sustainability practices.
The CST sets guidelines and evaluates operators across key environmental and social measures. Businesses earn a “basic” certification for complying with mandatory indicators, and “elite” for exceptional dedication.
Hotel Belmar has been quietly living its values since long before "regeneration" became a new tourism trend. The hotel achieved the highest level of the CST, reflecting its commitment to sustainable practices including alternative energy use, reforestation programs and community environmental initiatives. The hotel is also certified as carbon-neutral by the Institute of Technical Standards of Costa Rica (INTECO).
Founded in 1985 by husband and wife Pedro Belmar and Vera Zeledón (a Chilean and Costa Rican who decided to settle in Zeledón’s native country), it was only the second lodging option in Monteverde at the time. Rather than rely on flashy amenities or green marketing, the couple set out to establish a low-impact business rooted in conservation, carbon neutrality and community engagement decades before most travelers were asking for it.
Instead of televisions or air conditioning, travelers are greeted by panoramic views of the cloud forest and cross-ventilation cooled by mountain breezes.
The hotel is also home to two farm-to-table restaurants and a “garden-to-glass” brewery, made possible by the hotel’s onsite gardens and its sister property, Finca Madre Tierra — Costa Rica’s first certified carbon-neutral farm. Built around permaculture and regenerative agriculture — the inspiration, Hansen said, for regenerative tourism itself — the farm functions as a closed-loop system. Food scraps from the hotel are composted and returned to the soil. Natural pest control methods replace chemical pesticides. Organic produce and herbs are harvested daily for use in the kitchen and bar.
In addition to sourcing most ingredients locally and seasonally, the hotel also offers limited meat and dairy options to reduce its carbon footprint. When animal products are served, they come in small portions from regional producers.
According to Tania Castro, the hotel’s general manager, its greatest impact may happen after guests check out.
“They sent an email. They were putting in practice all they learned here,” Castro said, recalling a story of a family who visited with their two children. “The kids, they were saying, ‘Mommy, no, that is organic. You cannot put it there with the trash.’”
Hotel Belmar is also a member of the H4 Collective, an alliance of hotels in Monteverde dedicated to sustainability, cultural preservation and authentic hospitality. The hotels collaborate on conservation efforts, share regenerative practices and work to strengthen ties with the surrounding area by donating monthly to community initiatives like the community theater, cinema and art classes.
For travelers craving deeper immersion, H4 partners with organizations like the Monteverde Institute, established in 1986, which works to create solutions in the local community on issues including community health and resilient economies.
Martha Honey is an eco-travel watchdog and the author of books including “Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who Owns Paradise?” and “Overtourism: Lessons for a Better Future.” She said drawing tourists into community projects that make a tangible difference, also called travel philanthropy, can help tourism businesses “go above and beyond.” The Monteverde Institute, she said, offers a strong bridge that can help tourism businesses connect their visitors to local communities.
Regenerative tourism “can be an experience that anyone can have,” said Hansen with the University of South Florida. It can span from a luxury hotel like Belmar to simple camping: either experience could offer carbon-neutral lodging, replanting native species, community service and other experiences that give more than they take.
“In some ways, we can have the best of all worlds here,” Hansen said. “We can have glamorous travel that fulfills all of our needs while also being regenerative and sustainable.”
