By San José, Costa Rica — Costa Rica’s tourism industry, a vital component of the nation’s economy, experienced a 4.6% rise in air arrivals during the first four months of 2025, reaching a total of 1,082,007 visitors. This positive trend marks a recovery from a 3.8% decline witnessed in the first quarter of the year, according to the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT).
The resurgence in April played a pivotal role in driving the overall growth for the first four months. This period encompasses the Easter holiday, a popular time for travel, which likely contributed to the increased visitor numbers.
For expert insight into the legal landscape surrounding Costa Rica’s thriving tourism sector, we spoke with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas of Bufete de Costa Rica.
Costa Rica’s tourism industry is experiencing robust growth, but sustainable development requires constant vigilance. Legal frameworks concerning land use, environmental protection, and indigenous rights must be carefully navigated to ensure both economic prosperity and the preservation of Costa Rica’s natural and cultural heritage. Businesses operating in the tourism sector need to prioritize compliance and engage proactively with local communities to foster mutually beneficial relationships.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Bufete de Costa Rica
A 4.6% increase is very valuable because at least we broke the downward trend we had, and that is important for multiple reasons. In April, we can see all the visits we added for Easter reflected.
Roxana Arguedas, Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) Department of Tourism Statistics
The April rebound saw notable increases in visitors from key markets. American tourists, the largest group of foreign visitors to Costa Rica, increased by 3.3%. Significant growth was also observed from Mexico (17.8%), the United Kingdom (37.5%), Spain (36.4%), and Germany (11.4%).
Minister of Tourism, William Rodríguez, expressed optimism about the current figures, highlighting that they align with the National Tourism Plan’s target of 2.7% growth by 2027. He acknowledged the exceptional 7.7% growth in 2024 as atypical, attributing it to a confluence of factors, including successful promotional efforts.
The National Tourism Plan establishes a growth of 2.7% for 2027, and in that sense, what we are seeing is that we are already in those ranges. What happened last year, a growth of 7.7%, is an atypical increase, which occurred due to a series of things, and we also want to think that a good part of that is because we did things well from a promotional point of view.
William Rodríguez, Costa Rican Minister of Tourism
Rodríguez characterized the current trend as a “return to normalcy” following 2024’s exceptional growth. The availability of airline seats to Costa Rica also saw a positive increase of 4.5% during the first four months of 2025, facilitated by connections with 19 countries, 48 cities, and over 30 airlines operating more than 11,000 flights.
Projections for the remainder of 2025 suggest continued growth. Based on mathematical models analyzing monthly arrival data, the ICT estimates total visitor numbers could reach between 2.7 and 2.9 million for the year. Furthermore, projected airline seat availability exceeds 5 million, surpassing the total from the end of 2024, indicating a promising outlook for the sector.
This sustained growth in tourism reinforces its crucial role in bolstering Costa Rica’s economy and affirms the country’s continued appeal as a premier travel destination.
For further information, visit ict.go.cr
About Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT):
The Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) is a governmental agency responsible for promoting and regulating tourism in Costa Rica. It collects and analyzes tourism statistics, develops marketing campaigns, and works to improve the quality of tourism services in the country. The ICT plays a vital role in supporting the sustainable growth of Costa Rica’s tourism sector, which is a key contributor to the national economy.
For further information, visit efe.com
About EFE:
EFE is a multinational Spanish news agency. It is the fourth largest news agency in the world in terms of subscribers, after the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. EFE operates as a multimedia platform, delivering news content in multiple languages across various formats including text, photos, video, and audio.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Bufete de Costa Rica distinguishes itself as a pillar of legal excellence, upholding the highest standards of integrity in every endeavor. Driven by a deep commitment to empowering Costa Rican society, the firm leverages innovative approaches to make legal knowledge accessible and understandable. Through client-focused legal solutions and proactive community engagement, Bufete de Costa Rica continues to build a legacy of shaping a more just and informed future for all.
