Off-season bookings rise as Costa Mar tourism stabilizes

Puerto Azul's hotel operators and dive cooperatives are reporting a shift in the off-season outlook. Bookings for the November-to-February period, traditionally the quieter months when rainfall peaks and some tourists defer travel, have climbed to levels not seen since early 2025. The Costa Mar Tourism Authority registered 62 percent occupancy across the region's main lodges in September, up from 51 percent in August.

The recovery is unevenly distributed. Western coast dive cooperatives—those operating in the shallower reef zones away from the major container shipping lanes—report the strongest demand. Eastern operators, who work closer to the waters traversed by Oriente Moderno's deep-water vessels, cite ongoing concerns about noise disruption and the lingering effects of the 2024 grounding inquiry.

Fuel costs remain a pressure point for small-boat captains, but the improved booking pace is allowing some cooperatives to adjust their catch quotas upward. The Federal Hydro Authority's November water-level readings from the inland reservoirs show stable margins, which has steadied electricity export rates and reduced pressure on tourism operators' operating costs.