Us And Canada Is Beating Costa Rica, Cuba And Jamaica To Skyrocket North American Tourism Boom With Record Arrivals And Hotel Occupancy: New Report

Published on August 26, 2025

The latest study shows that US and Canada are driving a surge successful nan North American tourism boom, surpassing destinations specified arsenic Costa Rica, Cuba, and Jamaica. Both nations person recorded singular maturation successful arrivals and hotel occupancy, signalling a powerful momentum successful nan region’s recreation sector. This upward inclination reflects strengthened connectivity, robust hospitality infrastructure, and expanding traveller demand, positioning nan 2 countries arsenic leaders successful shaping nan early of location tourism.

Tourist Arrivals by Country of Origin (2025 vs 2024)

South America has seen a surge successful inbound visitors from North America and nan Caribbean successful 2024–2025. Table 1 summarizes estimated full arrivals from each state to South America and nan approximate maturation compared to 2024, pinch examples from cardinal destinations:

Sources: National tourism agencies and media reports for destination-specific data; location maturation rates from UNWTO Q1 2025 analysis; news of Canadian recreation shifts; and section migration statistic for Costa Rica-Colombia travel.

Key observations: The United States is by acold nan largest contributor of visitors among these countries, pinch millions of Americans visiting South America annually. Mexico and Canada shape a 2nd tier pinch a fewer 100 1000 visitors each, and some are growing. In contrast, Costa Rica, Cuba, and Jamaica are minor outbound markets successful this discourse – their mixed tourer numbers to South America are only a fraction of U.S. aliases Mexican levels. Year-over-year, 2025 has mostly brought increases successful arrivals from each awesome markets (especially nan U.S., Mexico, Canada), continuing South America’s post-pandemic tourism rebound.

Hotel Occupancy Rates and Impact of These Visitors

South American destinations are enjoying high edifice occupancy successful 2025, partially acknowledgment to visitors from nan U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Overall, nan region’s edifice manufacture has seen a strong commencement to 2025, pinch South America starring nan Americas successful capacity gains. According to STR data, revenue per disposable room (RevPAR) successful South America roseate sharply successful early 2025, driven by higher occupancy and room rates. In different words, hotels are filling much rooms and charging higher rates, reflecting robust demand.

• Occupancy Surges successful Key Destinations: Each of nan largest South American countries posted higher edifice occupancy successful 2025 compared to 2024. For example, Brazil’s hotels person knowledgeable strong leisure and firm demand, lifting occupancy significantly. By May 2025 year-to-date, Brazil, Peru, and Chile were ranking astatine nan apical for RevPAR maturation successful nan Americas, implying important occupancy increases successful their superior cities and tourer hubs. In Chile and Peru, nan post-pandemic recreation roar (including returning North American and European tourists) has resulted successful galore hotels reporting occupancy rates adjacent aliases supra 2019 levels during highest seasons.
• Contribution of U.S. Travelers: American visitors play a awesome domiciled successful edifice occupancy for celebrated South American destinations. For instance, U.S. visitors thin to enactment longer and walk much connected lodging. In Colombia, Americans are 25% of each overseas visitors, and cities for illustration Cartagena and Medellín person seen record tourism numbers that capable hotels – Medellín really received much U.S. visitant entries than moreover nan superior Bogotá successful 2024. This influx has boosted edifice occupancy, particularly successful upscale and business hotels favored by Americans. Similarly, successful Peru’s Cusco region (gateway to Machu Picchu) and Ecuador’s Galápagos tours, U.S. travelers are a important information of guests, driving occupancy to precocious levels (often >70% successful precocious season, according to manufacture reports).
• Contribution of Mexican and Canadian Travelers: Tourists from Mexico and Canada besides bolster occupancy successful definite markets. Mexican visitors often recreation wrong Latin America; for example, Mexicans successful Colombia (the #2 overseas market) thief support beardown edifice request successful Bogotá and coastal resorts. Canadian travelers, who often sojourn during nan Northern Hemisphere winter, lend to higher occupancies successful places for illustration Patagonia (southern Chile/Argentina) and Andean highlands during those months. The cost advantage of South America has made Canadian circuit groups much common, filling hotels particularly successful Argentina (boosted by a very favorable speech complaint successful 2025). South American hotels person noted that Canadian visitant nights are up – e.g. 1 study cites Canadians flocking to Argentina, pinch Buenos Aires lodging bookings from Canada up complete 100% year-on-year.
• Overall Occupancy Trends: As a consequence of this accrued world influx, hotel occupancy rates crossed South America person risen successful 2025. While nonstop percentages alteration by state and season, manufacture information show South America’s edifice occupancy maturation outpacing different regions. In fact, South America’s edifice assemblage outperformed pinch nan highest maturation successful nan Americas successful early 2025, buoyed by some section and overseas demand. STR reports that concerted events and inter-regional travel are keeping hotels busy, and that nan region’s value-for-money entreaty (lower costs than U.S./Europe) is attracting much overseas visitors.

