Published on Monday, October 21, 2024

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The Daniel Oduber-Quirós International Airport (LIR) in Liberia Canton, Guanacaste Province, recorded an increase in tourist arrivals.

From January to September, the airport served about 1,514,000 arriving and departing passengers, including tourists and locals.

According to the Vinci group, the airport's management business headquartered in France, this data shows a 12% rise in traffic over the same period last year. 

Authorities noted that the majority of the flight routes were from the United States, specifically between LIR and Miami International Airport (MIA) in Florida, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, Texas, and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in California.

The new record reflects Guanacaste is a top international destination for U.S. citizens, stated César Jaramillo, the airport manager.

International airlines are also opening new flights to Guanacaste. Recently, United Airlines announced new nonstop routes between LIR and the Chicago International Airport.

Additionally, Costa Rica's principal international airport, Juan Santamaría (SJO) announced a record of 4.3 million passengers.

Last week, Costa Rica was recognized as the most welcoming country in the world, according to the British magazine Condé Nast Traveller.

Tourism is one of the most important economic sectors in Costa Rica. As of July, over 1.7 million tourists arrived via air, representing a 13.5% increase over the same period in 2023.

The country reported a new tourism record reached in 2023, with more than 2,4 million travelers.

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