In July of 2020, Gustavo José Segura, (Central America Leadership Initiative Fellow) was given the opportunity to step into public service and became Minister of Tourism for Costa Rica. As the hospitality and tourism industry continued to suffer due to travel restrictions brought on by the pandemic, it’s easy to understand why the decision to step into this role was a hard one. Although it’s been one of the worst time periods for tourism in the country, Gustavo says stepping into public service has been extremely gratifying for him as a leader.
Now, having been in the role for almost a full year, he is sharing his #LeadershipLessons from negotiating trade-offs between jumpstarting Costa Rica’s economy and public health safety and how he’s been able to find common ground with those he’s disagreed with.
Gustavo José Segura is the Minister of Tourism of Costa Rica. Previously, he Ied the Cuestamoras Hospitality Division. It operates leading international brands on four properties, known for their amazing architecture, location, service and value. Cuestamoras is a multi-business organization with operations in Latin America headquartered in San José, Costa Rica. He is Vice-president of the board of ICT (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo) and several NPOs focused in sustainable development and inclusiveness on vulnerable populations. Gustavo is a Fellow of the tenth class of the Central America Leadership Initiative and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
The Central America Leadership Initiative develops values-based leadership talent in six countries of Central America to tackle the challenges the region confronts. A partnership of the Institute, TechnoServe, INCAE, and FUNDEMAS, the initiative was formalized in 2007 as an independent nonprofit foundation.
Leadership Lessons – a Video Series from the Aspen Global Leadership Network
The impacts of COVID-19 continue to challenge our communities. However, through these challenges, there’s a lot to be learned. In “Leadership Lessons” hear from leaders who have stepped up in new ways and remained steadfast in their values through this crisis. How did they make the tough decisions? How have they changed as leaders? Tune in and gain top insights from values-driven leaders – Fellows in the Aspen Global Leadership Network – who are battling trade-offs, creating rapid responses to community needs, sharpening new skills, and more.
New episodes are released Tuesdays and Thursdays on the AGLN’s social media handles. Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to watch in real-time.