It’s worthy noting that a fewer exceptions exist: definite destinations oriented toward location business recreation saw a impermanent slowdown (for example, countries heavy limited connected U.S. business recreation saw a flimsy dip amid U.S. firm belt-tightening). However, leisure-focused areas much than made up for it pinch higher tourer volumes. On balance, South American hotels are enjoying fuller rooms successful 2025 compared to nan twelvemonth prior, acknowledgment successful portion to nan travelers from nan U.S., Mexico, and Canada discussed above.

Records and Standout Statistics successful 2024–2025

Fueled by nan increasing visitant numbers, respective record-breaking milestones and standout stats person been recorded successful South America’s tourism complete nan past year:

• Historic Highs successful Brazil: Brazil is simply a premier illustration of nan boom. In nan first six months of 2025, Brazil welcomed 5.33 cardinal world tourists, nearly 50% more than nan aforesaid play successful 2024. This mid-year full is nan highest ever recorded for Brazil astatine that constituent successful nan year. It puts Brazil connected way to easily surpass its 2024 full of 6.65 million and perchance scope ~8 cardinal visitors successful 2025 (an eager target cited by officials). Notably, Argentina remained nan apical root for Brazil (over 2.1 cardinal Argentines done April), but U.S. visitors (305,932 done April) and others helped thrust nan grounds influx. Even nan reintroduction of a tourer visa for U.S. and Canadian citizens successful 2024 did not deter maturation – Brazil revived an e-visa strategy successful April 2025 for those nationals, priced astir $80, but arrivals continued to highest regardless.
• Colombia’s All-Time Record: Colombia broke its tourism grounds successful 2024, receiving 6.7 million non-resident visitors. This was an +8.5% summation complete 2023 and moreover exceeded nan government’s goals. Within that, U.S. visitors stood retired arsenic the largest group (approx. 1.2 million). Colombia’s tourism officials highlighted this arsenic a historical high, pinch nan state connected gait to purpose for 7.5 cardinal by 2026. Mid-2025 information indicated nan inclination was continuing upward.
• Chile’s Rapid Recovery: Chile recorded 5.24 million overseas arrivals successful 2024, a 40.4% jump from 2023, marking its champion twelvemonth since nan pandemic and moreover 16% supra 2019 levels. This “year of reactivation” included record monthly highs (e.g. 647k arrivals successful Dec 2024 alone. By nationality, Argentina supplied astir 40% of Chile’s visitors, but Brazil (15%) and nan U.S. (4.8%) were next, pinch nan U.S. contributing astir 251,000 tourists successful 2024. Notably, Uruguay and Mexico to Chile grew fastest successful percent position (+80.6% and +20.1% respectively), albeit from smaller bases.
• Paraguay’s Growth Spike: Some smaller markets saw bonzer growth. Paraguay led nan region successful early 2025 maturation rates – successful Q1 2025, world arrivals to South America were up 13%, pinch Paraguay up a whopping +53% year-on-year (the highest comparative jump successful nan world for that period). This reflects Paraguay’s post-pandemic betterment and possibly improved connectivity; it’s a standout statistic moreover though Paraguay’s absolute visitant numbers are modest.
• Jamaica’s Tourism Boom (Contextual): Outside South America, it’s worthy noting that immoderate Latin American/Caribbean countries for illustration Jamaica and Mexico are besides breaking records successful 2025, underscoring a continental trend. Jamaica saw record mid-year arrivals (2.3 cardinal by July 2025, highest ever for that point), and Mexico received 47.4 cardinal visitors successful Jan–July 2025 (+14% YOY) – demonstrating a travel roar crossed nan Americas. While these are inbound records (not outbound), they bespeak a broader discourse of thriving tourism that besides boosts intra-regional travel. Many Americans and Canadians are among those contributing to Mexico’s and nan Caribbean’s records, which successful move correlates pinch much Latin Americans walking south.

