Costa Rica was one of the first ecotourism success stories. At one time, Costa Rica had the highest rate of deforestation in all of Latin America. However, since ecotourism, there has been a dramatic reduction in deforestation. Now, more than a quarter of Costa Rica's land is protected from development. Costa Rica is now the world's top ecotourism destination. Amazingly, this small country of four million people has about 1.5 million visitors per year. Stacy Davison is one of the million-plus tourists who chose to visit Costa Rica this year. "We wanted to explore a country that was largely unspoiled by development. And, boy, did we get what we were looking for! We saw beautiful beaches, lush rainforest, and exotic wildlife."