Guatemala Goes Hand in Hand With Costa Rica and More Countries in Hammering Central American Tourism to US With Over 28 Percent Drop in Tourist Arrivals After Eight Months of 2026

Guatemala goes hand in hand with Costa Rica and more countries in hammering Central American tourism to the US, with tourist arrivals dropping over 28 percent in August 2026 as weaker demand across key markets, including Honduras and Nicaragua, creates pressure on US inbound tourism after eight months of the year.

Central American Markets Add Pressure to US Tourism as Arrivals Weaken After Eight Months of 2026

The supplied foreign-originating travel data shows a clear weakening across Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua during January–August 2026. All four markets finished the eight-month period below their corresponding 2025 levels, although the severity differed substantially. Honduras recorded the deepest cumulative contraction at 20.7%, followed by Nicaragua at 9.3%, Guatemala at 8.1% and Costa Rica at 2.9%. More concerning for US tourism is the direction of travel: all four countries recorded significant YoY declines in August.

Guatemala: Five Consecutive Months of Decline Weigh on US Tourism

Guatemala began 2026 positively, but the market reversed sharply after March and became an increasing source of weakness for US inbound tourism. Foreign-originating arrivals increased 4.6% in January, 1.1% in February and 7.3% in March, before falling for five consecutive months from April through August. The deterioration became particularly pronounced during summer, with June dropping 18.8% and August declining 18.2% YoY to 38,465 arrivals. Across January–August, Guatemala generated 331,792 arrivals, compared with 361,118 during the same period of 2025, representing an 8.1% cumulative decline. The pattern indicates that strong early-year demand was unable to withstand the subsequent slowdown, leaving the US with roughly 29,326 fewer arrivals from Guatemala after eight months.

Costa Rica: Strong First Quarter Gives Way to Five Months of Falling Arrivals

Costa Rica delivered one of the most dramatic reversals among the four markets. Arrivals started strongly, increasing 9.4% in January, 11.0% in February and 22.2% in March, suggesting healthy early demand for US travel. That momentum disappeared from April, however, and arrivals declined during every month through August. The deterioration accelerated during summer, with July falling 17.7% before August recorded a severe 25.0% YoY decline, dropping from 46,741 to 35,036 arrivals. The strong first quarter limited the cumulative damage, leaving January–August arrivals at 333,076, down only 2.9% from 343,137 in 2025. Nevertheless, the worsening monthly trajectory is significant because the August contraction suggests that Costa Rican demand weakened considerably as 2026 progressed.

Honduras: Deep 20.7% Eight-Month Decline Becomes the Biggest Warning

Honduras represents the most severe cumulative weakness among these Central American markets. After relatively moderate declines in January and February, arrivals briefly surged 15.2% YoY in March, but the recovery proved short-lived. From April, the market entered a sustained and increasingly severe contraction, falling 14.4% in April, 20.6% in May, 34.3% in June and 38.5% in July. August produced the weakest result, with arrivals collapsing 45.2% YoY to 19,570, compared with 35,686 a year earlier. Across the first eight months, Honduran arrivals dropped from 252,021 in 2025 to 199,901 in 2026, a substantial 20.7% decline and a loss of more than 52,000 arrivals. The accelerating summer contraction makes Honduras the most concerning market of the four for US inbound tourism.

Nicaragua: August Slump Deepens an Already Weak 2026 Travel Market

Nicaragua also added downward pressure to US inbound tourism after an inconsistent start to 2026 turned into sustained summer weakness. January arrivals declined 14.2%, before the market nearly stabilised in February and rebounded 13.7% in March. April remained marginally positive at 0.6%, but the recovery ended there. Arrivals subsequently fell 8.4% in May, 18.3% in June and 15.6% in July, before August produced the year’s deepest contraction at 27.5% YoY. Only 8,224 arrivals were recorded in August compared with 11,349 a year earlier. Across January–August, Nicaragua generated 77,922 arrivals, down from 85,935, producing a cumulative decline of 9.3% and reinforcing the wider weakening visible across several Central American markets.

Four Central American Markets Combine for a Significant US Tourism Shortfall

Taken together, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua generated approximately 942,691 foreign-originating arrivals during January–August 2026, compared with about 1.04 million during the corresponding period of 2025. That represents roughly 99,000 fewer arrivals, with Honduras responsible for more than half of the combined loss. More importantly, every market was negative in August: Honduras fell 45.2%, Nicaragua 27.5%, Costa Rica 25.0% and Guatemala 18.2%. The simultaneous summer weakness suggests that the challenge extends beyond an isolated country and could put additional pressure on US destinations, airlines, hotels, attractions and other tourism businesses that depend on international visitor spending.

Guatemala goes hand in hand with Costa Rica and more countries in weakening Central American tourism to the US, with tourist arrivals dropping over 28 percent after eight months of 2026 due to declining demand across key markets and sustained summer travel pressure.

In conclusion, Guatemala goes hand in hand with Costa Rica and more countries in hammering Central American tourism to the US, with tourist arrivals facing a significant decline after eight months of 2026 due to weakening demand across key markets and continued summer pressure. The combined slowdown from Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua highlights a challenging period for US inbound tourism, with fewer visitors affecting airlines, hotels, attractions and tourism businesses dependent on international spending. Although the severity differs by market, the widespread decline signals the need for stronger connectivity, targeted promotions and renewed efforts to rebuild traveller confidence across Central America.

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