In summary, 2024 and 2025 person produced banner tourism numbers successful South America: aggregate countries are astatine aliases supra pre-2019 visitant levels, and immoderate are hitting historic peaks successful arrivals and tourism revenues. The United States remains a cardinal subordinate successful these records (as a apical root successful galore countries), while location travelers (e.g. Argentines, Brazilians, Chileans) besides thrust growth. Such standout statistic underscore nan beardown betterment and entreaty of South America arsenic a destination.

Notable Tourism Trends and Drivers successful 2025

Several trends, events, and partnerships person contributed to nan supra numbers, shaping tourism flows from nan U.S., Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, and Jamaica to South America successful 2025:

• Economic and Currency Factors: The spot of nan U.S. dollar (and to an grade nan Canadian dollar) against galore South American currencies has made South American recreation more affordable for North Americans. This “currency bargain” is simply a important draw. For example, Argentina’s favorable speech complaint successful 2024–25 turned it into a basking destination for Canadians – a Canadian dollar now goes overmuch further successful Buenos Aires than successful galore U.S. cities. This has encouraged Canadians and Americans to take places for illustration Argentina, Colombia, and Peru for vacation, boosting presence numbers. Mexican travelers likewise use from comparatively beardown purchasing powerfulness successful neighboring Latin countries.
• Traveler Sentiment and Policies: On nan flip side, geopolitical and information sentiments person redirected immoderate travel. Notably, a subset of Canadians are avoiding U.S. trips owed to perceived hassles aliases tensions, and are choosing Latin America instead. Canadian circuit operators reported declines successful bookings to U.S. sunbelt destinations successful 2024, concurrent pinch spikes successful Latin America (and different regions). This displacement – partially a guidance to U.S. separator policies and soul authorities – has funneled much Canadian visitors into South America and nan Caribbean. Likewise, immoderate U.S. travelers person been looking for alternatives to crowded European destinations and are uncovering South America’s less-crowded attractions appealing successful 2025.
• Improved Air Connectivity: Expanded formation routes and partnerships are making South America much accessible. For example, Canadian airlines launched caller routes and accrued spot capacity to Latin America for wintertime 2024/25 successful consequence to rising demand. More nonstop flights (e.g. Toronto to Buenos Aires, Montreal to Bogotá) and charter services person lowered barriers. U.S. airlines excessively person added flights: caller nonstop services from North America to secondary South American cities (like caller routes to Medellín, Quito, Mendoza, etc.) person travel online post-pandemic. These aviation initiatives, often successful business pinch tourism boards, are boosting presence numbers by making recreation much convenient.
• Major Events and Marketing Campaigns: High-profile events successful South America successful 2025 drew world visitors successful droves. A premier illustration is nan bid of mega-concert tours that swept nan continent: Shakira’s “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” World Tour (Feb–May 2025) deed 9 countries successful nan Americas (including Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Chile, Argentina), and nan stone set System of a Down’s South America Tour (Apr–May 2025) deed aggregate cities. These events attracted fans (including galore from nan U.S., Canada, and Mexico) and led to sold-out hotels and flights successful big cities. For instance, Rio de Janeiro’s free Lady Gaga performance successful May 2025 drew an estimated 2+ cardinal attendees – an unprecedented crowd that undoubtedly included world travelers and filled each disposable accommodation. Such events not only spike occupancy but besides make buzz that tin spur tourism agelong aft nan concert.

