TODAY’S TRAVELER TO COSTA RICA IS DIFFERENT.

Are you planning to invest in vacation property in Costa Rica, counting on strong tourism alone to guarantee high occupancy and healthy profits?

Travelers still head to Costa Rica primarily for its beaches, pristine nature, and adventure. However, the way international visitors plan their vacations, where they choose to stay, and what they spend their money on has fundamentally changed over the past twenty years.

International guests now stay for shorter periods on average, spend noticeably more in total, and have rapidly rising expectations regarding accommodation quality, privacy, high-speed internet, and accompanying services. For vacation property investors, the takeaway is clear: simply buying an apartment in a popular location is no longer enough. A property must align precisely with the needs of a targeted guest profile and successfully hold its ground against broad international competition.

As a private real estate specialist with background experience at the Embassy of the Republic of Costa Rica in Prague, I look at the Costa Rican market realistically, free from marketing hype and grounded in hard data. On this page, I will show you how the evolving traveler profile is changing the rules of the game and how to use these insights to select a property built for long-term success.

WHO THIS ANALYSIS IS FOR

This article is designed especially for investors who:

• Are considering purchasing an apartment, villa, or boutique resort property in Costa Rica to generate income from short-term or medium-term rentals
• Want to understand the behavior and priorities of today's international visitors and avoid investing based on outdated assumptions
• Refuse to purchase real estate based solely on attractive photographs of ocean views taken during peak tourist season
• Are looking for a practical investment strategy that connects the right micro-location, guest target demographic, and dependable on-site property management.

THE TOURISM MARKET SHIFT IN NUMBERS: FEWER NIGHTS, HIGHER SPENDING

Costa Rica has established an extraordinarily strong global brand rooted in national parks, biodiversity, the ocean, and the pura vida lifestyle. That fundamental appeal remains unchanged. What has transformed dramatically, however, is the profile of the traveler arriving in the country and how they organize their stay.

While pre-packaged sightseeing tours with organized transport dominated twenty years ago, today's guests rely on booking platforms, interactive maps, online reviews, and social media. They assemble their itineraries flexibly on their own and evaluate very critically whether the price matches the real value delivered.

This shift is clearly demonstrated by statistics from the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT), based on regular surveys of approximately 12,000 international visitors annually across both international airports: Juan Santamaría in San José and Daniel Oduber Quirós in Liberia:

Metric	Year 2006	Year 2015	Year 2025
Average length of stay	12.0 nights	11.3 nights	10.3 nights
Average expenditure per trip	USD 1,256.7	USD 1,369.3	USD 1,848.0
Estimated spend per night*	approx. USD 104.7	approx. USD 121.2	approx. USD 179.4

* Author's indicative calculation based on ICT data: average trip spend divided by average length of stay.

Between 2006 and 2025, the average stay decreased by approximately 14%, while spending per trip increased by roughly 47%. The estimated spend per night rose by approximately 71%.

These nominal US dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation, and part of the increase reflects rising costs for accommodation, transport, and local services. For an investor and operator, it is also essential to consider how much dollar revenue remains after converting into Costa Rican colones, in which staff salaries and local maintenance are paid. Nevertheless, the underlying trend is undeniable: the modern visitor has less time for travel, but is prepared to pay for superior comfort, prime location, and a first-rate experience.

In 2025, Costa Rica's tourism revenue reached USD 5.54 billion according to preliminary central bank figures, representing a 2% year-over-year increase. Approximately 2.69 million international tourists arrived by air, about 1% more than in 2024. Tourism is therefore expanding not only in arrival numbers, but above all in the total value it generates.

NATURE REMAINS THE MAGNET, BUT NATURE ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH

According to ICT surveys covering the 2023 to 2025 period, the most sought-after activities among international visitors include:

• Sun and beach relaxation (cited by 67% of respondents)
• Wildlife watching (37.1%)
• Local gastronomy (36.1%)
• Nature hiking (32%)
• Visiting volcanoes (29.5%).

Costa Rica remains a nature destination, but natural beauty alone no longer satisfies today's traveler. Guests expect that pristine setting to be complemented by reliable, flawless amenities.

When evaluating accommodation, decisive factors include mattress quality, quiet and efficient air conditioning, spotless cleanliness, prompt host communication, effortless self check-in, cashless payment options, and stable, high-speed internet connectivity. Even guests traveling for leisure often need to take a quick video call or keep in touch with their business.

This is precisely where well-conceived villas and apartments create strong value. The winner is not necessarily the most lavish marble building, but rather the property that accurately meets the specific needs of its target segment. A couple seeks absolute privacy within walking distance of the beach. A family requires multiple bedrooms, a full kitchen, a washer, and a safe setting. The premium segment expects distinctive design, top-tier furnishings, concierge services, and the ability to arrange private transport or a personal chef.

TWO DISTINCT WAYS TO TRAVEL ACROSS COSTA RICA

From an investment perspective, we must clearly distinguish between two primary traveler profiles:

1. Guests arriving in San José (Juan Santamaría Airport)
   These travelers often choose an itinerary-based circuit, combining several regions during a single vacation. They typically visit the Central Valley, La Fortuna, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio National Park, the Caribbean coast, or Guanacaste. They spend only two to four nights in any one location. For accommodation to succeed here, key requirements include convenient logistical access, seamless late-night check-in, and tightly managed operations capable of handling frequent guest turnover.

