Q COSTARICA — After several months of sustained decline, Costa Rican tourism is beginning to show clear signs of recovery.
November closed with a 12% increase in tourist arrivals by air, the country’s main gateway, a rebound that provides much-needed relief to a sector that has been struggling for much of the year.
According to data from the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT)—Costa Rica’s Tourism Board, 247,387 tourists arrived in November, compared to 220,839 in the same month of 2014. This result follows the 5.3% growth reported in October, marking two consecutive months of reversal from the negative trend.
For Shirley Calvo, executive director of the Cámara Nacional de Turismo (Canatur)—the National Chamber of Tourism — November’s performance marks a turning point.
“At Canatur, we highly value the 12.2% growth in international arrivals by air during the past month of November. This rebound represents a significant relief for the sector, as it reduces the accumulated negative figures we had been experiencing throughout the year,” she noted.
Calvo emphasized that the result is even more significant considering the previous context.
“The country had been registering several consecutive months of decline in international tourism. The recovery in November, added to the 5.9% growth recorded in October, confirms two consecutive months of reversal of the negative trend, which generates positive expectations for the high season that is now beginning,” she added.
Despite the recent positive performance, the year-to-date figures continue to show a slight decrease. Between January and November 2025, air tourism fell by 0.4%.
The tourism sector is confident that the positive trend will continue, allowing it to close the year with favorable numbers.
“We hope this trend continues and allows us to close the year with positive figures, which is key for the stability of businesses, the jobs we generate, and the local economies that depend directly on this activity,” emphasized Calvo.
However, Calvo warned that 2025 has been a particularly complex year for national tourism, marked by structural factors that affect the country’s competitiveness. Among these, she highlighted the exchange rate, with the dollar at historically low levels, not seen in more than 20 years.