Costa Rica’s tourism is in crisis as job losses and visitor numbers decline

You know that Costa Rica we all picture? Sloths hanging in trees, zip lines cutting through the clouds, that whole “Pura Vida” vibe? Well, in 2025, the picture gets a little darker. The country lost about 22,000 tourism jobs last year alone. And it hits hardest in the places that can do the least, the coastal towns and rural areas where foreign visitors live and die.

The numbers tell a grim story of Costa Rican tourism. Between January and July 2025, there were about 50,000 fewer international tourists than last year. That’s a 1.8% decrease, which may seem small until you realize that tourism spending dropped by $71 million. The hotels in Manuel Antonio that used to turn people away are now run by skeleton crews. In places like La Fortuna, tours may sell out, but not because everyone is available. This is because operators have reduced capacity. There are not enough guides, drivers or cooks left to operate the boats and ships.

It’s basically a perfect storm of misery and harsh realities. Travel prices remained sky high after the pandemic. Then you have issues with crime, car break-ins and headlines that scare travelers. Add in roads and airports that haven’t kept up with demand, and other countries in the Caribbean offering cheap beach vacations, and you see the problem. Plus, with the global economy faltering, a $4,000 family trip is no longer an easy “yes.”

You can see the human cost if you look closely. Waiters who made a good living on tips scraped by with part-time gigs. Experienced nature guides drive Ubers instead of leading hikers in town. Even small family restaurants near parks are closing or reducing hours because tour buses no longer stop there.

Everyone is trying to fix it. The government promises to cut red tape, fix roads and put more police in tourist areas. They are also working with airlines to get more flights coming from North America and Europe. You will see aggressive advertisements there trying to remind everyone that Costa Rica is safe, beautiful and totally worth the price tag.

But here’s the thing: time flies. High season starts in December, and that’s what pays the bills for the rest of the year. If the tourists don’t come back in force, another wave of layoffs is pretty much guaranteed.

It feels like more than just bad economic times. This is the true test for Costa Rica’s tourism model. They built their reputation as a premium, eco-friendly destination. This worked very well for decades, but it also made the economy incredibly vulnerable when prices or perceptions changed.

The big question hanging over every empty hammock this November is whether they can earn enough of that trust back. The rainforests and volcanoes are still spectacular, and the beaches are still pristine. Now, the country must prove that “Pura Vida” is a promise they can keep, even when the world is feeling a little less attractive.