Travel that “makes you feel better”: Costa Rica energized by surge in Canadian arrivals

During an exciting “Energia Pura Vida” (or “Pure Life Energy) showcase held at Arcadia Earth in Toronto Wednesday night (May 13), representatives from the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT), and travel partners outlined how growing air connectivity, sustainability-focused tourism and the U.S. travel boycott are driving a sharp increase in Canadian arrivals.

The event transformed the multi-sensory sustainability attraction and event space inside The Well into a Costa Rica-themed experience that was designed to connect travel advisors with the destination’s environmental ethos.

“Sustainability is embedded in the DNA of Costa Rica,” said Gustavo Inciarte, trade account manager at VoX International, which represents the destination in Canada.

The venue helped reinforce the message.

“Costa Rica practically invented sustainable tourism. When we saw this space, we realized it fit our story perfectly,” he said of Arcadia Earth.

“It’s the same message we want to convey: sustainability isn’t just a fashion in the travel industry. It’s something we genuinely want to protect.”

Canadian arrivals up 26.6%

Costa Rica is seeing major momentum from the Canadian market.

According to the ICT, 173,000 Canadians visited Costa Rica between January and April 2026, a 26.6 per cent year-over-year increase.

“We knew Costa Rica would benefit from the current global geopolitics,” said Inciarte, referencing today’s geopolitical conflict, “but we didn’t anticipate the growth to be as big as this." 

Increased demand is fuelling the expansion. “Airlines don’t just wake up one morning and decide to create new routes,” he said. “Interest in the destination has been growing steadily over the last five years.”

That growth is being supported by expanded airlift from Canada from four major players.

All about the lift

Ireth Rodríguez, head of Promotion and marketing at the ICT, said new and expanded service from Air Canada, WestJet, Air Transat and especially Porter’s six-times weekly YYZ-LIR route launched December 2025, has significantly improved accessibility.

“Air Canada is starting a new route from Vancouver to San José in December 2026 through April 2027,” Rodríguez said.

Porter will debut Toronto to San José and Air Transat announced Quebec City at the exact same cadence.

(And industry rumours suggest another major airline announcement is on the horizon).

She added that the ICT is now increasing trade engagement in Western Canada, with upcoming roadshows planned for Vancouver and Calgary.

Forest bathing & hot springs

Costa Rica’s tourism officials say Canadians are increasingly seeking emotionally-driven travel experiences, centreed on sustainability, wellness and cultural connection.

“Travellers are looking for destinations that offer emotional connection, unusual experiences and sustainability,” said Inciarte.

“They’re looking for meaningful travel, not just having fun and adventures, but travel that gives back to the community and makes you feel better.”

According to Freddy Lizano, international press executive at the ICT, Costa Rica is leaning heavily into wellness travel in 2026.

“We are, of course, strong in wellness,” Lizano said. “Forest bathing is something that we are building up. We’re trying to get people to include more forest immersion experiences.”

He also pointed to Costa Rica’s thermal regions in the north, where mineral-rich hot springs waters are deeply integrated into local culture.

“There are regions like Tarrazú where they even use the water from hot springs to make coffee,” he said.

The coffee making technique is a unique, rare process where coffee cherries are processed using volcanic hot spring water, resulting in a clean, mineral-rich cup.

Costa Rica is also positioning gastronomy as a key pillar of its tourism identity with a surge in farm-to-table restaurants offering high-quality gastronomy, with a focus on rescuing indigenous cooking methods.

Canadians go beyond beaches

While Costa Rica has long been associated with beaches and surf town, diversity and adventure have always been a focus, especially with Canadians.

Canadians are more adventurous in terms of trying new things, according to Inciarte. 

“Not necessarily in terms of doing crazy things, but they are looking for things that are unexpected,” he said.

As opposed to other visitors, “Canadians are most interested in getting closer to indigenous cultures because of their connections to First Nations people.”

“They want to learn more about the locals,” he said.

On average, Canadians travel a few days longer than other travelers as well.

Inciarte emphasized the availability of small tour operators that can cater to that clientele and can always rely on Canadians for these types of tours. 

For Air Transat, Costa Rica’s appeal extends beyond traditional sun travel.

Laura Albrow, account manager at Air Transat, said the carrier’s new non-stop Quebec City–San José service reflects growing demand for experiential destinations.

“There’s a real thirst for new destinations out of the Quebec market,” Albrow said. “Costa Rica ticks all the boxes.”

She noted that travellers are increasingly looking beyond traditional all-inclusive vacations.

“A lot of people have already done Mexico and the Dominican Republic,” she said. “Costa Rica has jungles, wilderness and biodiversity. It’s not just a beach destination.”

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