Tourism Prioritization Survey – August 2025

The Center for Tourism Studies (CET) presents the results of the Tourism Prioritization Survey, carried out between July 31 and August 18, 2025, with the participation of 75 tourism businesses and organizations.

The study uncovers both consensus and tensions around Costa Rica’s tourism agenda:

• Security emerges as the most urgent concern.

• Infrastructure and economic competitiveness remain under scrutiny.

• The institutional role of the ICT sparks debate among respondents.

These findings reflect the sector’s perceptions — but the full report goes further, with CET’s own analysis and proposals: What is the real path toward stronger tourism governance in Costa Rica?

👉 Read the full report here: PDF – Tourism Prioritization Survey, August 2025

ENCUESTA DE PRIORIZACIÓN DEL TURISMO.pdf

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Executive Summary – Tourism Prioritization Survey (CET, August 2025)

The Tourism Prioritization Survey, conducted by the CET between July 31 and August 18, 2025, with the participation of 75 tourism businesses and organizations, provides a clear picture of current perceptions regarding Costa Rican tourism. The findings show that security in tourism destinations is considered the most urgent and cross-cutting concern, followed by the need to modernize infrastructure and strengthen economic competitiveness.

Regarding threats, insecurity, the appreciation of the colón, and deteriorating infrastructure top the list, while informality and weak public–private coordination represent additional structural risks. Other factors identified include the lack of bilingual and skilled talent, high costs affecting price–value competitiveness, unfair competition from informal operators, and carrying capacity challenges in national parks.

The role of the ICT (Costa Rican Tourism Institute) is subject to debate: a majority of respondents support transforming it into a Ministry of Tourism, while a minority prefer maintaining its current model. The CET emphasizes that beyond these perceptions, what is truly needed is a National Tourism Policy that strengthens governance and institutional coordination, reinforcing the ICT in its current role without requiring changes to its legal nature.

Looking ahead to the next government, the most urgent actions demanded by the sector include improving security in tourism zones, establishing a monetary and exchange rate policy that safeguards competitiveness, and implementing participatory governance with stronger private-sector involvement. Complementary measures include financing for national parks, increased international promotion, improvements in connectivity, streamlining of procedures, and training programs.

Taken together, these findings confirm the urgency of addressing structural factors such as security, infrastructure, and governance, while highlighting the need to move toward a state-level tourism policy that enables Costa Rica to face current challenges with strategic vision, effective coordination, and accountability.