Structure: Two Semesters
Activity Level: Moderate
Travel Portion:
2025 (FULL):
Start: Monday, May 5
End: Saturday, May 24
Price (airfare not included): $2,700 $2,050
Overview
Why participate?
Students will be able to understand and apply the concept of sustainable tourism: An activity that takes full account of its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts. Students will learn how sustainable tourism produces a ripple effect while developing local and global economies, benefiting communities, and enriching culture. This theoretical course explores success cases of sustainable tourism around the world and Costa Rica. This class is associated with all development and tourism courses.
This travel study will cover international issues in tourism development such as sustainability, environmental impacts of tourism and sociocultural issues. The course introduces students to the interrelatedness of tourism issues by examining the eco and adventure tourism industry, adventure tourism products, and supply and demand site. Students will learn through discussions, lectures, hands on activities and from local experts and guides. Through local engagement at the grass roots level in a small rural community, students will foster intercultural understanding and empathy, helping them to enhance their intercultural problem solving. When we experience traditions, cultures and habits different from ours we are put in a state of cognitive dissonance, negotiating this dissonance successfully through facilitation by the instructor will enable students to learn. Other forms of problem solving we will engage in as a class are for example: navigating the balance between meeting tourist demands and preserving natural resources; trying to meet the needs of different stakeholders that all of their own vision (for example tour guides, tourists, the cruise industry and the Ministry of Tourism)
Course focus
- Sustainability
- Culture
- Biodiversity
- Impact of economic, environmental, and social issues related to tourism and general business practices
- Indigenous Traditions
- Community Tourism
- Conservation
- Sustainable medicinal plants
- Unique Ecosystems
- Cooperative Model
- COURSE SYLLABUS: Spring 2025 Syllabus & Summer 2025 Syllabus
Program information
- Spring 2025 (on campus): IDH 4007 (3 credits) - MMC, Mondays, 10:00AM-12:30PM
- Summer A 2025 (abroad): IDH 4008 (3 credits) - May 5-May 24, 2025
Program highlights
- Hiking in national parks & private reserves
- Hiking near the Arenal Volcano
- Visiting & talking with members of indigenous tribes
- Chocolate & coffee tours
- Helping improve infrastructure of local schools at the Maleku Indigenous Reserve
- Explore the rich & diverse ecological landscape through boat rides, bird watching, nature walks, snorkeling, swimming & zip-lining
What is included
- 19 nights in handpicked accommodations
- Laundry in two accommodations
- Private group transportation
- Guided hikes
- Various tours of agricultural tourism tours (coffee, chocolate, farm)
- Boat trip at Arenal Lake & Jungle Crocodile boat tour
- Snorkeling tour
- Cooking class
- Day of community service at Maleku Indigenous Community with experienced worker (6+ service hours)
- International travel medical insurance
- Private English-speaking tour guide
- Tips for guides in different locations, private tour guide, and driver
- 19 breakfasts, 17 lunches, 18 dinners
- 24/7 support from Faculty Director & local guide
- Admission to Paradise Hot Springs, Curu National Wildlife Refuge, Los Quetzales National Park, and so much more
What is not included
- Roundtrip international airfare to/from San Jose, Costa Rica
- $195.00 Education Abroad administrative fee (OEA Fee)
- FIU in-state tuition (6 credits, $205.57 per credit)
- Passport, visa, and other necessary documents
- Personal expenses
Key:
(#) = number of nights; squiggle line = boat
Itinerary
Itinerary is subject to change. It is a “living document,” meaning that scheduled "Free Time" may be utilized for in-person quizzes, class meetings, and/or class days.
Students should always consult with their Faculty Director prior to scheduling plans during "Free Time"
Day 1-2: Sarapiquí
Students arrive to San José by mid-day. Travel by bus/van to Sarapiquí with a stop at La Paz Waterfall, Mirador Cinchona. Highlights include Tirimbina Rainforest Center, NGO, hanging bridges, forest, and hike at El Patio
Day 3-6: La Fortuna
Travel by van/bus to La Fortuna with a stop at Coope Sarapiquí for a coffee tour. Highlights include chocolate tour, La Fortuna Waterfall, tour at Finca Campesina, community work at Maleku Indigenous Territory, Night Wing Project, Arenal National Park, Hot Spring Paradise, and zip lines at Ecoglide
Day 7-8: Monteverde
Travel by van/bus to Monteverde with stop at Tejona Eolic Project. Highlights include Curicancha Nature Reserve, and night hike at Children Eternal Rainforest
Day 9-10: Tambor Beach
Travel by bus/van to Playa Tambor. Highlights include Curu National Wildlife Refuge visit, and snorkeling trip at Tortuga Island
Day 11-12: Dominical
Travel by ferry boat to Puntarenas stop for Crocodile Safari at Tárcoles River then continue by van/bus to Dominical. Highlights include Marino Bellena National Park, Palmar Sur, and Las Esferas Park
Day 13-14: San Gerardo de Dota
Travel by van/bus through the Talamanca Range, visit Quetzales National Park and stop at Páramo while heading to San Gerardo de Dota. Highlights include optional birding, hike to the Oak Forest, hike to Savegre waterfall
Day 15-16: Jiménez de Cartago
Travel by bus/van to Jiménez de Cartago. Highlights include birding, cooking class with local products, and hike at El Copal
Day 17-18: Cahuita
Travel by bus/van to the Caribbean Coast. Highlights include Cahuita National Park, Gandoca - Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, Manzanillo Beach sector, and Cocles Beach
Day 19-20: San José
Travel by bus/van to San José. Farewell dinner. Travel by bus/van to airport. End of program
Program Director
Carolin Lusby
Dr. Carolin Lusby is an Associate professor in tourism at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. She is the tourism lead and co-director of the Global Sustainable Tourism Program. She holds a PhD in Tourism and Natural Resources from the University of Florida and was recently granted a Fulbright Scholar Award in Brazil, where she does frequent consulting work in community-based tourism and collaborates with Brazilian universities in various research projects. A certified auditor in sustainability in tourism, Dr. Lusby is passionate about travel and connecting people to people while preserving natural and cultural resources. She is the author of the book: "Destination Unknown-Sustainable Travel and Ethical Tourism," and the chair of the special interest group in tourism of the World Leisure Organization. Her research and outreach are markedly international and driven by her desire to solve problems and create good for communities around the world. Her research output includes various grants from the US Department of State, publications, presentations, and multiple book chapters. As a certified Scuba instructor, she is passionate about sustainability in marine tourism. Trained as a guide and experiential educator, Dr. Lusby enjoys taking groups abroad to learn about sustainable tourism practices “hands-on”. Employing her extensive research and field experience, Dr. Lusby has developed several exciting new courses for the GST degree program including Global Sustainable Tourism Development in Natural Resources, and Sustainability and Well-being in Global Societies.
2025 Payment Schedule
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1st Payment (Deposit) |
2nd Program Payment |
Spring 2025 |
3rd Program Payment |
Education Abroad Fee |
Summer A 2025 |
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Payments are non-refundable & non-transferable