BEST held its Third THINK TANK and Conference in Alajuela, Costa Rica from July 8-11, 2003. THINK TANK III, The Role of Tourism in Community Development, and Cultural and Environmental Stewardship, is a follow-up to the previous THINK TANKS BEST has hosted in South Africa (2000) and in Hawaii (2002). This event was co-sponsored by Instituto Centroamericano de Administracion de Empresas (INCAE) and Escuela de Agricultura de la Region Tropical Humeda, ( EARTH University).

In addition, other international sponsors of the Third BEST THINK TANKS included the World Tourism Organization; the World Travel & Tourism Council; the United Nations Environment Programme; the International Hotel & Restaurant Association; the Rainforest Alliance; the International Institute of Peace Through Tourism; the Caribbean Tourism Organization; and the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism, an initiative of the Caribbean Hotel Association.

In total, 86 individuals ( click here to view participant list) from 20 countries and 33 Universities convened together at INCAE University to work on pertinent agenda items ( click here to view agenda).

At the third THINK TANK, leading representatives of industry, higher education, and local community had the opportunity to:

1. Present papers on significant topic areas in the field of sustainable travel and tourism (click here to view papers);
2. Develop three additional sustainable tourism curricular modules to be distributed to educational institutions and professional tourism organizations;
• sustainable strategic management for private enterprises
• sustainable strategic management for public enterprises
• sustainable event and meeting management
3. Discuss the challenges and issues facing Central America in travel and tourism (click here to view presentations), and
4. Experience firsthand exemplary sustainable enterprises in Costa Rica.

THINK TANK IV will be held July 2004 at the University of Southern Denmark in Copenhagen, Denmark. ( click here if you are interested in receiving an invitation for THINK TANK IV)