Recently 15 graduates of the Program of Local Indigenous Guides received their accreditation as local guides by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT); this thanks to the efforts of the Equal Gender Office, and the career of Sustainable Rural Tourism Management of the Technological Institute of Costa Rica (TEC).

This was a process of three years of education and training in Talamanca, and it’s the only touristic guide program with a world view, not just in Costa Rica but in Central America, which means that these group of graduates are specialists in Bribri-Cabécar cultural heritage of chibchence lineage.

“Our territory has a lot to show, and this is why in the future we want to create a local tourism agency within the territory, for this we expect to have the support of the ICT and TEC, and in this way continue to strengthen tourism in a responsible way and in harmony with the environment”, said Melissa Espinoza, President of the Association of Indigenous Touristic Guides.

This would be the first indigenous organization of this type, and it would have the objective of showing visitors their traditions, language, dances, etc.
The tourism agency would be authorized by the Costa Rica Tourism Institute, so far the group has completed the first requirement which was the accreditation as local guides and now they will undergo a second stage of the evaluation which includes training in touristic entrepreneurship such as lodging and food services. The expectation is to have the agency opened by April of 2017.