CST, Certificación para la Sostenibilidad TurísticaCST
Run by Instituto Costarricense de Turismo, since 1997
The state sustainability certification. It scores a business across four ambitos: business management, social, economic and cultural impact, environmental impact, and indicators specific to its sector. Hotels, tour operators, transport companies, car rental firms and restaurants can all hold it.
On these guides
Costa Rica41 listings
- Levels
- Two levels. Nivel Basico takes 100 percent of the mandatory questions evidenced. Nivel Elite takes that plus at least 30 percent on the improvement components and at least 70 percent on the external impact indicators, and it is the top classification the standard awards.
- How it is checked
- A Comision Tecnica de Verificacion covering the ICT, the environment and culture ministries, universities, chambers of commerce and conservation organisations signs off the audit. Applying is free and comes with training, so a small family lodge can hold the same Elite level as a resort. Every certified company sits on a public registry with its level and its location.