Costa Rica Experience Explores Ecotourism

04/06/2026

A SUNY Cortland ecotourism course recently included an unforgettable spring break trip to Costa Rica - not to chase Instagram-worthy sunsets, but to explore the cultural, environmental and economic impact of visitors to unique coastal communities in Central America.

Organized through GIVE Volunteers, the excursion was led by Ken Cohen, associate professor and chair of the Recreation, Parks and Leisure Studies Department. Tourism and recreationis one of SUNY Cortland's newest academic majors and a discipline that prepares students for careers in a growing global industry.

As part of the recent trip, SUNY Cortland students explored topics spanning sustainability to biodiversity and they led a community service project. Senior Cassie Williams, a senior from Middletown, N.Y., also published a blog about the trip, "Bridging Worlds Through Ecotourism: My Journey in Costa Rica," for her internship with Experience Cortland, the Cortland County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The Costa Rica experience brought students to Finca Las Hormigas, a permaculture farm on the South Caribbean coast, where they learned about regenerative approaches to agriculture and how locals develop food plots to protect the natural ecosystem.

At a school in the village of Gandoca, Cortland students helped teach English lessons and plant a garden for children. They also saw the connection between tourism, wildlife and conservation firsthand, and how declining sea turtle populations impacted the local economy and people who depend on visitors for income.

Students learned about the cultural importance of banana and cacao plants, and they embraced a popular greeting in Costa Rica - "pura vida," which means "pure life." The phrase represents the joy of living sustainably and simply. It also gets to the heart of ecotourism.

As Williams expressed in her trip recap: "The best kind of tourism doesn't just benefit travelers, it uplifts the communities we visit."