Costa Rica Assumes Global Leadership in Sustainable Tourism Ahead of the International Year 2027
BCR SME Action Tourism Program Will Strengthen the Tourism Sector’s Climate Adaptation
- Futurismocr.com is a pioneering platform in Latin America that provides comprehensive solutions for managing climate-related risks
- It offers tools and solutions that will help hotels better adapt to climate variability
- A practical resource in the midst of climate phenomena such as El Niño.
Costa Rica’s hotel sector will now have access to an innovative, specialized, and free platform designed to strengthen knowledge and capabilities in climate resilience, assess business climate risks, and develop tailored action plans.
“Futurismocr.com seeks to foster climate resilience and promote business continuity among micro, small, and medium-sized lodging enterprises. To achieve this, it offers three modules: one focused on learning, another dedicated to assessing climate risks specific to each organization, and a third centered on action, providing customized recommendations to mitigate those risks,” stated Marcos Borges, Executive President of the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT).
Each company can create a personalized account and gain access to a package of educational resources featuring up-to-date information on climate change (including droughts and floods), sustainability, and risk management to strengthen the capabilities of their workforce.
Businesses will be able to view simple metrics related to the climate risks affecting their properties based on their geographic location. The platform helps generate a risk index based on climate related exposure and vulnerability. It also enables companies to implement and monitor action plans, build internal capacities, and develop adaptation measures to address the risks they face.
FU-TURISMO also provides opportunities for businesses to share experiences with other companies and connect with experts in financial solutions that support business continuity in the face of climate risks through accessible options.
The initiative originated with the General Superintendency of Insurance (SUGESE) and brought together a multi-sector working group that included ICT, German Cooperation (GIZ), and the insurance industry, including insurers Internacional de Seguros Costa Rica and Sagicor, as well as intermediaries BN Seguros and Popular Seguros.
Its development included a diagnostic and validation phase, support from international organizations such as the Access to Insurance Initiative and the Global Risk Modelling Alliance, and a pilot phase involving various businesses from the tourism sector.
“Futurismo is a solution resulting from a public-private multi-sector effort for which a governance structure has been established to further expand its benefits through effective cooperation mechanisms. The tools developed, particularly in the area of risk modeling, will also enable the insurance and financial sectors to design accessible and valuable solutions for Costa Rica’s tourism industry,” said Tomás Soley, General Superintendent of Insurance.
The initiative also received support from the EbA LAC Project, implemented under the commission of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Government. Within the Federal Government, IKI is affiliated with the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN).
“This initiative reflects the commitment of multiple sectors to drive innovative solutions that promote ecosystem based adaptation, strengthen the climate resilience of tourism businesses, and contribute to the sustainable development of Costa Rica,” emphasized Astrid Michels, Director of the EbA LAC Program.
FU-TURISMO was created in the post pandemic context in response to the increasing impacts of climate change, including the effects of the El Niño phenomenon and scenarios involving heavier rainfall, which are significantly affecting and transforming the way tourism is developed.
Tourism is a key sector that must strengthen its capacity to face climate challenges due to its vulnerability to infrastructure damage, operational disruptions, rising input costs, impacts on biodiversity, and effects on tourists, among other factors.
“One of the main challenges we face as an insurance sector is the lack of clear and accessible information to understand climate risks at the individual business level. FU- TURISMO provides exactly that value: it translates risk into useful information for decision-making. This allows businesses to anticipate, adapt, and strengthen their long-term sustainability,” stated Kevin Lucas, President of the Association of Private Insurers of Costa Rica.
The Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT) serves as a strategic partner and represents the primary beneficiary sector of this platform.
For more information, visit www.futurismocr.com.
Tourism: An Engine of Development That Must Be Strengthened in the Face of the Climate Emergency
Key Figures
According to data from the Central Bank of Costa Rica:
- In 2025, tourism generated US$5.5437 billion in foreign exchange earnings.
- Tourism supports more than 500,000 direct and indirect jobs (approximately 25% of the economically active population is linked to tourism).
- Nearly 60% of the workforce in tourism-related activities is made up of women.
- The tourism sector contributes approximately 8% of Costa Rica’s GDP.
- The tourism industry includes more than 3,000 tourism businesses, of which over 65% are microenterprises.
Source: Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT)
