Costa Rican English for Sustainable Tourism

Costa Rican English for Sustainable Tourism (CREST) is the international program of Costa Rica Multilingüe – a government sponsored initiative that seeks to improve the country´s economic competitiveness by increasing the number of English-speaking professionals by 2017.

CREST was established in 2009 with the enthusiasm of 5 volunteers, but our goal is to have more than 300 volunteers in the first five years.

“These international volunteers not only teach English, but also open the door of opportunity for the hard-working Costa Ricans of our rural tourism industry. Class by class, town by town, they are bringing our country closer to our goal of giving all Costa Ricans, no matter what their place of origin or social class, the chance to learn other languages and gain access to high-quality jobs. I am truly grateful to the volunteers who have already made their mark on Costa Rica, and hope that many others will join them in the years ahead. I also call on communities and business leaders from all over the country to organize to receive volunteers like these, who require only room and board, and who leave behind them the greatest asset of all – knowledge.” Oscar Arias Sánchez President of Costa Rica 1987 Nobel Peace Laureate

CREST grows with the commitment of volunteers worldwide and the support of a wide range of national and international organizations.

Our program is supported by the Ministry of the Presidency of Costa Rica, the Ministry of Tourism, various local development associations, public and private enterprises, and ALIARSE Foundation, the program coordinator.

As one of our volunteers, you will contribute to the sustainable development of the continuously thriving and sustainable tourism sector in Costa Rica, and you will positively affect the lives of students, teachers, and tourism professionals. As a part of our program, we hope you feel that you are a part of this national goal and that you have a personally and culturally enriching experience while you are here.

For further information, please use the “CREST” drop-down menu.