CASE STUDY 6 Costa Rica: National coordination for ecotourism Challenge: Growing pressure on nature Enablers used: Infrastructure; finance; technology and innovation; people and skills; policy and governance Costa Rica confronted the dual tension points of environmental degradation and uneven community participation, as rapid deforestation in the 1980s reduced forest cover to around 25% of national territory and biodiversity loss threatened both ecosystems and a growing tourism industry.53 Local communities faced limited opportunities, while infrastructure and regulatory systems lagged behind visitor growth. In response, Costa Rica pioneered a national model linking conservation and tourism through coordinated enablers. Infrastructure and policy coordination established an extensive network of protected areas, now covering roughly 25–28% of national territory and forming the backbone of the country’s ecotourism brand.54 Financial coordination ensured that park entry fees and tourism revenues were reinvested in conservation and local projects, while the innovative Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) scheme, created under the 1996 Forest Law, rewarded communities and landowners for reforestation and conservation activities.55 People and skills coordination was led by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), which embedded sustainability into destination marketing and promoted certification standards. Technology and innovation supported the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) programme, which incentivized operators to improve their practices and gain international recognition.56 The outcomes positioned Costa Rica as a global benchmark for ecotourism. Economically, international tourism receipts reached about $4 billion in 2019, with tourism contributing 8–9% of GDP and representing the country’s largest source of foreign exchange.57 Socially, communities near protected areas benefitted from new income streams through lodges, guiding and crafts, while PES schemes provided thousands of rural households with direct financial incentives for conservation.58 Environmentally, Costa Rica reversed deforestation trends, expanding forest cover from below 30% in the 1980s to more than 50% by 2021.59 This recovery supported the rebound of emblematic species such as scarlet macaws and sea turtles, which are now strongly linked to ecotourism experiences in protected areas. Costa Rica’s case demonstrates how coordinated national action can transform tourism into a mechanism for prosperity and ecosystem recovery. CASE STUDY 7 Sunshine Coast, Australia: Regional ecosystem strategy Challenge: Local capacity-building Enablers used: Infrastructure; finance; technology and innovation; people and skills; policy and governance The Sunshine Coast region has long grappled with the tension of fragmented sectoral development, where tourism, agriculture and small-scale industry competed for planning authority, branding and resources. Tourism in particular faced inconsistent identity, environmental pressure along coastal zones and weak links to upstream sectors. Recognizing this, regional leaders adopted a long-term ecosystem framing approach. Infrastructure coordination optimized new transport and connectivity projects to serve both agricultural supply chains and visitor access. Financial coordination pooled resources for marketing, infrastructure and skills, consciously linking tourism to education, agribusiness, health and technology sectors. People and skills coordination emphasized capacity-building for local enterprises, helping them adopt digital tools and sustainability standards and connect to broader value chains. Technology and innovation supported digital platforms that enabled small businesses to reach wider markets, while governance reforms worked to break down divisions between sectors.The impacts, where measurable, point towards ecosystem gains. In 2019, overnight visitor expenditure in the Sunshine Coast reached A$ 3 billion ($1.9 billion), a record high for the region.60 More recently, in the 12 months to September 2023, the region recorded A$ 4.2 billion ($2.8 billion) in overnight visitor spending from 4.2 million visitors.61 Tourism’s broader role in the regional economy is also substantial: in 2021–2022, the sector contributed about A$ 2.8 billion ($1.85 billion), equivalent to 11.8% of the Sunshine Coast’s gross regional product, and supported around 26,300 jobs.62 Socially, regional planning processes reported greater community participation and stronger backing among local people, while environmental coordination in coastal management reduced erosion risks and supported marine habitat protection, although attribution directly to tourism policies requires cautious interpretation.63 The Sunshine Coast illustrates how a regional destination can use ecosystem thinking, integrating infrastructure, finance, skills, technology and governance to align tourism growth with broader economic transformation rather than letting it develop in isolation. 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Beyond Tourism Coordinated Pathways to Inclusive Prosperity 2025