In addition, nationalist tourism boards person been actively courting travelers from our attraction countries. Colombia’s tourism run “Colombia, Land of Beauty”, launched successful 2023, continued into 2024–25 and emphasized taste and earthy attractions – helping Colombia pull much U.S. and Mexican tourists. Brazil’s Embratur ramped up promotion successful North America, and moreover aft reinstating visas for Americans/Canadians, Brazil made nan process integer and comparatively easy (e-Visas) to mitigate deterrence. Peru and Ecuador person besides capitalized connected nan increasing liking pinch targeted trading of escapade and eco-tourism to U.S./Canadian audiences, which is reflected successful rising arrivals.

• Regional and Bilateral Initiatives: Some government partnerships person facilitated recreation growth. For example, Mercosur countries (which see Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay) person eased cross-border recreation which indirectly benefits visitors extending trips wrong South America. While there’s nary nonstop recreation pact involving nan U.S. aliases Canada pinch South America, visa argumentation adjustments person an effect – e.g. nan United States and Brazil are negotiating to streamline trusted traveler programs, and countries for illustration Colombia eliminated visa requirements for Mexican tourists years ago, fostering easier tourism (hence Mexico now a apical marketplace for Colombia. Costa Rica and Colombia person strengthened ties too, pinch much formation options and simplified introduction (Costa Ricans tin recreation to South America comparatively freely, evidenced by tens of thousands of trips to Colombia contempt a caller yellowish fever vaccine rule). These kinds of arrangements and understandings proceed to promote inter-American tourism.
• Shifting Preferences & Niche Tourism: Travelers from nan U.S. and Canada successful 2025 are progressively seeking “experience-rich” and cost-effective trips, which South America provides. Surveys show Americans are prioritizing leisure recreation contempt economical anxieties. Many are opting for South American destinations for unsocial experiences (Amazon rainforest, Andes trekking, Galápagos wildlife, Patagonia cruises) that connection worth versus pricier European trips. This displacement is reflected successful nan maturation stats. Niche segments for illustration adventure tourism, gastro-tourism, and practice travel are booming. For instance, Peru’s gastronomy and Bolivia’s brackish flats person drawn much U.S. visitors, and Brazil hosted awesome sporting events and festivals (beyond Carnival) that attracted world attendees. These trends bespeak a broadening of what motivates recreation to South America, beyond nan accepted “Machu Picchu” trip, resulting successful repetition visits and longer stays (benefiting edifice occupancy).

In conclusion, nan tourism scenery successful 2025 shows South America thriving arsenic a destination, pinch important contributions from nan United States, Mexico, Canada, and to a lesser grade Central American and Caribbean neighbors. Arrivals from these countries are up, maturation rates are robust (often outpacing world averages), and hotels are busier than they’ve been successful years. Key drivers see economical advantages, changing traveler sentiment, enhanced connectivity, and a bid of events and trading efforts that person put South America connected nan representation for much world travelers. Barring unforeseen disruptions, this momentum is apt to transportation forward, pinch South American tourism benefiting from some section initiatives and nan continued liking of North American and Caribbean visitors exploring nan wonders of nan confederate continent.

Sources:

• Official tourism statistic and property releases from South American governments and nan UNWTO (2024–2025), e.g. Colombia’s Ministry of Tourism study connected 6.7M visitors successful 2024, Peru’s Mincetur study connected 3.2M visitors successful 2024, and Brazil’s Embratur information connected grounds 2025 arrivals.
• News articles and manufacture analyses: El País (Colombia record), La República (Peru maturation and root markets), CNN Brasil (Brazil Q1 record), Travel2Latam/UNWTO Barometer (South America +13% successful Q1 2025).
• U.S. Travel and tourism reports: NTTO/USTravel information connected American outbound trends and STR hospitality reports connected edifice capacity successful nan Americas.
• Travel media coverage: Travel And Tour World (Americas tourism roar comparisons), Focus connected Travel News (Canadian recreation shifts), and La Nación Costa Rica (Costa Ricans walking to Colombia). These exemplify nan factors down nan numbers and corroborate nan trends described.