The Ministry of Tourism has reported a record in visitors in January and February.
Yet, the raging conflict in Ukraine has shaken the Dominican Republic’s golden goose, the tourism industry. In January, almost 50,000 Russian tourists had come, and around 14,000 Ukrainians. Now the flow has been abruptly interrupted. Only repatriation flights are connecting the DR with these eastern European countries.
As was reported in DR1 News last week, tens of thousands of tourists from that region were stranded when their return flights were cancelled. Many were able to stay at their hotels for reduced rates, others needed to be relocated to lower cost hotels in Puerto Plata or other destinations. Others were able to return to Europe on repatriation flights.
On the other hand, marketing departments are aggressively reaching out to markets in areas where Covid restrictions are being removed. According to the head of the National Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Bars (Asonahores), Rafael Blanco Tejera, the best solution for the Dominican Republic is to “double up on efforts to recruit tourists from Canada, Latin America” and areas of Europe that are not in conflict. Italy reduced travel restrictions from the Dominican Republic to the minimum on 1 March.
Last week, the economic advisor to President Luis Abinader, Pedro Silverio said the country is suffering direct and indirect consequences of the Russian invasion to Ukraine. Russian and Ukrainians were becoming an important source of tourists, especially for Punta Cana resorts. There were numerous flights to the country that successfully attracted thousands of Russian tourists. In 2021, around 260,000 visitors came on direct flights from these two countries. Silverio stated: “That number would have doubled in 2022.” He says all these flights are suspended, the air space is suspended for flights from Russia in Europe and the United States. Silverio quantified this as US$400 million less the Dominican Republic will receive in tourist flows from this eastern European market in 2022.
Central Bank statistics indicate 183,700 Russians and 85,912 Ukrainian nationals arrived in 2021. By January, the numbers had increased significantly. For the month, 49,215 Russians had arrived, and another 13,749 Ukrainians.
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Listin Diario
8 March 2022