Costa Rica’s tourism is still drawing strong demand even as the exchange-rate debate continues to weigh on the industry. Fresh data released this week showed Costa Rica received 308,873 tourists by air in February, up 14.1% from the same month a year earlier.Total international arrivals by all routes reached 331,967 in February, while the first two months of 2026 brought 602,960 visitors into the country, extending a five-month stretch of growth.
North America remained the dominant source market, accounting for 69.3% of February arrivals, with the United States leading and Canada posting especially strong gains. The numbers point to steady demand at a time when Costa Rica is deep into its peak dry-season travel period, when beach towns, volcano areas and national park gateways usually see some of the year’s strongest booking patterns.
Hotel data earlier in the season showed the market still operating at healthy levels, even if not as strong as the peaks seen in prior years. A survey from the Costa Rican Chamber of Hotels projected average occupancy at 77% for the start of the 2025-2026 high season, with Guanacaste at 88%, the Northern Plains at 92% and the Central Pacific at 73%.
That resilience is notable because the tourism sector has spent months warning that the strong colón is cutting into margins and making Costa Rica more expensive for visitors. The Central Bank’s reference exchange rate on Wednesday showed the dollar buying at ¢463.61 and selling at ¢470.58, while recent Monex trading fell below ¢470, underscoring how far the dollar has weakened in the local market.
Tourism business groups have argued that this trend is squeezing operators, especially those paid in dollars but facing many colón-denominated costs. Even so, the latest arrival figures suggest demand has not broken during the heart of the dry season. For now, travelers are still coming in large numbers, especially from the United States, Canada and Europe, helping sustain hotels, transport providers, tour companies and restaurants through one of Costa Rica’s busiest periods of the year.
The stronger message in the latest data is that the exchange-rate problem may be hurting profitability more than demand itself. Costa Rica is still filling rooms and drawing visitors, but the fight over costs and competitiveness is far from over.