2. Guests arriving in Liberia (Daniel Oduber Quirós Airport)
   This segment heads directly to Guanacaste province. Visitors select a single home base along the Pacific coast where they stay for a week or longer, making only day trips into the surrounding region. They look for resort-style accommodation, private villas, or fully appointed apartments. They spend significantly more on local dining, private transfers, wellness, and premium outdoor activities.

Neither investment model is inherently more profitable than the other. However, each requires a distinct property concept, a different pricing strategy, and an entirely different operational setup. An arrangement that performs exceptionally well in coastal hubs such as Playas del Coco, Nosara, or Tamarindo cannot simply be replicated in the mountain climate of La Fortuna or the distinct environments of Jacó, Manuel Antonio, or the South Pacific.

PRIVATE APARTMENTS AND VILLAS: GREATER SUPPLY AND STIFFER COMPETITION

Hotels no longer hold a monopoly. Short-term rentals have opened the market to private condominiums and homes, providing travelers with diverse options across various budgets and party sizes.

Official ICT capacity estimates for 2025 list a total of 56,950 rooms across 3,095 registered lodging establishments. However, this figure does not capture the thousands of private vacation homes, apartments, and lodges marketed across digital booking platforms.

The real competition your property faces is substantially larger than in the past. The mere fact that nationwide tourism is expanding does not automatically ensure high occupancy for your condominium or villa. Today's guest can instantly compare hundreds of alternatives on their smartphone based on photos, detailed reviews, amenities, and location. An average property lacking a defined concept and clear competitive edge quickly gets lost in the crowd.

FIVE STRATEGIC PRINCIPLES FOR INVESTING IN COSTA RICAN REAL ESTATE

1. Define your target guest first, then search for the property

An apartment designed for a young couple on a one-week getaway requires completely different layout and operational parameters than a villa for a multi-generational family, accommodation tailored to digital nomads, or a full-service luxury residence. Generic properties intended to please everyone usually fail to attract anyone willing to pay a premium rate.

2. Transfer time is an integral part of property value

With the average length of stay down to 10.3 nights, a guest's time carries high personal and monetary value. A remote location may promise untouched tranquility, but that tranquility can be found in dozens of places across Costa Rica, including areas with significantly better infrastructure. If reaching the property costs an entire travel day with connecting domestic flights and lengthy transfers, the appeal of the scenic setting fades quickly in the guest's eyes.

3. Do not assess accessibility by map mileage alone

In Costa Rica, straight-line distance is irrelevant; what matters is actual driving time. Key factors include the condition of access roads, drivability during the rainy season, proximity to quality restaurants, grocery stores, and pharmacies, and whether a four-wheel-drive vehicle is required. Difficult access discourages guests, often prompting them to choose a more expensive but easily accessible resort instead.

4. Technical reliability and first-rate local management

Fast fiber-optic internet, dependable air conditioning, immediate communication during booking, and a reliable regional cleaning and maintenance team are essential prerequisites for positive reviews. If you are investing remotely from abroad, selecting a proven property manager is just as crucial as selecting the property itself.

5. The premium segment is not defined by purchase price alone

Discerning guests do not pay premium rates simply for a pool or an ocean view. They pay for absolute privacy, security, restful sleep, prompt service, and the feeling of seamless care. An expensively constructed property without professional support and services is not an investment product; it remains merely a high-cost building with substantial fixed expenses.

WHAT NATIONWIDE STATISTICS WILL NOT TELL YOU

Costa Rican Tourism Board figures clearly indicate the macroeconomic direction of the market as a whole, but they cannot simply be used to project the future yield of a specific apartment.

These national statistics cannot tell you what occupancy looks like on your exact street, how deeply revenues dip between high season and green season, how many competing units are currently under construction in that micro-region, or what net cash flow remains after factoring in utilities, property management fees, insurance, and municipal taxes.

Before signing a reservation contract, it is therefore imperative to subject any project to thorough due diligence:

• Analyze the actual competition within a radius of a few kilometers and the daily rates genuinely achieved
• Evaluate the seasonal occupancy curve in that specific micro-location
• Calculate realistic operating expenses, accounting for local cost factors
• Verify the legal title of the land, building permits, and utility access, especially water supply
• Establish a realistic exit strategy for potential future resale.

"Costa Rica is a fascinating and stable country with substantial international demand, but do not let yourself assume that any property here will automatically generate lucrative rental returns. Today's guest calculates the value of their time and money very carefully. Investment success is not built on watching the sunset from the beach; it is built on precise numbers, a well-chosen target demographic, and dependable operational management."

Maria Kopřivová

ARE YOU CONSIDERING INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE IN COSTA RICA?

Selecting a vacation property in Latin America requires a thorough understanding of the local environment, legal framework, actual infrastructure, and international guest behavior.

If you are looking for a secure, sensible investment in Costa Rica, I would be delighted to introduce you to vetted projects and properties from my portfolio where location, construction standards, legal safeguards, and projected net yields after all operating expenses make genuine financial sense.

Complete the brief form below this article. Together, we will review your investment objectives and identify a solution tailored precisely to your expectations and investment horizon.