The Strong Colon and the Revenue Dip
Costa Rica has successfully protected roughly a quarter of its total landmass through national parks and reserves, and generated a record-breaking $5.43 billion in tourism revenue in 2024. But the sector lost approximately $60 million in 2025 due to fewer visitors - a direct consequence of the strong Colon making everything from coffee to car rentals significantly more expensive for Americans and Europeans.
This is not a rounding error. It is a structural mismatch that should change how you plan your trip. When a country becomes this expensive, some resorts start cutting corners on environmental commitments to protect margins. The budget for gray-water recycling or native reforestation is often the first thing cut. A mid-range eco-lodge that cost one price five years ago may now rival a luxury hotel in Paris - and with fewer actual green practices behind the scenes.
The cost-versus-credibility gap matters practically. In Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula, luxury stays now run $1,200 to $1,500 per night. At that price, a legitimate operation should be hauling all waste out of the jungle by hand and generating its own power off-grid. If the price is that high but the resort uses industrial laundry services off-site, you are likely being greenwashed.
Belize and the Shift from Cruise Ships to Jungle Lodges
Belize is gaining ground quickly with a distinct model. Overnight guests reached a record peak in 2024 following a 21% increase - outpacing the 13% average across the Caribbean. But cruise ship arrivals remain 17% below 2019 levels, and that gap is deliberate.
Because tourism represents a major slice of Belize's GDP, government officials now recognize that a single guest at a jungle lodge for one week delivers more economic value than hundreds of cruise visitors staying four hours. The country is using Norway as a template for blue-green industrial policies to reach 2030 sustainability targets, according to Dr. Dylan Vernon of the Belize Policy Research Institute.
This transition makes Belize feel like a working outdoor laboratory rather than a crowded theme park. However, prices are climbing here too - up roughly 21% in a single year. You will no longer find budget jungle huts in the Cayo District. Instead, you will find sophisticated operations that use your stay to fund jaguar corridors and reef protection. The country is betting its economic future on the idea that travelers will pay more for a smaller, more ethical footprint.
Humidity Realities and the Air Conditioning Paradox
Authentic eco-lodges frequently skip air conditioning to minimize power use. You may pay $750 to $950 per night to sleep in 90% humidity cooled only by a ceiling fan. On popular review sites, this is the top complaint from guests who wanted "authentic" until they actually had to sleep in it. But the discomfort signals something real.
Running large AC units in a secluded jungle requires massive electricity. When a property advertises itself as carbon-neutral and off-grid while running loud AC units, there is likely a diesel generator behind a nearby hill. True sustainability means open-air architecture that invites the breeze - and the occasional bug. If that trade-off is not acceptable, you will probably end up at a resort that talks about the planet but cools your room with high-carbon systems.
This is also the clearest reason to verify certifications. In Costa Rica, check for the CST 2.0 rating - a government-run database that audits hotels on staff treatment, sewage handling, energy sources, and more. If a hotel calls itself "eco" but has no CST rating, ask why. Most often, the answer is that it could not pass the audit.
The Blue Bond and the Shift to Reef Conservation
The next wave of sustainable travel in both countries is moving from the jungle floor to the ocean floor. Belize launched its first "Blue and Green Industrial Strategy" in May 2025 - a formal roadmap to become a regional leader in marine economy models. This was made possible by a "Blue Bond," a debt-restructuring deal tied to a commitment to protect 30% of Belize's ocean territory.
This shift changes where the most credible sustainable properties are located. Rather than focusing only on jungle lodges, the industry is expanding toward "Blue" resorts on the cayes that center on coral restoration and sustainable fishing. These hotels often rely on solar desalination for fresh water - a costly, energy-intensive process. When you see a price tag that resembles a round-trip flight to Europe, you are frequently paying for technology that keeps the resort from depleting local aquifers.
There is a separate accountability issue, however. Dr. Philip Castillo, an economist at the University of Belize, has noted that current tax regimes need updating to better support locally owned tourism over foreign-owned mega-resorts. A resort can be genuinely green in its power use while sending all its profits to a corporate headquarters in Miami - which is not sustainable for the people who live there. Look for properties that are locally owned or have a documented history of promoting local staff into management roles.
Costa Rica's National Plastics Ban
In June 2025, Costa Rica implemented a total ban on single-use plastics as part of a plan to reduce national waste to 2% by 2040. This is law, not a suggestion. Certified resorts will not carry plastic bottles, individual shampoo containers, or plastic laundry bags.
Remote properties in Tortuguero or the Osa Peninsula face real logistical costs to comply - high-end water filters, bulk biodegradable supplies that cost more than plastic equivalents. This is part of why costs have climbed roughly 19% in recent years. You are paying a "plastic-free" premium, but in return, you are helping ensure that the beach you walk on will not be covered in microplastics in ten years.
A plastic water bottle in the gym or mini-bar is the easiest red flag to spot. A resort ignoring the national plastic ban is almost certainly ignoring its other environmental obligations. Real sustainability looks like glass water jugs and refillable ceramic soap dispensers - slightly less convenient, but not ending up in a sea turtle's stomach.
How to Audit a Resort Before You Book
Three checks you can do from your own computer before handing over a credit card:
Key Points to Remember
Final Thoughts
Price is not a reliable indicator of green quality. A small lodge with a ceiling fan and native plants often does more measurable good than a luxury property with a polished sustainability page. But the pressure on resorts to fake credentials will grow as currencies fluctuate and margins tighten - which means verification matters more than ever.
If comfort is your priority, be honest about it and choose a property that credibly offsets its footprint rather than one that just claims to. If genuine conservation is the goal, use the CST 2.0 database, ask directly about power sources and local hiring practices, and check the satellite view. Rainforests and reefs depend on guests who ask for proof rather than accepting the bamboo straw as evidence.
Can you still find lower-cost eco-tourism in 2025?
Yes, but avoid the major hubs like San Pedro or Manuel Antonio. Community-run lodges in the northern regions of Costa Rica or the southern districts of Belize can cut costs significantly while delivering a more direct benefit to local families. These properties often lack luxury branding but frequently follow stricter traditional conservation practices.
What is the most reliable certification to look for in Belize?
Belize does not yet have a government-run database as robust as Costa Rica's CST 2.0, but the "Sustainable Tourism Gold Standard" - developed during the pandemic and expanded to include environmental markers - is a starting point. Third-party auditors such as Rainforest Alliance and Green Globe also certify properties in Belize and provide independently verified ratings.
Are tourists personally affected by the 2025 Costa Rican plastic ban?
Yes. The ban covers the distribution and sale of single-use plastic items nationwide. You can bring a reusable bottle from home, but stores will not sell plastic ones, and national parks may ask you to keep plastic packaging in your vehicle.
