Dominican tourism arrivals grew 4.8% during 2004, with 3,450,392 air arrivals (2,872,891 foreign air arrivals) and an average occupancy of 74%. This is despite the closing in fall of several hotels in the Punta Cana eastern area due to damages caused by Hurricane Jeanne in September.
At the year?s end, US arrivals had increased 7.6% (931,248 arrivals) and 8.7% more Canadians had visited (448,527 arrivals).
Tourist arrivals from Europe were up 4.0% (1,286,724 Europeans in 2004). The leading European source markets were France with arrivals down 5.4% (300,009 arrivals), Germany with a 4.1% decline (233,090 arrivals), Spain traffic was up 13% (228,035), UK travel was up 15% (197,954 arrivals), Italy reported an 8.4% decline (123,904 arrivals).
Occupancy was up in all beach destinations, according to Central Bank statistics. In Boca Chica-Juan Dolio, occupancy was up 3.74%; La Romana-Bayahibe reported a 2.1% increase; Punta Cana-Bavaro posted a 1.3% decline, Puerto Plata occupancy was up 15%; Sosua-Cabarete, 18.3% and Samana showed 8.2% occupancy growth.