Non-resident Dominicans and foreign travelers to the Dominican Republic continues to consistently increase. The most recent Central Bank tourism statistical report compiles data from January to June 2017 and compares this to the same period in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Over the three years, non-resident travel has increased 6.5-7%. Overall, from January to June 2017, some 3,241,671 passengers arrived by air. This is 198,517 more than for the same period in 2016.
The greatest increase in travelers was from Europe, with 123,703 more coming in the first half of the year, up 21.7%. The difference is due to rebound in the Russian travel market with 80,907 more travelers. Next in increases in arrivals were United Kingdom (+9,895), Germany (+6,656), France (+5,156), Switzerland (+5,062) and Spain (+3,893), among other countries.
Non-resident travel from North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) was up 4.3%, that is 71,045 more travelers. Travel from Central America and the Caribbean was also up, with 10,917 more air arrivals, or 9.8%. More tourists came from Panama (+5,436) and Cuba (+3,344).
Travel from South America, nevertheless was slightly down, reflecting declines in travel from Venezuela (-26,298) and Brazil (-222,582) attributed to the socioeconomic and political problems in those countries. There were increases in travel from Argentina (+18,640), Colombia (+9,032), Chile (+8,648), Peru (+4,924), and Uruguay (+2,781), among others.
Punta Cana continues to be the main point of entry for tourists to the Dominican Republic. The airport received 67.2% of all air arrivals in the first half of the year, or 1,927,730. Next airports in volume of arrivals were Las Americas (Santo Domingo) 16.2%, Puerto Plata (9.7%).
The Central Bank reported that Punta Cana International received 154,199 more travelers in the first half of the year, or 8.7% more. Puerto Plata followed with 37,419 more travelers, for a 15. 6% increase, and Las Americas (Santo Domingo) was next with 15,920 more travelers, or 3.5%.
18 July 2017
