The Central Bank reports that non-resident visitors totaled 329,422 in May, up 4.12% or 13,045 additional tourists compared to the same month last year. Nevertheless, travel so far this year has only increased 0.25%, when adding up arrivals from January to May 2013, compared to the first five months of last year. The decline is attributed to the financial crisis in Europe and to cancellations of some flights from key source markets.
According to the Central Bank statistics, arrivals from the United States (14,136 additional travelers) and Canada (4,458 more travelers) continued to increase. North American tourists make up 60.28% of all foreign tourists. Travel from Argentina and Chile was also up, but Germany was the only European country from where more travelers came this year.
Punta Cana received 1,177,425 foreign tourists, or 64.06% of all arrivals. Las Americas was the second main airport, with 323,171 passengers so far this year, or 17.58% of the total. Puerto Plata has received 198,260, or 10.79%, Santiago’s Cibao Airport (3.24%), La Romana (2.68%).
92.54% of foreign travelers said they stayed in hotels and 94.33% came for leisure. Of every 100 passengers, 64 are between the ages of 21 and 49. Gender wise, 52.87% of travelers are female.