The Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) – Tourist Board – reports that 78,562 visitors from the UK traveled to the country in 2019 – representing an increase of 5.7% over the previous year.
The United Kingdom is Costa Rica’s second-largest source market in Europe.
Direct flights by British Airways from London to San Jose and Liberia is one of the contributors to increase visits. Connections via Spain, France, Switzerland and Germany with direct flights to Costa Rica are another factor.
In 2019, visitros from other European have also seen an increase in visitors: Germany (80,580; up 8.1%), France (77,013; up 4%), Spain (69,745; up 1.6%) and Italy (30,196; up 3.5%).
“The tiny country (Costa Rica) delights and surprises people every time they visit: from adrenaline-rush adventures to wellness and relaxation, without forgetting the nature and wildlife, which is built into Costa Rica’s DNA. The country’s dedication to sustainable tourism is also a key driver for today’s traveler,” said Rob Wilson of the ICT.
In 2019, Costa Rica welcomed 3,139,008 visitors from around the world, a 4.1% increase over 2018.