Costa Rica’s Raíces program launches its fourth edition, expanding indigenous tourism support to Caribbean territories

San José, Costa Rica – 27 May 2025

The “Raíces” program, a national initiative supporting Indigenous-led sustainable tourism in Costa Rica, has launched its fourth call for applications — now expanding for the first time to the Caribbean territories of Nairi Awari and Bajo Chirripó.

Developed to empower Indigenous communities through tourism entrepreneurship, Raíces promotes business models rooted in cultural heritage, environmental sustainability, and gender equality. Over its first three editions, the program has supported 35 Indigenous tourism ventures, most of them led by women, and contributed to the sustainable management of more than 2,221 hectares of forest.

“Raíces reflects our commitment to inclusive development that centers Indigenous peoples, their ancestral knowledge, and their potential to lead sustainable tourism models,” said Sandra Sosa Cárcamo, UNDP Resident Representative in Costa Rica. “We are proud to see this new edition expand to the Caribbean region, demonstrating that biodiversity conservation and community development can go hand in hand.”

Photo: Sandra Sosa Cárcamo, UNDP Resident Representative in Costa Rica

The current call for applications is open until 14 July 2025, offering two participation tracks:

• Incubation – for individuals from prioritized territories with a tourism business idea or early-stage project. Participants will receive technical guidance and support to develop their concept and an actionable business plan.
• Associativity – for groups of at least three entrepreneurs or established initiatives with demonstrated commercial viability. This track supports collective ventures by enhancing management capacity and expanding market reach.

Over a six-month hybrid program, selected participants will engage in virtual and in-person sessions to strengthen business skills, develop their tourism offering, and implement seed capital investments.

“Our administration has been supporting Indigenous communities in creating business models that not only boost local economies but also protect biodiversity and ancestral traditions,” said Carlos Isaac Pérez, Deputy Minister of Strategic Management.

Photo: Carlos Isaac Pérez, Deputy Minister of Strategic Management, Costa Rica.

Since its inception, Raíces has demonstrated measurable impact:

• US$1.89 million mobilized through the Development Banking System (SBD) and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS)
• Support provided to 7 Indigenous territories with the help of 9 strategic partners
• Delivery of US$600,000 in seed capital to Indigenous projects via Development Banking
• High satisfaction reported by Indigenous participants

“It’s worth highlighting that many of these initiatives are women-led and promote economic autonomy in priority sectors where we focus our efforts,” noted Marlene Villanueva, Executive Director of SBD.

Andrés Romero, Minister of Labor, added: “Thanks to our collaboration with the Raíces Program, many of these ideas have grown into full business models with the right support and seed funding. Each new territory is a new opportunity to build development rooted in culture, community vision, and decent work.”

By expanding into the Caribbean, Raíces continues to amplify Indigenous voices and enable locally led conservation and tourism ventures, proving that economic inclusion, biodiversity protection, and cultural resilience can go hand in hand.

Photo: Most of the 35 Indigenous tourism ventures are led by women.