Whether you are traveling to experience culture, adventure, nature or relaxation the SMART Destination members can provide you with an unforgettable experience and a chance to make a positive impact on the community and environment you travel to.

   The SMART Destinations of the World is a membership organization that provides a resource center for its members. These members have a place to go to have their questions answered on sustainable issues via an online forum, training workshops, or on-site demonstrations. This resource center facilitates dialogue and creates information sharing among its members where they can go to ask questions on potential projects, conservation and hospitality concerns, post vacancies for available positions at their business, or any other issues that the member may have.
   
   The SMART Destinations Network will also market and promote group as a collective whole that highlights their commitment to sustainability as well as their specific destination. The marketing and promotions will include a website that will feature each member, representation in travel and trade shows in the United States and Costa Rica, and a public relations campaign that will highlight each member’s sustainability in several media avenues including the Internet, magazines, newspapers and television.
   
   The members of the SMART Destinations Network are small to medium sized lodges and inns of Costa Rica dedicated to the conservation, hospitality, and sustainable issues. This network of businesses is already established in Costa Rica but will expand to the rest of Lain America and the Caribbean regions.
   
   SMART Criteria
   
   Sustainable Tourism Certification
   
   A growing number of tourism businesses are voluntarily participating in certification systems that grant a seal of approval to companies or destinations that demonstrate environmentally or socially sound practices. Not only do these labels serve as useful marketing tools, but they can motivate the industry to develop more environmentally-friendly products. They can also provide consumers with valuable information on sustainable tourism products, helping them to make more informed travel choices. The ultimate success of tourism certification as a conservation tool rests on whether or not it can set a trusted, reliable standard, and on the degree to which the industry and consumers worldwide demonstrate their support. (Rainforest Alliance)
   
   Uniqueness of Experience Provided by the Local Venues
   
   SMART members must be certified or in the process of obtaining certification in order to join the network. More importantly, the SMART Members provide unique services for our clients to those destinations giving emphasis on community tourism to enhance the experience in aspects of eco-tourism, cultural tourism as well as sustainable tourism.
   
   With the above two criteria, the Sustainable Tourism Certification and Uniqueness of Travel Products, SMART Destinations can guarantee our clients to have unforgettable travel experience and contribute the most to the sustainable development of the community they visit at the same time.
   
   What does SMART writes about US!!
   
   Commitment to Sustainability
   The commitment that La Cusinga lodge has to sustainable development and the community is evident throughout the lodge. The buildings are made from their own reforested woods, local materials, and are nestled in naturally harmonious settings. All black and grey waters have a septic treatment that assures that no pollution ends up in the forest, river or the ocean. All of their electricity is from solar and hydropower, and the sun heats all their water. All trails are done in a way that has the least impact on the surroundings and the least amount of erosion takes place. The food they serve is made from products from our own gardens, and local suppliers of organic products. All our waste is recycled, organic produce is used for compost and all other products are recycled or taken to the municipal waste disposal site. La Cusinga has been making a positive impact on the community since it's beginning. They hire local Costa Ricans who often stay for ten or more years. The lodge is a member of ASOPARQUE, the entity that co-manages the Ballena Marine National Park . Additionally they are very active in the conservation of the park, humpback whales, the rain forest, beaches, and turtles. La Cusinga uses educational programs, such as speakers, seminars, and financial investment to conserve and preserve the surrounding resources and beauty. They host fun-days for the local schools, and make it an educational event for the students, professors and parents. Lastly, La Cusinga has been a voice for the community in the government concerning the preservation of humpback whales.