While many tourism hot spots around the world see their major upticks in visitors during the summer months, Costa Rica’s high season is around Christmas and New Year’s.

And the Costa Rican tourism industry is expecting it to be a very happy holiday season this year with both busy beaches and full hotels. According to the Tico Times, sector experts are predicting hotel and resort occupancy rates to hit a whopping 80 per cent this season.

That number compares to a lackluster 50-per-cent occupancy rate from last year’s high season.

The study surveyed 134 lodging establishments in the regions of Guanacaste, Puntarenas, the Central and South Pacific, the Caribbean, the northern region and the Central Valley.

And with eight out of every 10 rooms expecting to be booked, travellers hoping to head south for the winter for a Costa Rica vacation should plan ahead and confirm their bookings soon to avoid scrambling for last-minute accommodations.