Costa Rica Tourism Spike
Costa Rica climbed to No. 2 in the 2026 Wanderlust Readers’ Travel Awards as demand for nature‑first trips surges — Tripmasters reports a sharp rise in custom, adventure‑focused packages Wanderlust rank demand surge. Spring (March–April) is peak dry season — a sweet window for first‑timers — but a proposed southern international airport has reignited growth vs. conservation debates spring guide airport debate.
Tripmasters reported morningstar.com that its Costa Rica bookings jumped by "more than 90%" year‑on‑year between 2024 and 2025, and the company has added a Costa Rica–based concierge team while rolling out a new "Adventures in Arenal and Monteverde" guided itinerary to handle the surge. prnewswire.com Wanderlust’s reader vote totaled about 4.8 million ballots cast by roughly 208,000 participants, a scale the industry says helped amplify interest in destinations that do well on experience and sustainability metrics. larepublica.net The long‑running proposal for a Southern Zone international airport — sited around Palmar Sur/Osa and included in recent national investment plans — has reappeared in official briefings as a lever to open the southern Pacific to more visitors. explorecostarica.org Archaeological finds at the proposed site prompted a specialist study and have delayed timelines, and the public‑works ministry has said detailed plans will not be finalized until the second half of 2027. ticosland.com National arrival data show a mixed picture: the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo recorded 2,689,278 international arrivals in 2025 — a 1% increase over 2024 — underscoring that private‑sector booking spikes coexist with only modest national growth. ict.go.cr
