The Central Bank reports that first quarter tourism arrivals reached a new record for the Dominican Republic. The total for the first quarter is 2,223,126 air arrivals, for a 6.4% increase, or 133,900 more travelers, compared to January to April in 2016. Of the total, 1,990,444 are foreigners (89.5%) and 232,682 are Dominican residents abroad (10.5%).
The Central Bank reports that non-resident air travel to the Dominican Republic in April was up 15% compared to the same month in 2016. The Central Bank reports 557,518 foreigners and 72,722 Dominicans living abroad visited in April 2017. The Central Bank data analysis shows that non-resident foreign arrivals grew 16.8% with an additional 71,320 visitors. Non-resident Dominican arrivals increased 2.3% with 1,402 more visitors in April 2016.
The Central Bank says that this year one has to take into account that Easter Week, the peak Dominican vacation week, happened 9-16 April 2017, affecting the number of hotel rooms allotted to foreigners this year, compared to 20-27 March 2016. Taking this into account, the foreigner increase is even more impressive.
The Central Bank reports there has been steady growth in travel to the Dominican Republic during April, with 502,854 tourists reported in 2015, 523,033 in 2016 and 606,325 in 2017. The 7.5% bi-annual increase has propelled the Dominican Republic to be the leader in tourist arrivals in the Caribbean.
United States, Canada and Mexico provided 59.2% of the total tourist arrivals, 25.1% came from Europe and 11.2% from South America, 4.2% from Central America and the Caribbean.
Most tourists (66.2%) arrived via the Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), followed by 15.3% via Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) in Santo Domingo, 11.1% via Gregorio Luperon International Airport (POP) in Puerto Plata, 2.8% via the Cibao International Airport (STI) in Santiago and 2.7% via the la Romana International Airport (LRM) in La Romana.
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Banco Central
16 May 2017
