Green Horizons Eco-Lodge is an eco-tourism business in Costa Rica. It is located close to nature and local communities, so many different groups are connected to its work. These groups are called stakeholders and understanding them is important for reducing conflict and supporting sustainable tourism.

The internal stakeholders are the owners, managers and employees. The owners and managers want the lodge to earn enough money, attract tourists and keep a good eco-friendly image. Employees want fair pay, safe working conditions and a positive working environment. They also want guests to be happy, because it makes their jobs easier (Holloway and Humphries, 2022).

The external stakeholders include residents, the government, tourists and environmental organisations. Local people want jobs and economic benefits, but they also want the lodge to respect their culture and land. The government expects the lodge to follow environmental rules and support the local economy. Tourists want clean nature, wildlife, and real eco-tourism experiences (Page and Connell, 2020). Environmental organisations, such as WWF, expect nature to be protected and tourism to be well managed (WWF, 2024).

Conflicts can happen when these groups want different things. For example, owners may want more tourists to increase income, but too many visitors can harm nature, create noise, or disturb local communities. This matches Doxey’s Irritation Index, where residents can become irritated when tourism grows too quickly (UNWTO, 2023). Stakeholder theory also explains that conflict happens because each group has its own interests, and the lodge cannot meet all of them at the same time (Holloway and Humphries, 2022).

To reduce conflict, the lodge should speak more with the community, ask for feedback and share information about its environmental actions. This helps build trust and supports sustainable tourism.

One practical recommendation is to create a visitor-management plan. This may include limiting tourist numbers in sensitive areas, using guided tours and increasing activities that involve local people. This protects the environment and keeps relationships positive.

Holloway, J.C. and Humphries, C. (2022) The Business of Tourism. 12th edn. London: Sage, pp. 45–48, 120–123.
(розділи про stakeholders, tourism businesses)

Page, S.J. and Connell, J. (2020) Tourism: A Modern Synthesis. 5th edn. Oxon: Routledge, pp. 32–33.
(розділ про tourist expectations, eco-tourism)

UNWTO (2023) Sustainable Tourism Guidelines. Available at: https://www.unwto.org (Accessed: 12 November 2025).

WWF (2024) Tourism and Nature Protection. Available at: https://www.worldwildlife.org (Accessed: 12 November 2025).

Costa Rica Tourism Board (2024) Responsible Tourism in Costa Rica. Available at: https://www.visitcostarica.com (Accessed: 12 November 2025).

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