Published on Thursday, October 16, 2025
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

More than 2.2 million travelers arrived in Costa Rica by air between January and September, according to the Tourism Institute (ICT).

The figure represents a slight drop of about 50,000 visitors, roughly 2%, compared with the same period in 2024.

Despite the dip, tourism officials remain optimistic about a rebound before the year’s end. They said the fluctuations in visitor numbers are tied to multiple factors, including weather patterns, the geopolitical climate in key markets such as the United States and Canada, and the frequency of airline routes to Costa Rica.

Looking ahead, ICT projections estimate total international arrivals for 2025 could reach between 2.6 million (based on the ARIMA model) and 2.8 million (Holt-Winters model).

Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in Alajuela reported more than 1.3 million passengers, while Daniel Oduber International Airport (LIR) in Guanacaste handled over 687,000 travelers.

The United States continues to be Costa Rica’s largest tourism source, accounting for more than 1.2 million visitors so far this year. Canada contributed more than 192,000 arrivals, followed by Mexico with about 53,000.

Europe sent more than 350,000 travelers, led by Germany (45,000), France (42,000), and the United Kingdom (40,000), among others.

To boost tourism, ICT has launched international advertising campaigns and participated in major global travel events. Most recently, Costa Rican officials and tourism company representatives attended IMEX America, one of the world’s leading trade shows for meetings, incentives, conferences, events, and business travel, held in Las Vegas.

In related news, several airlines have announced new routes to Costa Rica. This week, Viva Aerobus, a Mexican low-cost carrier based in Monterrey, unveiled four new nonstop flights between Mexico and Costa Rica.

In 2024, the country welcomed over 2.6 million international air arrivals, a 7% increase from the previous year.

The sector also generated more than $5.4 billion in foreign exchange earnings in 2024.

The ICT is the government agency in charge of promoting the country’s tourism industry.

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What additional strategies could Costa Rica pursue to attract even more visitors? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com