The National Hotel & Restaurant Association (Asonahores) reports travel to the DR increased 24.6% during the first two months of the year. Travel is up more than usual primarily due to an increase in hotel rooms to fill and the country recovering from the effects of Hurricane Georges in September 1998. More than 4,000 hotel rooms hit the market at year’s end 1999, mainly in the Punta Cana and La Romana beach areas. Furthermore, January-February statistics for 1999, were inordinately low, reflecting the effects of Hurricane Georges on travelers to the DR. The number of foreign tourist arrivals, according to Central Bank sources, were 487,881 in 2000 up from 391,511 in 1999, for the 24.6% variation. By airport of arrival, this breaks down as: Las Americas: 133,209 (2000), up from 112,269 (1999), 18.7%. Puerto Plata: 165,030 (2000), up from 147,650 (1999), 11.8%. Punta Cana: 179,434 (2000), up from 124,127 (1999), 44.6%. La Romana: 8,252 (2000), up from 5,573 (1999), 48.1%. Cibao (Santiago): 1956 (2000), up from 1,892 (1999), 3.4%. The average hotel occupancy for the first two months of the year was 84.1%, up 5% from 1999. (28 March 2000)
