More than 1.3 million tourists in Costa Rica, authorities say 011922

- Photo via Tourism Institute -

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Published on Wednesday, January 19, 2022
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The Tourism Institute recorded that in 2021, Costa Rica had 1,347,055 tourists in the country.

However, this figure is equivalent to 50% of the number of tourists who entered by air before the pandemic in 2019.

Most of the tourists, 1,270,483, arrived by air, which is equivalent to 94% of the total number of tourists who arrived in the country last year.

Authorities at the Juan Santamaría International Airport in Alajuela Province recorded 882,424 tourists entering the country by air. While at the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Guanacaste Province, authorities documented the arrival of 288,054 tourists.

The United States continues to be the leading nationality visiting Costa Rica. Authorities documented 852,182 tourists from the U.S., which is equivalent to 63% of the total number of visitors.

European tourists makeup 15% of tourists or 212,639 tourists. Of these, the majority came from Spain with 39,618 travelers, Germany with 31,739 tourists and France with 30,129 visitors.

The data show that the country made steady progress towards reactivating the tourism sector, which has been one of the hardest industry’s hit during the first year of the pandemic, said Gustavo Alvarado, Minister of Tourism.

All airlines have restarted their flights to Costa Rica. In addition, of the new routes offered by the Iberojet and Frontier airlines.

The institute established that all international tourists are permitted to enter Costa Rica by air, land and sea on the condition they meet the requirements established in the framework of the pandemic. This is in addition to visa requirements, when applicable.

The government does not require tourists to present a negative covid-19 test, nor quarantine upon arrival. Tourists visiting Costa Rica are requested to abide by the sanitary protocols in place when participating in tourist activities throughout the country.

Tourists who are fully vaccinated against covid-19 and individuals younger than 18 (even if unvaccinated) can enter the country without travel policy insurance. The only requirement is that the last dose of the vaccine must have been applied at least 14 days before arrival in Costa Rica.

The list of authorized vaccines includes AstraZeneca, Janssen, Moderna, Pfizer, Sinovac, Sinopharm and Covaxin. Vaccinated tourists must add their vaccination certificate to the online Health Pass within 72 hours of arriving in the country.

Unvaccinated individuals who are over the age of 18 or with unauthorized vaccines must purchase a travel policy that is valid for at least five days and covers accommodation and medical expenses in the event of covid-19 infection.

Tourists can select any international insurance company that meets the following requirements:

1. Valid during the entire stay in Costa Rica (coverage dates).

2. $50,000 for medical expenses, including covid-19 infection.

3. $2,000 for lodging expenses in case of covid-19 quarantine.

Travelers must ask their insurance company for a certified letter in English or Spanish specifying that the policy covers covid-19 incidents. The document must be uploaded to the online Health Pass within 72 hours before arrival in the country, to be reviewed and approved by Costa Rican authorities.

Tourists should review the travel requirements before planning their trip to their respective country's Costa Rica embassy.

Recently, the 2022 Annual Global Retirement Index led by International Living Magazine, ranked Costa Rica as the second-best country to retire.

In early January, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United States Department of State upgraded in the recommendation for travel to Costa Rica.

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What else could the government do to boost tourism? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com