Costa Rica’s tourism industry is preparing for a more difficult second half of 2026 after international arrivals by air declined in June, ending eight consecutive months of growth. The country received 214,518 visitors by air during June, a 1.2% drop from the 217,120 recorded in the same month last year. It was the first negative month of 2026 and represented 2,602 fewer arrivals.
The decline contrasts sharply with Costa Rica’s strong performance during the first half of the year. From January through June, 1,605,360 international visitors entered the country by air, an increase of 7.8% compared with the same period in 2025. When land and sea arrivals are included, Costa Rica received 1,733,596 international visitors during the first six months of 2026. About 92% arrived by air.
The positive six-month total, however, may not fully reflect the conditions tourism businesses are facing now. Much of the growth was recorded during the high season, while June’s decline came as we moved deeper into the green season, when many hotels, vacation rentals and tour companies already expect lower demand.
North America, Costa Rica’s largest tourism market, recorded a 1.6% decline in June. Arrivals from both the United States and Mexico fell by about 3%. The weakness in the U.S. market is particularly important because American travelers account for the largest share of Costa Rica’s international visitors. Even a relatively small decline can affect hotel occupancy, tours, rental cars, restaurants and short-term rental properties in the country’s main tourism areas.
Other markets helped offset the decline. Canadian arrivals increased 25.9% in June, while the number of European visitors rose 12.9%. Spain recorded particularly strong growth, with arrivals increasing 23.4% from June 2025. South America presented another warning sign, however. Arrivals from the region declined 2.3% in June, marking a third consecutive month of contraction.
The mixed results leave Costa Rica with a stronger first-half total but a less certain trend heading into the quieter months of the year. Tourism businesses point to the strength of the Costa Rican colón as one of their biggest concerns. A visitor exchanging dollars now receives substantially fewer colones than at the beginning of the year, making hotels, restaurants, transportation and activities more expensive in dollar terms.
The currency situation also places pressure on tourism companies that collect much of their income in dollars but pay wages, utilities, taxes, maintenance and supplies in colones. That makes it difficult to offer lower prices without reducing profit margins. Costa Rica is also competing against destinations in Central America, the Caribbean and South America that can offer lower accommodation, food and transportation costs.
Countries including El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia and the Dominican Republic have increased tourism promotion, air connections and investment as they seek a larger share of international travel. International uncertainty has added another layer of concern. Higher aviation fuel costs, changing consumer confidence and geopolitical tensions could influence travel decisions during the remainder of the year.
The June figures also coincided with the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The tournament may have kept some North American travelers closer to home or redirected vacation spending toward host cities. Inside Costa Rica, tourism operators continue to raise concerns about airport waiting times and the condition of roads leading to popular destinations. These problems may not prevent travelers from booking a trip on their own, but they add friction at a time when Costa Rica is already viewed as one of the more expensive destinations in the region.
The June decline does not yet establish a prolonged downturn. Costa Rica still finished the first half with record air arrivals, while growth from Canada and Europe shows that demand remains strong in several important markets. The second-half outlook will depend heavily on whether the decline in U.S. arrivals proves temporary. Continued weakness through the green-season months could force hotels, tour operators and rental owners to increase promotions or reduce prices while absorbing higher local costs.
For tourism-dependent communities and expat-run businesses, the concern is not simply how many visitors arrived during the first six months. The more immediate question is whether enough travelers will continue booking Costa Rica during the remainder of 2026.
