After seven months of declining visitor numbers, Costa Rica welcomed a surge of international tourists in April 2025, signaling a potential recovery for our vital tourism sector. According to the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), 231,678 foreign visitors arrived by air, a 4.6% increase over the 221,573 recorded in April 2024, adding 10,105 travelers to the country’s beaches, rainforests, and cultural sites.
The growth reflects gains from several key markets. Preliminary ICT data show a 3.3% rise in U.S. visitors, who dominate arrivals, alongside a 17.8% increase from Mexico, 11.4% from Germany, 36.4% from Spain, and 37.5% from the United Kingdom. However, Canada saw a 3.6% drop, and France experienced a sharp 20.6% decline, hinting at uneven recovery across regions.
The rebound follows a challenging period. From September 2024 to March 2025, arrivals fell consistently, with a 7% drop in February 2025 alone (270,810 vs. 291,090 in 2024). The ICT points to reduced airline seat availability—down 19% at Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia and 8% at Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José—as a primary cause. Infrastructure disruptions at Liberia’s airport in late 2024 and health alerts, including dengue cases and shellfish harvesting bans, also deterred travelers.
Industry leaders highlight a deeper issue: the appreciating Costa Rican colón, now at ₡512 per U.S. dollar compared to ₡614 in 2022, has raised costs by 15–20% for visitors. This makes Costa Rica pricier than regional competitors like Panama, where U.S. arrivals rose 12% in 2024. “The exchange rate is eroding our edge,” said Shirley Calvo, executive director of the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR). “Tourists seek destinations where their money goes further.”
Conny Salazar, executive director of Proimagen Costa Rica, echoed this concern: “Tourism drives our economy, but the strong colón and rising costs challenge both businesses and visitors. We must act to stay competitive.”
Rising crime, with 880 homicides in 2024 and 225 in early 2025, has also sparked U.S. and Canadian travel advisories, potentially dampening demand. Yet Tourism Minister William Rodríguez attributes the prior declines mainly to fewer airline seats, downplaying the exchange rate’s impact. The ICT’s 2025 “Only the Essentials” campaign, targeting North American markets, aims to reverse the trend, though its early impact is unclear.
Tourism generates 8.2% of Costa Rica’s GDP and 8.8% of jobs, supporting regions like Guanacaste and Limón. In 2024, 2.6 million air arrivals contributed $5.434 billion to the economy. As the low season begins, sustaining April’s momentum is essential for businesses and communities. CANATUR advocates for policies to stabilize the colón and boost domestic tourism, noting that Costa Ricans spent $1.9 billion abroad in 2024.
“April’s numbers offer hope, but we face tough competition,” Calvo said. “Our natural beauty and culture remain strong draws, but affordability and safety must improve to keep visitors coming.”
