tourism. Key draws include surf destinations, volcanic landscapes, and colonial towns. For leisure developers, this growth signals opportunities in coastal resorts, eco- tourism, and urban leisure, targeting both international visitors and domestic travellers. Costa Rica and Panama continue to lead in eco- adventure and sustainable tourism, underpinned by their rich natural assets, safety, and political stability. While both countries see strong international visitor growth, domestic tourists remain a key component of the leisure market, with Costa Rica’s domestic travel spending accounting for 31.0 percent of total internal spending in 2023. As visitor volumes increase, managing environmental impact remains a central policy priority, particularly in Costa Rica, where sustainability is core to its tourism brand. Beyond nature-based attractions, urban and commercial leisure experiences are expanding, though Costa Rica’s supply of smaller-scale commercial attractions remains relatively undeveloped, presenting opportunities for repeatable, resident-driven attractions such as FECs, adventure, or indoor play. Central America is experiencing strong international tourism growth (see chart below), underpinned by improved infrastructure, marketing, and rich natural and cultural assets. Across the region, domestic visitors are increasingly important, with rising middle classes and disposable incomes driving demand for local leisure experiences. The region presents a dual opportunity: serving the growing international market while building vibrant leisure experiences for local populations.
Central America Central America presents a diverse and evolving landscape for the attractions and leisure industry, shaped by both growing international tourism and increasingly active domestic markets. Economies vary widely in size, stability and tourism maturity, which means that opportunities differ in scale and risk across the region. Guatemala, the region’s most populous country, is a standout market for large-scale parks, dominated by IRTRA, a unique operator partly funded through private employee contributions. IRTRA runs four major parks, including its flagship resort in Retalhuleu featuring two theme parks, a waterpark and on-site hotels that drive overnight stays and multi-day visitation. Affordable pricing and continued reinvestment have made IRTRA a national institution, attracting millions of Guatemalans annually. In Guatemala City, rising disposable incomes are fuelling smaller-scale entertainment within malls - premium cinemas, bowling alleys, trampoline parks and FECs - reflecting an expanding middle class. El Salvador is now the region’s fastest-growing international tourist market, welcoming around 3.2 million visitors in 2024, a remarkable 28 percent increase on 2023. The country’s improving safety, expanded infrastructure, and proactive marketing have positioned it as an increasingly attractive destination for adventure, nature and culture-based
Vidanta World, Cirque de Soleil LUDŌ
Mexico is a family-focused customer base and not surprisingly has a well-developed FEC offering, including Kidzania and Zero Latency. Mexico is still gaining momentum with competitive socializing and immersive entertainment, where we see significant opportunities for established operators with or without intellectual property. The new Tren Maya railway system, a significant infrastructure project for the leisure industry in Mexico, is aiming to connect tourist destinations along the southern states coastline with lesser-known sites inland, including historic Mayan sites. These new links are intended to redistribute tourist flows that are currently concentrated on the coast, and to encourage the development of a region that has historically been neglected by the state. The new railway may also boost attendance at existing parks and attractions, allowing for easier and faster travel for residents and tourists.
Mexico Mexico is second in terms of economic impact within the Americas. It boasts a large and young resident market, though with more modest incomes and leisure spending, compared to the U.S. and Canada. The theme park and waterpark market is established with domestic visitor driven parks Six Flags Mexico and Parque Acuático El Rollo, and with the Xcaret Group parks and resorts catering to international tourists in the Yucatán Peninsula. Pricing across the offering varies between the two groups, with the domestic visitor driven parks much lower, and the tourist focused parks much higher and along U.S. levels. Two new resorts, both with planned theme and waterparks are also underway. Vidanta World’s “Bon” in Nuevo Vallarta, promising the world’s first luxury theme park, with 25 rides, restaurants, shopping and live shows, including the LUDŌ dinner show by Cirque du Soleil. Puerto Fantasía Resort is also under construction, located in the Cancun market, and is planned to include a theme and waterpark. The closed La Feria Chapultepec theme park in Mexico City reopened in 2024 as Aztlán Parque Urbano, an amusement park offering a variety of family friendly rides and entertainment.
Central America’s growing international tourist market
ARRIVALS 2024 ARRIVALS 2024
GROWTH VS 2023 GROWTH VS 2023
3 . 2 M 3 . 0 M 2 . 8 M 2 . 8 M 2 . 6 M 1 . 3 M 3 . 2 M 3 . 0 M 2 . 8 M 2 . 8 M 2 . 6 M 1 . 3 M
D O D O
R
E L S A L V A E L S A L V A
2 8 % 1 5 % 1 7 % 1 1 % 2 8 % 1 5 % 1 7 % 1 1 %
R
G U A T EMA L A HONDU R A S C O S T A R I N I C A R A GU A P ANAMA C O S T A R I N I C A R A GU A P ANAMA G U A T EMA L A HONDU R A S
Mexico is second in terms of economic impact within the Americas.
C A C A
8% 8% 8% 8%
Source: : WTTC
10 THE EXPERIENCE ECONOMIST: AMERICAS EDITION 2025 | © LDP
THE EXPERIENCE ECONOMIST: AMERICAS EDITION 2025 | © LDP 11
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