In 2023, authorities at Juan Santamaría International Airport seized a total of 3 tons of seashells from tourists who tried to take them out of Costa Rica.
According to Aeris, the airport’s managing operator, March and December saw the most seizures.
In those months, 414 kilos and 528 kilos, respectively, were taken from tourists.
The month with the fewest seizures was June, at 124 kilograms.
In response, Juan Santamaría Airport has teamed up with the MarViva Foundation on a campaign to stop people from taking seashells.
Under the slogan “Welcome to Costa Rica, Protect Nature,” the organizations hope to raise tourists’ awareness with a campaign that will run through April.
The initiative involves publishing audiovisual material on social media, including videos and posts on the digital channels of AERIS and Juan Santamaría Airport, as well as those of partner organizations, to stop the trafficking of seashells.
The videos will also play on the screens in the arrivals area, giving them more visibility as part of travelers’ first impression.
“Safeguarding biodiversity is essential not only for sustainable tourism, but also for the well-being of local communities and the ecological balance,” said Ricardo Hernández, CEO of AERIS.
In Costa Rica, taking these and other natural resources is considered illegal wildlife trafficking.
That’s why the partnership aims to show tourists the damage these practices do to the environment.
