Costa Rica Tourist Arrivals Rise 7.8% in the First Half of 2026
Costa Rica · Tourism
Key Facts
—Record start Costa Rica’s first quarter of 2026 surpassed 2019 pre-pandemic arrival levels for the first time, signaling a full demand recovery.
—North America drives growth US and Canadian visitors fueled the early-year surge, with Canadian arrivals up 32%, confirming the region’s enduring source-market strength.
—Colón appreciation The local currency has strengthened roughly 15–20% against the dollar since 2022, raising vacation costs for foreign tourists and squeezing operator margins.
—Infrastructure squeeze Airports in San José and Liberia are nearing operational capacity during peak times, limiting how many more visitors the country can handle.
—Market value pivot The tourism market is projected to grow from $393 million in 2026 to $562 million by 2031, shifting focus toward higher-spending, eco-luxury guests.
Costa Rica tourist arrivals rose 7.8% in the first half of 2026 reaching 1.6 million air arrivals, even as a 1.2% decline in June hinted that exchange-rate and capacity pressures are beginning to temper the rebound.
What the first-half numbers show
The country received 1,033,777 international visitors in the first quarter alone, an 11.3% year-on-year jump and the first time a first quarter beat pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Air arrivals between January and May reached 1,390,842, up 9.4% from the same period in 2025, according to the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT).
For a country where tourism directly and indirectly supports a large share of the workforce, these figures represent more than just a statistical milestone. They confirm that the long climb back from the pandemic-era shutdown—when borders closed and arrivals collapsed—has finally given way to genuine expansion.
The first-quarter record is especially significant because the January-to-March period captures the peak of Costa Rica’s dry season, when sun-seeking travelers from colder northern climates traditionally fill coastal resorts and eco-lodges. Beating the 2019 benchmark during this high-stakes window suggests that the underlying appetite for the country’s nature-based experiences is not merely restored but growing.
North American demand and new routes fuel the surge
The United States and Canada remain the principal engines of growth. In the first quarter, North America sent 734,115 visitors, with 556,648 coming from the United States alone.
Canadian arrivals jumped 32% in early 2026, driven by joint public-private promotion efforts and a significant improvement in air connectivity.
This concentration of source markets is both a strength and a vulnerability that industry planners watch closely. The US and Canada together provide a relatively short-haul, high-disposable-income traveler base that can reach Costa Rica without the jet lag or cost associated with transatlantic or transpacific flights.
New direct routes from secondary North American cities have widened the funnel beyond traditional gateways like Miami, Houston, and Toronto, making a weeklong trip feasible for families who might previously have considered the journey too cumbersome. At the same time, heavy reliance on two countries means any economic slowdown or currency swing in North America can ripple through Costa Rica’s hotels, tour operators, and restaurants within a single booking cycle.
The pressures behind the June softness
A sharply appreciating colón sits at the heart of the slowdown. After closing 2025 below ₡500 per US dollar and averaging near ₡453 by mid-May 2026—levels not seen in roughly two decades—the currency has made Costa Rica an estimated 15–20% more expensive for dollar-paying tourists than it was in 2022.
Five-star hotel rates rose 20% on average in 2025, and four-star rates climbed 23%.
To understand why the colón has strengthened so markedly, it helps to know that Costa Rica runs a dollarized economy in many practical respects—hotels quote in dollars, real estate transacts in dollars—yet local wages, utility bills, and supplier contracts are paid in colones. When the colón appreciates, a hotel earning $200 per night receives fewer colones to cover those local costs, while the foreign guest sees the same room priced effectively higher once converted from their home currency.
This dual-currency squeeze is not unique to Costa Rica, but it is unusually acute here because the tourism product has long been marketed as an affordable tropical alternative to pricier Caribbean islands. The June dip, though small, raises the question of whether the country is approaching a price ceiling for its core North American market.
Why this matters for expats and investors
Tourism is among Costa Rica’s most vital sectors, anchoring employment and foreign-exchange earnings. The first-half 2026 arrival record, paired with the shift toward higher-value eco-luxury segments, supports long-term property and hospitality demand, but the strong colón is squeezing dollar-based margins—a direct concern for small business owners and real estate investors who earn in dollars while paying local costs in colones.
For the thousands of foreign residents who operate boutique hotels, vacation rentals, or tour companies, the margin math is unforgiving. A property manager collecting rent in US dollars must still pay cleaning staff, gardeners, and utility providers in colones that buy more than they did two years ago.
Some operators have responded by raising dollar rates, but that tactic works only as long as demand holds firm. The June softening suggests that travelers may be starting to push back, comparing Costa Rica’s total trip cost against competing destinations where their currency stretches further.
Investors weighing a hospitality purchase must now model not just occupancy rates but also exchange-rate scenarios that can swing net operating income by double digits.
The outlook through 2031
The ICT projects 2.7–2.9 million international arrivals for all of 2026, but that forecast depends on a softer colón and new air routes maintaining their traffic. Mordor Intelligence’s baseline projects sustained market expansion even if volume growth moderates, because the strategy is tilting from counting arrivals toward capturing more spending per visitor.
This pivot from volume to value is not merely a marketing slogan; it reflects a deliberate policy choice with real trade-offs. By courting eco-luxury travelers who spend more on boutique lodges, private guides, and farm-to-table dining, Costa Rica can grow tourism revenue without adding proportionally more bodies to already strained airports and national parks.
The risk is that an overemphasis on high-end offerings could alienate the mid-market travelers who built the country’s reputation as an accessible nature paradise. Whether the two segments can coexist without diluting the brand—and whether infrastructure upgrades at San José and Liberia airports can keep pace—will shape the industry’s trajectory well beyond 2031.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is driving Costa Rica’s tourism growth in 2026?
Strong North American demand is the main driver, with new air routes from the US and Canada adding seat capacity. A record first quarter, sustainability-focused branding, and a push toward higher-spending eco-luxury visitors also support growth.
Why did tourist arrivals dip in June 2026?
The slight decline is linked to a sharply appreciated colón, which makes Costa Rica more expensive for foreign tourists, along with some airport slot constraints and softer seasonal demand following the peak high season.
How important is tourism to Costa Rica’s economy?
Tourism is a cornerstone of employment and foreign-exchange income. The sector’s health directly influences real estate, hospitality, and local business revenues, making arrival trends and spending levels critical for investors and residents.
Sources: Costa Rica starts 2026 with the best first quarter of international arrivals in its history, Costa Rica breaks records: air arrivals surge by 9.4% in the first half of 2026, Costa Rica’s tourism comeback as record high season follows modest 2025 growth, El mercado turístico de Costa Rica crecerá 7.4% anual hasta 2031 y alcanzará $562.03 millones, según Mordor Intelligence, Costa Rica tourism 2026 hits new record high as visitor numbers rise sharply, Costa Rica welcomes over one million tourists in first quarter
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