Costa Rica Travel & Tourism – Comparing the first half of this year with the same period last year, visitors from Central America to Costa Rica fell by 10%. This was compensated with an 8.9% rise of Europeans and 4.7% rise of Americans.
The decrease in Central Americans likely has to do with the internal conflict in Nicaragua, a main transit point for those coming from the north by land. Additionally, citizens in that country are losing income and less likely to travel.
The tourism minister hopes that this regional internal situation is transitory. Arrivals by air, which are not affected by conflict in Nicaragua, are up by 6%. This implies that Costa Rica evaded the impact of publications about the strike and about deaths of tourists. So far, international tourists have not cancelled reservations.
Locals are cancelling plans though. Many chose to spend school vacations at home rather than travel due to the roadblocks from the strike. Many restaurants saw a 40-50% activity fall.
