Due to the outbreak of covid-19 worldwide and restrictions on passenger transportation, only 1.01 million visitors arrived in the country during 2020, 68% less than what was reported in 2019, when 3.14 million tourists arrived.
Although the fall in tourist arrivals was generally resounding, during the last months of 2020 a more favorable behavior was reported.
During the first month of the year, 215,607 visitors arrived to the country, a figure that is 18% less than the one reported for the same period in 2019.
The General Comptroller of the Republic reported that between January 2019 and the same month of 2020 48,696 tourists arrived to the country less, from 264,303 to 215,607 visitors. The report states that in the case of cruise ship passengers, the number increased by 130%, from 10,822 to 24,868.
Last year, hotels in Panama City reported an average daily occupancy of 4,571 rooms, 1% less than in 2018.
Reports from the General Comptroller of the Republic indicate that in December the daily average of occupied rooms did not register significant changes with respect to the same month last year, going from 4,307 to 4,281.
During 2019, 5.36 million foreign tourists arrived in the country, a figure 5% lower than that reported in 2018, a drop that can be explained by the news published in the middle of the year regarding the death of several American tourists in the hotels of Punta Cana.
The Dominican tourism sector was the focus of an unfortunate media campaign about unfortunate events that occurred to some tourists from the United States of America in some hotels in the country during the first half of 2019, which generated a high volume of cancellations in air bookings scheduled by travelers to the Dominican Republic, reflected in a year-on-year drop in the number of foreign visitors, reported the Central Bank.
During 2019, tourist arrivals to Guatemala increased 6% over the previous year; however, the average stay decreased slightly, from 6.63 days in 2018 to 6.56 days in 2019.
Figures from the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (INGUAT) show that in 2019 2,559,599 tourists entered the country, a figure 6% higher than the 2,405,902 visitors reported in 2018.
Salvadoran authorities estimate that the income left by tourists who visited the country last year reached $1.777 billion, 16% more than that registered in 2018.
Estimates made by the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR) indicate that between 2018 and 2019 the number of tourists visiting El Salvador increased by nearly 4% from 2.5 million to 2.6 million.
Between January and November 2018 and the same period in 2019, the number of tourists who arrived in the country reported a 1.5% drop, which contrasts with the increases recorded years ago.
The arrival of non-resident passengers to the Dominican Republic in the January-November 2019 period reached a total of 5,821,768 travelers, for a -1.5% variation with respect to the same period of the previous year, informed the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic.
Between January and August 2019, approximately 1.5 million tourists arrived in Panama, generating revenues of close to $3,314 million, 1% less than the amount reported in the same period of 2018.
The most recent report of the General Comptroller of the Republic of Panama details that between the first eight months of 2018 and the same period of 2019, the expenditure made by tourists who arrived in the country decreased by $32 million, going from $3.346 million to $3.314 million.
From January to September 2019, 1.89 million visitors were registered, a figure 6% higher than that reported for the same period in 2018.
During the ninth month of the year, a total of 161,891 visitors entered, of which 70% were tourists and 30% were hikers. Compared to September 2018, there was a 5% growth. The regions that showed an increase were Central America (8%), North America (4%) and South America (2%), reported the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism (INGUAT).
Between January and October 2018 and the same period in 2019, the number of tourists who arrived in the country reported a 1.2% drop, which contrasts with the increases recorded years ago.
The cumulative arrival of non-resident visitors by area in the period January-October 2019 shows a total of 5,359,903 travelers, for a -1.2% variation over the same period last year, equivalent to a decrease of 64,496 tourists, reported the Central Bank.
Between January and September 2018 and the same period in 2019, the number of tourists who arrived in the country did not report significant changes, behavior in contrast with the increases reported years ago.
The accumulated arrival of non-resident visitors via area to the Dominican Republic in the period January-September 2019 shows a total of 4,987,698 travelers, amount that is like the amount recorded in the same period last year, when 5,009,417 non-resident passengers entered the country, informed the Central Bank.
Because of the country's economic situation, between 2017 and 2018 there was a 2% drop in the number of Costa Ricans who left from Juan Santamaria Airport and 4% in total expenditures abroad.
Aeris Costa Rica figures detail that between 2017 and 2018 the number of national departures from Juan Santamaria Airport went from 793,000 to 780,000. Regarding 2019 data, up to September the figure reaches 579,000.
During the first semester of 2019, foreign tourists in Costa Rica spent $2,228 million, exceeding by 3.8% what was reported in the same period of 2018.
Data from the Central Bank of Costa Rica indicate that between January and June 2018 and the same period in 2019, tourist spending increased by $81 million, from $2,147 million to $2,229 million.
Authorities report that during 2018 arrived in the country 1.4 million visitors, a figure that is 28% lower than the 1.9 million recorded in 2017, a decline explained by the social and political crisis that the country is going through since April last year.
With several months in arrears, the Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism published the report on the country's tourism situation, which reflects that after the sector came growing steadily, during 2018 collapsed because of the crisis.
In the 2019 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala fell back in the ranking, while the Dominican Republic was the only country that improved.
According to the report prepared by the World Economic Forum, during 2019 Costa Rica ranked 41 out of 140 countries. It was followed by Panama at box 47, the Dominican Republic at 73, Nicaragua at 91, Honduras at 94, Guatemala at 99 and El Salvador at 108.