The Dominican Republic shattered its previous tourism record when it welcomed 8,362,285 visitors between January and September 2024, the Ministry of Tourism reports. This marks the highest number of tourists ever recorded for that period.
Tourism Minister David Collado announced the milestone on Saturday, 2 November 2024, highlighting the robust growth of the sector. He attributed the remarkable achievement to a combination of factors, including increased air and sea arrivals.
In September 2024 alone, the country received 468,916 tourists by air and 111,701 cruise passengers. This represents a 55% increase compared to the same month in 2019 and a 21% jump from 2022.
“These numbers demonstrate the sustained growth of our tourism industry,” said Collado.
For the entire year, the minister projects that the Dominican Republic will receive 11.5 million visitors, setting yet another historic record.
The United States remains the top source market, accounting for 39% of all arrivals, followed by Canada (9%), Colombia (8%), Argentina (6%), and the United Kingdom (4%).
Punta Cana International Airport was the busiest, handling 56% of all incoming passengers. Las Americas International Airport was next with 27%, followed by Cibao International Airport in Santiago (12%), Gregorio Luperón International Airport in Puerto Plata (3%), and La Romana International Airport (1%).
The sustained growth of the tourism sector has been attributed to the government’s focus on infrastructure development, marketing campaigns, and the country’s diverse tourism offerings, reports the Ministry of Tourism.
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Noticias SIN
5 November 2024