The average spending of tourists who visited Costa Rica in 2023 experienced a notable increase of US$300 compared to the previous year, reaching US$1,892.08. Meanwhile, the average stay was 12.9 nights.
The country also witnessed a substantial increase in the number of plane seats reserved by airlines, both for international tourists and nationals traveling abroad, evidencing the firm growth of the sector.
The period from January to December 2023 recorded a total of 4,531,380 reserved seats, 737,915 more seats compared to 2022 and an increase of 450,739 compared to the available capacity in 2019. This positive momentum continued in January and February 2024, also projected for March with 503,489 seats, that is, 80,566 more than in the same period of the previous year.
Optimism
Optimism is also reflected in the increase in the number of Costa Ricans who traveled abroad in 2023, reaching the figure of 1,253,641, an increase of 34.2% compared to 2022, with the United States and Panama standing out as favorite destinations.
Hope for the future
The Minister of Tourism, William Rodríguez, stated: “These figures are the reflection of a successful year for the tourism sector. Destiny follows an encouraging trajectory, which fills us with hope for the future. The joint work of the public and private sectors contributes to social progress in various regions of the country.”
The Continuous Employment Survey of the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC) estimates that during the year 2023, 163,268 people were hired to perform in activities related to tourism, including accommodation, food, non-land transportation, agencies, car rental, cultural and recreational activities.
The satisfaction index with the destination reached a score of 86.7, highlighting well-being, shopping and gastronomy as the main tourist products best rated by visitors.
Prices are sky high and the colon/dollar valuation is at a low not seen in years. So yeah, average spending is up. Brilliant deduction.