www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I used to rely on lonely planet guides for my traveling and bought
costa rica guide.
what a disappointment!
they never mention prostitution status in costa rica or single men activities,no MP.nightlife
hardly mentioned.
but plenty of words for gay activities.
is this some kind of conspiracy?

Strange....they used to write about the things you mentioned.

The authors have changed.
There is a full page on "The Sex Trade" and it explains that it exists but that they will do nothing to support it.
It is on page 112 in the 6th edition.

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Play Safe

Now that you mentioned it.....I do believe I remember reading something in the news that LONELY PLANET had that intention for its future books.

Actually, I suppose it's a good thing. Maybe it will help keep the eco-tourists from turning into gringo mongers.....which we don't need any more of.

Lonely Planet no longer discusses prostitution, other than to state that it exists. This goes for the entire collection. You are well-advised to look at other guides that provide a complete picture to your intended travel destinations.

GUYS!!!!!!! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MINDS?

The last thing we need is to publicize our hobby to the legion of pro-feminist eco tourism crowd that floods to Costa Rica every year. Leave well enough along. That is publicity and attention that we DON"T NEED!!!!

The last thing any of us need is for the general public to associate Costa Rica with prostitution.

As I recall, Lonely Planet slammed Playa Flamingo big time for prostitution activity a year or two ago. I am not sure if the reference is in the most recent edition, but if you saw the reference I am speaking of you would know exactly what I am talking about. If we are off the radar screen for Lonely Planet that is a very good thing!!!!!

Bruce Cassirer, founder of the website TSM and author of the book "Travel and the Single Male", is no longer allowed in Thailand.

The government of Thailand took offense to his writing about the "forbidden" prostitution in Thailand, as if he started it.

The book was first published in 1992.
http://www.amazon.com/Travel-Single-Mal ... 946&sr=1-1

Here is an interesting article on Sex Tourism that mentions Bruce.
Be forewarned it has a "racist" slant.
http://www.awigp.com/default.asp?numcat=sextour

This is the type of backlash you can expect if there is more attention to our hobby guys:

I believe this came from the Tico Times (sorry I am not 100% sure of the source)

Friday, February 02, 2007

Tourism Leaders Angry at Guidebook Criticism
By Rachel Cavanaugh

Tourism industry leaders are angry over what they say are negative comments about key destinations in Guanacaste and Puntarenas which appear in one of the world’s leading travel guidebooks.

In the October, 2006 edition of Lonely Planet’s Costa Rica guide, the author cites Playa Flamingo’s reputation for rampant cocaine use, high-end prostitution and “more dirty old men than you can shake a cigar at,” suggesting travelers find better places to spend their money.

An excerpt about Playa Tamarindo describes a beach full of “blubbery North American holidaymakers,” and says drug dealers “openly ply their wares (and women) on the main road by the rotunda…”

The author, Matthew Firestone, saves some of his harshest criticisms for Playa Jacó, saying “Dick and Jane could buy a little reefer on the street and relive their misspent youth.”

The potential impact of the statements is worrying, say industry leaders.

“This kind of publicity can have a very radical effect on tourism,” said Mauricio Céspedes, Executive Director of the Guanacaste Chamber of Tourism.

“In 2007, we are expecting 400,000 travelers into the Liberia airport,” he said. “The major market for these kinds of travel books is Canada and the US. They take this information very seriously.”

MEETING

The issue was brought to light at a community meeting in Playa Flamingo when a resident, angry about recent New Year’s Eve parties in the town, stood up and waved a petition in his hand, saying out-of-control celebrations were contributing to the bad reviews.

The resident called for business owners to stop promoting year-end block parties that have come to be a tradition in the coastal town.

Lonely Planet guidebooks have been around for about 35 years. There are now 600 titles in print, sold in 118 countries in 17 languages.

Greg Benchwick, Commissioning Editor for Lonely Planet’s Mexico and Central America editions, says months of research go into every book and facts are confirmed and cross-checked multiple times. He says the freedom for authors to inject opinion into their work is a philosophy critical to travel writing. He adds that sound journalism is used to back this up.

“We hire the best writers in the world,” says Mr Benchwick. “Every book we do we collect traveler feedback. We have an entire department collecting and collating that.”

For the October edition, he says the writer (who is currently in Panama) spent five months in Costa Rica doing research. Since they do not allow entries based only on phone calls or Internet research, the author visited every location personally.

“The Jacó (piece) did come across several people’s radar,” says Mr Benchwick. “The reason I left it in was because I felt it was an accurate portrayal of the city. I’ve seen how the town has changed.”
Yet local officials remain concerned the negative publicity might create a domino-like effect.

“One of the worst things is that this kind of information could turn up on an embassy website,” says Mr Céspedes. “This can cause us a lot of damage. I am sending a copy of the book to the ICT (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo) to the Minister of Tourism asking him what strategies we can adopt to counter this.”

Mr Céspedes said he had also been instructed by his board to write a letter of complaint to the Lonely Planet publishers.

