Project Background
The Burica Peninsula is a small, elongated peninsula shared by Costa Rica and Panama, and home to six principal communities: Puerto Armuelles, Mellizas, Caña Blanca, Limones, Quebrada de Tallo and Bella Vista. It is a magnificent area of both tropical rainforest and beach landscapes, housing three key monkey species: the endemic and endangered Central America Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii oerstedii), the white-faced capuchin monkey (Cebus imitator) and the black howler monkey (Alouatta palliata). The area also features sea turtles, migratory whales, and a variety of bird species and other wildlife.
Though Burica gets national and some international visitors, the local community is not able to provide services associated with this tourism – they are occupied with traditional activities. Making a living from touristic activities is a challenge because they lack good coaching and advisement for developing a touristic eco route, despite the area’s potential.
A second challenge is for the communities to make sustainable use of their resources to ensure that eco-sustainable activities become conservation strategies. A third challenge is for the communities to empower themselves to defend the value of biodiversity. Only when they are aware of the benefits (cultural, natural, social, and economic) of protecting biodiversity, and take action to protect it, can they reap those benefits.
Proyecto Primates Panama is a scientific and educational initiative which began in 2016. We firmly believe that promoting the conservation of nature, its biodiversity, forests, key species, and landscapes will be the best way to consolidate sustainable tourism. Through our years of working in the Burica Peninsula, Proyecto Primates have been able to identify the tourism potential that this region has, as well as the threats to biodiversity. The project proposes to advance tourism as a self-sustainable alternative, based on the protection of biological richness as the most invaluable community resource.
Project Overview
Our objective is to create a community tourism model that incorporates the facilities and opportunities that exist in the area. It also proposes to guide and empower communities on tourism potential for lifestyle improvement. The aim is to protect biodiversity by helping the communities to understand its value. To achieve this, we propose:
- Induction workshops on community-based tourism (workshops and seminars in tourism and entrepreneurship for the community)
- Community workshops on biodiversity, sustainable development, and ecological restoration topics
- Inventory of natural attractions for tourism
- Design and activation of the Primate Route Website
Key Project Objectives
Proyecto Primates believes that there have been gradual but positive changes in the thinking of the people of Punta Burica, so it is hoped that once they have a foundation for tourism and a solid environmental culture, they can make the Primate Route a reality.
In addition, the project will continue to protect the Peninsula as a key site of biological wealth: a habitat of primates and other important species for the ecosystem.
The measurable/quantifiable outcomes that we hope to see over the twelve months are:
A. Number of people trained in sustainable tourism
B. Number of tourism community groups
C. Guides listing lodge options, restaurants, and natural attractions
D. Burica Peninsula Website
The beneficiaries of the project in the six communities would be:
- Owners of lodging options, tourist businesses and related
- The local residents
- The key community actors
- The local and regional tourism and adventures companies
