Travel to the DR increased 8.3% in the first quarter of the year, propelled primarily by local and international currency fluctuations, according to a release from the Central Bank tourism statistics division. Foreign arrivals from January to March represented 851,337 travelers, hitting a new record for the Dominican Republic and bettering arrivals for the same time last year, which stood at 786,164. DR travel benefitted by the depreciation of the peso at a time when the European and Canadian currencies appreciated.
Punta Cana on the East Cost continues to lead the way in tourist arrivals, with 46.8% of total air arrivals. Puerto Plata was next with 25.2%, followed by Las Americas (Santo Domingo), which held a 16.8% market share. La Romana received 9.2% of total tourist arrivals.
Nevertheless, the Central Bank says that the most vigorous recovery was that of Puerto Plata, where traffic was up from 170,101 travelers in 2003 to 214,053 in 2004 ? a 25.8% increase. Punta Cana?s traffic was up 7.1%, from 372,283 foreign arrivals in the first quarter of 2003 to 398,747 arrivals in 2004.