The arrival of tourists by air to the Dominican Republic grew 6% in 2016, according to the latest report by the Central Bank. The Central Bank statistics indicate that 5,959,347 tourist visited the country last year arriving by air. Of the 5,959,347 tourists in 2016, 359,488 more travelers came than in 2015, for the 6% increase. Of that increase, 84% were foreign tourists and 16% were Dominicans living abroad.
The Dominican Republic has seen four years of consistent growth in tourists arriving by air since 2013. In 2013, the country received 4,689,770 tourists; in 2014, some 5,141,377 tourists; in 2015, some 5,599,859 tourists; and in 2016, 5,959,347 tourists.
Of non-resident foreign air arrivals, most were from North America (United States, Canada and Mexico), followed by travelers from Europe.
Punta Cana welcomed 66.9% of the total foreign visitors who arrived by air in 2016.
The total number of passengers both resident and non-resident by air reached the figure of 6,558,982, for 407,000 more passengers than in 2015.
Punta Cana was the destination to receive the most arrivals, with 66.9% of foreign tourists or 3,432,178 air arrivals.
94% of air arrivals said they came for leisure, 3.4% to visit friends and relatives, 1.7% for business, 0.3% for a convention.
http://www.bancentral.gov.do/publicaciones_economicas/informe_turistico/informe_turistico2016-12.pdf
