Céline Bouverat - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
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Papers by Céline Bouverat
Increased environmental and social awareness lead to a growing demand for sustainable tourism pro... more Increased environmental and social awareness lead to a growing demand for sustainable tourism products. At the same time, intellectual activities with a high learning effect have greatly gained in importance. Costa Rica has been playing an important role in the implementation of sustainable tourism infrastructure and practices. Thanks to its high biodiversity it has been successful in attracting eco-tourists from all over the globe. Offering a point of difference with its clear Spanish accent and the Ticos (Costa Ricans) being known for their friendliness and tranquillity, it is more and more chosen for language stays, foreign studies and student exchange programs. Merging ecotourism and educational tourism in Costa Rica ensures significant benefits for both travellers and locals. This study begins with a theoretical approach, which clarifies the two terms ecotourism and educational tourism and demonstrates the benefits of merging these two tourism forms in Costa Rica. It also provides the reader with information on current tourism trends and the concept of sustainable tourism development. Then, the practical part of this study shows the development of a prototype of an eco-language immersion for the language school 'Spanish and Culture' in Costa Rica. It focuses on one of the emerging tourist segments: aged 65+ years with consciousness of quality and relevance of socialising. Furthermore, the necessary steps to implement the elaborated tour in the tourism market are pointed out. Literature research and a qualitative survey, conducted as expert interviews along with previously elaborated criteria for the choice of local partners served as basis for this research paper.
Increased environmental and social awareness lead to a growing demand for sustainable tourism pro... more Increased environmental and social awareness lead to a growing demand for sustainable tourism products. At the same time, intellectual activities with a high learning effect have greatly gained in importance. Costa Rica has been playing an important role in the implementation of sustainable tourism infrastructure and practices. Thanks to its high biodiversity it has been successful in attracting eco-tourists from all over the globe. Offering a point of difference with its clear Spanish accent and the Ticos (Costa Ricans) being known for their friendliness and tranquillity, it is more and more chosen for language stays, foreign studies and student exchange programs. Merging ecotourism and educational tourism in Costa Rica ensures significant benefits for both travellers and locals. This study begins with a theoretical approach, which clarifies the two terms ecotourism and educational tourism and demonstrates the benefits of merging these two tourism forms in Costa Rica. It also provides the reader with information on current tourism trends and the concept of sustainable tourism development. Then, the practical part of this study shows the development of a prototype of an eco-language immersion for the language school 'Spanish and Culture' in Costa Rica. It focuses on one of the emerging tourist segments: aged 65+ years with consciousness of quality and relevance of socialising. Furthermore, the necessary steps to implement the elaborated tour in the tourism market are pointed out. Literature research and a qualitative survey, conducted as expert interviews along with previously elaborated criteria for the choice of local partners served as basis for this research paper.