How much is the Playa Hermosa wave worth?

A natural resource that generates millions annually and represents a unique opportunity for the sustainable development of the canton.

Playa Hermosa is not just any beach. Its seven kilometers, surrounded by tropical forest and volcanic rock, are part of the Punta Mala Wildlife Refuge and are home to 61 endangered species, including three types of sea turtles and the scarlet macaw. In September 2020, it was declared the first World Surfing Reserve in Central America, a recognition that places it on the international map alongside legendary destinations in Australia, California, and South America. It is no accident that surfers from all over the world have it on their list. It is a direct consequence of the quality and consistency of its waves.

A natural asset with measurable economic value

In 2021, researchers from the Federal University of Santa Catarina applied a methodology called Surfonomics for the first time in Costa Rica: they interviewed 274 tourists, accommodation owners, local surfers, and specialized travel agencies. The result was that the almost 15,000 surfers who visit Playa Hermosa each year spend an average of $113 per day for more than eight days. In direct spending alone—primarily hotel and food—that adds up to eleven million dollars. The remaining three million are contributed by surfers who come for the day from San José or Jacó.

For a town of less than a thousand inhabitants, this figure is not just a mere tourist statistic. It is the backbone of the local economy and a solid foundation upon which to build a vision of development that places ecosystem conservation at its core as an economic driver.

— Laura Zumbado, environmental advisor and member of the Playa Hermosa Development Association.

The surfer nobody imagined

There is a stereotype that has done a lot of damage to surfing as an economic argument: that of the disheveled young man who sleeps in his tent and spends as little as possible. The data from Playa Hermosa shatters it without mercy.

The average surf tourist who comes to this beach is 33 years old, has a university education, and earns between $50,000 and $75,000 annually. 45.8% come from the United States. They are not backpackers. They are professionals on vacation, with credit cards and a willingness to pay well when the experience is worth it. In fact, their daily spending is comparable to that of the general tourist visiting Costa Rica according to figures from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute, with the difference that the surfer comes exclusively for the wave: 88% stated that surfing was the main factor in choosing Playa Hermosa as a destination.

And there is an even more surprising fact: 89% of respondents stated they would be willing to pay a voluntary fee of up to $100 per year if that money were used to conserve the ecosystem. There is no need to chase them. They are already convinced. All that is needed is for someone to commit to this with a serious plan behind it.

The threat that does not come from the sea

The wave can survive any storm from the Pacific, but it is sensitive to what happens on land. Water quality, wastewater management, coastal urban growth planning, and the conservation of marine ecosystems are factors directly linked to the health of the ecosystem that sustains that wave. Therefore, protecting the wave is also a task of territorial planning.

The surveyed surfers clearly stated that water pollution, wave deterioration, and trash are the three factors that would make them not return. None of these problems come from the ocean. All are related to decisions made on land. This turns the discussion about the value of the wave into something concrete and actionable: an opportunity for coastal development and environmental conservation to go hand in hand.

Costa Rica has positioned itself globally as a surfing destination, and this positioning brings with it a responsibility: to build planning frameworks that recognize the economic value of waves and incorporate it as a criterion in development decisions. Successful experiences in other countries show that it is possible to grow as a tourist destination without sacrificing the natural resources that make it unique.

A decision that is still pending

— Juan Bernini, local resident and owner of Restaurante Vida Hermosa.

Playa Hermosa has everything needed to be a successful model of sustainable tourism. Its natural richness, its international reputation, and the proven demand from high-value visitors form a solid foundation. The next step is for this potential to translate into coastal management policies that protect the ecosystem as the productive asset it is, for the benefit of both the community and future generations.

In Garabito, sustainable development is not a limitation to growth. It is precisely the condition that makes it possible. Conserving water quality, protecting coastal ecosystems, and planning urban growth with environmental criteria are not obstacles to the canton's progress: they are the guarantee that this progress will be lasting.

“It is very important to keep our environment clean and natural; it is an obligation. The Hermosa wave, the sunsets, the mountains, and the beach are indispensable for the paradise we offer the world. We have already started to develop the regulatory plan; we will see what the community decides to do with the areas that still need to be developed. I feel a great responsibility towards people and towards the environment.”

— Francisco González, Mayor of Garabito.

That is why the Playa Hermosa wave has a price. And that price, rigorously calculated, reveals a figure that illuminates the enormous potential of sustainable tourism in this area: $14.3 million per year, generated directly by surf tourism. 

There's a phrase often repeated in debates about coastal development in Costa Rica: "we can't live only from tourism." It's a reasonable phrase, but sometimes it's used to justify exactly what destroys the resource that sustains the community. In Garabito, living from surf tourism doesn't mean massifying it or transforming the coast into something that already exists elsewhere. It means protecting what already works.

The Playa Hermosa wave already has a proven value. Now, that value needs to be part of the calculation when thinking about the future of this coast. Because betting on environmental sustainability in Garabito is not giving up on development. It is choosing the type of development that best suits its people.