Costa Rica’s Eco-Tourism Brand Hits A Growth Wall As Rivals Pull Ahead

Key Points

• 2025 ended with only 1% growth in air arrivals, despite a stronger global travel rebound.
• The U.S. market is flat, while South America is growing fast and reshaping demand.
• A strong colón, security worries, and infrastructure gaps are hurting competitiveness.

Costa Rica remains a flagship eco-tourism destination. But 2025 data show its momentum slowed sharply.

Air arrivals reached about 2.68 million in 2025, roughly 27,790 more than in 2024, a gain of just 1%. Several months fell below 2024 levels, before a late recovery.

December was decisive. Arrivals by air rose about 13.6%, from roughly 278,437 in December 2024 to about 316,226 in December 2025. Canatur, the national tourism chamber, welcomed the turnaround but warned it does not fix deeper problems.

The wider rebound is leaving Costa Rica behind. UN Tourism reported international arrivals worldwide were up about 5% through September 2025.

In the Americas, competitors expanded faster in 2025: Colombia about 4%, the Dominican Republic 5%, Mexico 6%, and Guatemala 10%.

The visitor mix is also shifting. North America stayed dominant, contributing close to two million travelers. Yet arrivals from the United States, the country’s main market, increased only about 0.5% in 2025, signaling stagnation among traditional visitors.

Costa Rica tourism slows

Europe weakened, down about 2.1% for the year to around 419,820, even though December arrivals from Europe rose about 7.4%. South America was the bright spot, up about 14.5% to roughly 145,000 visitors, with Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia among the strongest sources.

Canatur blames domestic headwinds. A strong currency has made Costa Rica feel expensive. Late-2025 reporting placed the dollar reference rate below ¢500, including around ¢496, levels last seen around 2008.

Operators also cite infrastructure shortcomings, rising security concerns, softer purchasing power, and a growing informal sector that undercuts compliant businesses.

These pressures land hardest on small firms. Sector reporting says more than 85% of tourism companies are micro, small, or medium-sized.

Canatur is urging a tougher marketing push, especially into high-growth South America, and still targets at least 5% annual growth in arrivals.

After 2025, the lesson is practical: pro-investment, market-oriented fixes on costs, security, and infrastructure can beat new layers of state control.

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