Air travel to Costa Rica up 4.5% over 2018

More than 1.3 million people flew to Costa Rica through the first six months of 2019, according to data from the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT).

The number represents 57,565 additional arrivals and a 4.5% increase over the same period in 2018, ICT says.

“The figures reflect stable and solid growth,” Tourism Minister María Amalia Revelo said. “It’s particularly indicative of the increase in arrivals from Europe, evidence that Costa Rica is becoming important as a destination in that market.”

Through July 2019, Costa Rica has received 1.73 million international arrivals. More than 760,000 of those visitors came from the United States; 150,000 from Canada; 255,600 from European countries; and 365,000 from elsewhere in Central America.

ICT says Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia has seen a 7.5% increase in passengers so far in 2019, while Juan Santamaría International Airport near San José has recorded 3.5% growth.

Costa Rica welcomed 3,016,667 visitors in 2018, which was up nearly 57,000 people over 2017.

Costa Rica has attracted an increasing number of tourists in every year since 2010.