Dominican Republic Sets All-Time Tourism Record

Last Updated 1 year ago

The Dominican Republic is continuing to set new all-time records for international arrivals. Fueled by a growing travel demand for the tropical island, more than 600,000 international travelers visited the Dominican Republic in August. Airlines are also taking note of the destination’s growing popularity, and are launching new flights for the fall and winter seasons.

In a press conference this week, officials reported that the country had set a new all-time record for international arrivals in August. The record-shattering 621,000 tourists that visited the country in August are an increase of more than 124,000 compared to the previous high in 2019 when tourism was also booming. The overwhelming majority of visitors came from the U.S, followed by Canada and Colombia.

The Dominican Republic government has been pushing for more tourism as part of the island’s economic recovery. The President, as well as the country’s tourism minister, has announced several ambitious projects recently including the building of a massive cruise ship terminal in Pedernales. Together with Punta Cana Airport’s massive renovation, the country is expected to welcome well above 7 million tourists by the end of the year.

August’s travel figures are even higher when accounting for cruise ship travelers, which totaled 94,000, helping push the overall number of tourists to 716,000. Some of the country’s most popular cruising ports include Santo Domingo, Sans Souci, and La Romana, with major cruise liners like Royal Caribbean offering cruises to the tropical island.

Punta Cana remains the country’s most popular resort destination, and its airport, the largest in the country, is also setting new records. Hospitality firms in the destination are also experiencing a construction boom in new hotels and entertainment venues.

Meanwhile, many of Punta Cana’s existing resorts are being renovated in a push to keep attracting visitors. Meliá, one of the world’s leading hospitality firms, is launching a new resort brand in the destination, set to open later this year. Punta Cana is also gearing up for the opening of the Caribbean’s first-ever major theme park, Kathmandu Park, slated for opening in December this year.

But with ever-increasing arrival figures, some tourists are seeking lesser-known and quieter areas to explore, far from Punta Cana’s packed beaches. New hotel openings in Miches, touted as the country’s next top ecotourist destination, are already seeing bookings skyrocket.

New Flights Announced To The Dominican Republic

With the country’s growing popularity and proximity to many North American, a number of new flights have been announced recently to the Caribbean island. Combined with the launch of the country’s first low-cost carrier, Arajet, visiting the Dominican Republic is set to become easier than ever before.

These Airlines Are Launching New Flights To The Dominican Republic-2

U.S-based Frontier will launch two new flights from its Tampa hub to Santo Domingo and Punta Cana on November 5, with pricing and frequencies to be announced soon. The airline already flies to the island from several Florida destinations including Miami and Orlando.

Canadian travelers will be able to fly to the Dominican Republic from Hamilton to Punta Cana once per week starting January 2023. Air Transat already announced fall and winter flights to the tropical island earlier this year. This means that Canadians will be able to hop on a flight to the Dominican Republic from at least eight cities, including Toronto, Ottawa, Moncton, and Halifax.

Several Europe-based airlines have also revealed new flights to the Dominican Republic. Plus Ultra will begin operating a weekly Madrid – Cibao flight in December, and Eurowings Discover recently launched a new non-stop Frankfurt – Puerto Plata flight.