CHANGING INDUSTRY

According to people in the travel industry, the online community has put a new spin on travel research. Many now turn to comment boards and discussion forums to investigate possible destinations. In this setting, one bad review can spread like wildfire.
© Rachel Cavanaugh
[[+] Zoom]
GUIDEBOOK UPSET: The Flamingo Development Association votes in mid-term elections last Saturday. Anger over negative publicity in a recent Costa Rica guidebook surfaced at the meeting, sending a wave of upset along the Pacific Coast. The Guanacaste Chamber of Tourism is to send a letter to Lonely Planet, complaining about negative comments in their October publication. And another letter to the Minister of Tourism, seeking a solution to the bad publicity.

“The most influential source of information is the Internet,” says Fodor’s Costa Rica contributor Dorothy MacKinnon. “That is the power.”

Like the Lonely planet, Fodor’s 2007 Costa Rica guidebook also gives certain Pacific destinations bad reviews. In Playa Jacó, for example, it refers to “blatant prostitution” and a “cluttered appearance devoid of any greenery.” It talks about over-development in Playa Flamingo and Playa Tamarindo.
Some locals say they are worried a trend may develop.

“When you do something good a couple people remember,” says Jorge Calvo, President of the Asociación Pro Mejoras de Playa Tamarindo. “When you do something bad, a hundred people do.”

Yet the Fodor’s book mentions positive aspects as well, commenting on good restaurants and hotels in the region. In Playa Tamarindo specifically, it says: “once you’re on the beach almost all negatives disappear.”

“There will always be positive and negative comments on an area,” says Dr Calvo. What’s important in Tamarindo is there’s a concerned residential population that’s organized.”

Fodor’s Costa Rica contributor Jeffrey Van Fleet points out also that the travel writer has responsibility to the reader.

He says that although the publication rarely gives bad reviews to individual establishments—they merely leave them out---they have an obligation to let people know if whole regions change dramatically.

“The work is subjective,” he says. “It can’t not be.

“I don’t take that subjectivity lightly. I know a good or bad recommendation can make a lot of difference to a business.

“But if a beach or town or region has demonstrated problems, such as becoming overdeveloped, overpriced, crime-ridden, dirty…I say so and mince no words.”

Tourism officials say the concern with the Lonely Planet publication is it leaves little room for positive interpretation.

“If someone takes this book and reads about the beaches of Costa Rica, why would they come here?” says Mr Céspedes. “There are some very positive things in this area, but none of those seem to have been mentioned.”

POSITIVE OUTLOOK

Despite criticism, Costa Rica remains a hot spot on the tourist map. On Wednesday international magazine Travel Weekly named Costa Rica the US industry’s number one tourists destination in Latin America.

Furthermore, the Lonely Planet book spoke favorably of both Playa Brasilito and Playas del Coco, leaving residents of neighboring towns optimistic.

“It still has one of the nicest beaches in Costa Rica, white sand beaches,” says Playa Flamingo resident Larry Barrow. “It’s not crowded; it has hotels in every price range. There is something for everyone.”

Residents in Playa de Jacó say they feel the same about their town.

“Jacó is an evolving city,” says Pat Hundley, Co-Chairman of the Central Pacific Chamber of Commerce. “There’s been more growth and development in the last two years than in the previous 50.

“Jacó is not a perfect city. But it is our little city and we’re pretty proud of it.”

Boca Chica, Dominican Republic is another example of the big money boys forcing the more "earthy" activities underground.

There are three large all-inclusive resorts there and they didn't like the beach activities during the day or the street activities at night. The tourists, many coming from Europe, felt offended and unsafe to be out at night.

Granted I haven't been there since 2000 but from what I heard on my first trip there in 1997, the changes I saw over less than 3 years and what I've heard since, it will never be like the "good old days".

its amazing for me thats all i can say.
everybody right but freedom of speech exactly on China/or Cuba/
level.
i am contemplating/as i have nothing better to do/to make adult dvd
about Costa Rica and my guess is everybody on this board
will be against it.

Please don't. Lots of guys come down and tell their significant others that they are coming on a fishing trip, stuff like that. It is nice that CR is under the radar as a monger location to the masses.

There are a lot of things you can do along those lines that won't threaten our little party place.

Thanks for putting it out there for feedback.

This is a good example of why print media is going the way of the Dodo bird since the arrival of the internet. I used to love reading Lonely Planet since they (unlike all other tour guides) would tell it like it is. They would warn you about civil wars, political unrest, jihads, things like that. For off the beaten path guys like us, that is important information.

However, if you tell the truth about some countries, people get mad and fight back. That is the kind of pressure you can put on a book publisher. But in cyberspace, you can't control what people say very easily. I find that the info I get from the web sites I visit far more accurate.

So screw the Lonely Planet people. Now that they don't discuss politically sensitive issues; they are nearly useless.

Thailand used to be pretty upbeat about mongering in their official publications. I remember reading a tour guide they sent me back in the late 1990s where it said "Pattaya is a good place to go for frustrated young men."

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-PA*

The Lonely Planet writers are from Australia, are gay (thats why all the info on the gay night-life) and since they now OWN and dominate the travel guide scene, they are just plain lazy!! A month ago i was in Argentina where the newest LP guide is still 4yrs outdated! An example: the guide says the hotel Chile is 14$ for a room, it is now close to 40$! And they quote restuarant prices about a third of the current prices! And yet people keep buying these worthlees books!!

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Colorado Dan