Hacienda La Esperanza Country Estate, Costa Rica
Hacienda la Esperanza in Costa Rica is a beautiful unique country estate initiated by Forest Returns (www.forestreturns.com) and acquired with a group of investors. This is a sustainable country estate situated at Peninsula Nicoya, near Tambor in Costa Rica. The company is situated on 1035 hectares of land. The income is created by CO2 compensation projects, teak wood and tourism. There are several authentic houses on the Hacienda that are currently rented to network partners of Forest Returns. Hacienda La Esperanza is part of the largest blue zone in the world! After identifying 5 of the world’s Blue Zones, National Geographic took teams of scientists to each location. To identify lifestyle characteristics that might explain longevity. They found that the lifestyles of all Blue Zones residents shared nine specific characteristics.
100% Zomer main focus was on integrated sustainable tourism & hospitality. 100% Zomer developed a clear vision and guided the first phase of the implementation as a project manager. Besides that 100% Zomer was a strategic advisor to the director and the board of shareholders of the Hacienda.
When: March 2007- March 2010
Who: Forest Returns BV
Why: In 2006 Peninsula Nicoya started to attract many famous movie stars like George Clooney to live there. The result was an increased tourism demand for this part of Costa Rica. This is where country Estate Hacienda La Esperanza is situated. Therefore investment in tourism was a logical step to take at that time.
Results:
- 100% Zomer performed a feasibility study on integrated sustainable tourism investment.
- 100% Zomer co-developed and implemented the first phase architectural vision. In cooperation with the architect and builders team in the Netherlands and Costa Rica.
- 100% Zomer managed the sustainable building and internal decoration of the tourist accommodation Los Ceros.
- 100 % Zomer identified local craftspeople that developed the furniture at local workshop, made from local sustainable materials.
- 100% Zomer prepared the tourism business plan for new investors.
- 100% Zomer prepared shareholder meetings with director Cor Denneman on various strategic, tactic and operational issues.
- 100% Zomer prepared a marketing plan.
- 100% Zomer enlarged the B2B Network in Costa Rica and the Netherlands.
- 100% Zomer attracted a diverse local and international stakeholder group to the Hacienda. In order to be able to implement the integrated sustainable transformation of the country estate.
- 100% Zomer presented integrated sustainable strategic and financial vision on the Hacienda to the board of directors and shareholders.
