On the Road to Development or the Loss of a National Soul

Costa Rica has a reputation well beyond its borders in all of Central America as an example in economic development, a well functioning infrastructure, a strong tourism industry and as a result a level of wealth or standard of living envied in the entire region. One terrific decision was taken over 50 years ago to abolish the military and spend heavily on education instead. This has left the country very peaceful (free from cold war civil wars) and well educated. Costa Rica is also on the forefront of eco-tourism and environmental protection as part of its plentiful national park system. As such, Costa Rica offers its tourists many things: pristine nature (beaches, mountains, volcanoes and jungle), good roads and transportation, relative safety and an economy set up to fulfill all of the tourists’ desires. This recipe has worked well and the tourism industry has become one of the strongest in the country.

This massive influx of foreigners, however, has changed Costa Rica’s face, its culture and soul so drastically that the country is at risk of losing its own national identity. Stepping out of the bus immediately I am approached by tour sales people speaking English. But even away from tourist spots people answer me in English (almost automatically) even though I had addressed them in Spanish, almost as if they have been accustomed to only speak English to every white person. Driving down the streets of any city looks scarily familiar to U.S. suburbia: U.S. stores and chains line the streets and even the local Costa Rica stores carry predominantly U.S. merchandise. Local kids act and dress as if they were from the U.S. and even when speaking among themselves many English words have found their way into the slang.

With foreigners buying up property left and right this is of little surprise. The presence of foreigners (North Americans and Europeans vacationing, operating business or retired and Central American neighbors – largely Nicaraguans – entering Costa Rica looking for work) entail a strong foreign influence. One tourist guide estimated that in addition to 5 million Costa Ricans there are an additional 1 million foreigners living in Costa Rica. Another acquaintance complained to me that his country has lost its national identity, its unique culture but rather is turning itself into a conglomerate of foreign cultures. I cannot help but feel a strong resemblance to other global tourist hotspots that have left little genuine culture: e.g. Plama de Mallorca, Spain or Cancun, Mexico.

For better or for worse the foreigners have fallen in love with Costa Rica and are here to stay, so it is up to the Costa Ricans in general and their government in particular to find a balance between opening itself to tourism and preserving a national identity.