ATMEX Talk – Reimagining Tourism with Conservation by Rafa Gallo

He is president of the Costa Rica Sports Association for Adventure and Paddling and Honorary President and Co-Founder of the International Rafting Federation. Rafael has served many adventure and environmental organizations worldwide. He was inducted into the International Whitewater Hall of Fame and the Explorer’s Club of New York.

Rafael pioneered combining conservation with adventure trips through Rios Tropicales, the Rios Tropicales Foundation, and the Rios Tropicales private rainforest reserve. He led the effort to protect Costa Rica’s rivers and prevent a hydroelectric dam on the famous Pacuare River, named one of the world’s most scenic rivers by National Geographic. The Rios Tropicales rainforest reserve is the largest private reserve in the Pacuare region, protecting almost 2,500 acres of primary and secondary rainforest. Together with visitors, the community, and students, Rios Tropicales has planted nearly 31,000 native trees in the reserve, mitigating over 17,580 tons of carbon annually. The Rios Tropicales rainforest reserve and ecolodge sit in a now flourishing biological corridor with the return of big cats like ocelots and jaguars, along with endangered Great Green Macaws, thanks to Rafael’s leadership to stop illegal hunting. An international collaboration project with the nearby village of El Tigre and the Kingdom of Bhutan promoted community sustainability and conservation with adventure tourism development.

Always ready to take conservation and tourism even further, Rafael created the world’s first certified carbon neutral sporting event with the 2011 IRF World Rafting Championship in Costa Rica, thanks to a large-scale tree-planting campaign. He also led efforts to make the 2015 Latin American Congress for Private Conservation and the 2016 Adventure Travel World Summit to be carbon-neutral events.

Rafael’s many distinctions include the National Geographic Ashoka’s Changemakers Geotourism Award, the Esther Sanborn Environmental Excellence Award by America Outdoors, The International Ecotourism Society’s Innovation Leadership in Sustainable Tourism Award, and the Pioneers for Prosperity Award. The Costa Rica National Alliance for Rivers and Watersheds named its bi-annual environmental award after him: the Rafael Gallo Palomo Award. He is an international speaker who has presented at top environmental and biodiversity conferences around the globe.