Lily Moon Sustainability Lodge : Tourism Programs

Lily Moon Sustainability Lodge will feature a number of year–round tourism programs for tourists in the eco, social, culture, agriculture, wellness, language immersion and student experiential learning markets.

Eco– and culturally focused sustainable tourism programs will be offered at Lily Moon Sustainability Lodge for US explorers in the 50+ age bracket, wellness and health segment, Spanish–language immersion market and youth seeking action learning service programs.

These eco, cultural, wellness and language immersion programs will help fund Camp Tico for kids and youth during the summer; technical training and social enterprise programs for growers and artisans, including workshops for growers on introductory to advanced organic farming practices; classes for artisans that would assist them in improving their already well-honed artistic skills; social sustainable enterprise skills to both artisans & farmers; and an artisan studio where local artists can work on their crafts, provide demonstrations and give classes to the Lilly Moon guests.

The Lodge will also use revenues to enable displaced conventional farmers and marginalized organic growers to receive field and micro–enterprise classroom training. Displaced conventional farmers who are committed to certified organic growing practices will be offered technical training and sustainable enterprise management skills. Eco–conscious artisans will also receive art training and entrepreneurial management workshops and classes. The Triple Bottom Line approach to business practices will be embedded in training to both organic farmers and artisans.

Products by organic growers and artisans graduating from our social enterprise program will be selected and sold on premises at Primal Echo’s general store, as well as through Primal Echo’s virtual trading post store.

Revenues from these sustainable tourism programs, a Primal Echo store and a restaurant featuring nouveau Costa Rican vegetarian cuisine will enable Lily Moon Sustainability Lodge to achieve its three-year goal of becoming economically self–sustaining to run its operations.

In addition, Primal Echo will partner with a Costa Rican–based micro–lending organization that can assist our growers and artisans with micro–loans toward self–sufficiency.

Lily Moon Sustainability Lodge will account for the site and transport context while preserving the environment and culture of Costa Rica by using the Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Alliance (CCB) Standard for the measurement and certification of the Lily Moon eco– and social enterprise. Additionally, the STEP rating system––authored by the National Science Foundation International and Sustainable Travel International––will be assessed for its responsible tourism approach.