Costa Rica’s hotel sector is heading into Easter week with strong expectations, projecting average occupancy of 75% nationwide for the March 27 to April 5 holiday period. The forecast comes from a survey by the Costa Rican Chamber of Hotels, which said 66 hotels from across the country took part. At the time of the survey, hotels were already reporting 68% of rooms booked, a sign that demand was still building in the final days before the holiday rush.
The numbers point to another busy Semana Santa for one of Costa Rica’s most important industries. The chamber said 42% of hotels expect to do better than they did during Easter week in 2025, while another 41% expect results similar to last year. That means 83% of the properties surveyed believe they will at least match, and in many cases improve on, last year’s performance.
The strongest demand is concentrating in our country’s classic holiday destinations. Guanacaste is leading the projections with 91% occupancy, followed by the northern plains at 88% and Puntarenas at 82%. The central Pacific is projected at 75%, the Caribbean at 73%, and the south Pacific at 70%. By hotel type, mountain lodges and beach hotels are showing the strongest numbers, while city hotels are trailing well behind at 53%, reflecting the usual Easter shift away from the capital and toward beaches, forests, and recreation-heavy destinations.
For travelers, that kind of demand usually means three things at once: higher prices, fewer last-minute options, and heavier crowds in the most popular areas. A quarter of hotels surveyed said they are still offering promotions or package deals, including discounts of 10% to 25%, special rates for domestic travelers, meal packages, and added benefits such as room upgrades. But with occupancy already high in the most sought-after regions, bargain hunting is likely to get harder as Easter week gets closer.
The busy holiday outlook also fits a broader rebound in Costa Rica’s tourism numbers this year. According to updated tourism data reported in mid-March, Costa Rica received 308,873 air travelers in February, up 14.1% from the same month in 2025. Over the first two months of 2026, arrivals were up 12.2%, with especially strong growth from North America and Europe. That rise in arrivals helps explain why hotels are entering one of the country’s busiest travel periods with solid booking momentum.
For the local tourism market, the Easter forecast is a welcome sign after a period in which the businesses have pushed for stronger competitiveness and steadier growth. For travelers, it is a reminder that Semana Santa remains one of the most crowded times of year to move around Costa Rica. Anyone planning a beach or mountain getaway should expect fuller roads, longer waits, and less flexibility, especially in Guanacaste and other high-demand regions where availability is tightening fastest. (https://ticotimes.net/2026/03/24/costa-rica-hotels-expect-high-occupancy-for-easter-week)
