The Dominican Republic’s tourism sector has kicked off 2026 in high gear, welcoming 1,219,606 visitors by air and sea in January. This represents a 5.5% increase compared to the same period in 2025, which saw 1,155,484 arrivals.
“The year 2026 looks very positive for the Dominican Republic,” stated Tourism Minister David Collado during a results presentation held Wednesday at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) auditorium. Collado noted that January’s figures are 14.2% higher than in 2024 and a staggering 61% increase over 2019, the final pre-pandemic year. These figures underscore the country’s successful long-term recovery strategy and its rising status as a premier Caribbean destination.
Air arrivals break records
For the first time in a January period, air arrivals surpassed the 800,000-mark. A total of 825,847 passengers arrived by air, consisting of 709,886 foreigners and 115,960 ethnic Dominicans living abroad, marking an 8.7% growth over January 2025.
The influx of travelers continues to strain and test the efficiency of local infrastructure, which the government has been aggressively upgrading.
While North America remains the primary source market with a 59% share, led by the U.S. (up 4%) and Canada (up 8%), to the south, Latin America is proving to be a vital engine of growth.
Arrivals from Latin America grew by 15% compared to last year, adding 19,333 additional tourists. This region now accounts for 21% of total air arrivals. Among the top seven residence countries, Colombia led the surge with 27% growth, followed by Argentina at 17%.to
Minister Collado emphasized that this Latin American growth has provided a “support” for the country, cushioning the dips seen in 2025 from the United States, Canada, and Europe due to trade tensions and global economic uncertainty. By diversifying its source markets, the Dominican Republic is effectively insulating its economy from localized financial downturns in the Northern Hemisphere.
Technical Vice Minister of Tourism, Jacqueline Mora, also highlighted a 15% rise in visitors from Central America and the Caribbean. Meanwhile, European travel rebounded with a 12% increase, driven largely by Italians (up 23%) and French travelers (up 11%).
Airport and cruise performance
The Punta Cana International Airport remains the country’s primary gateway, handling 63% of all passengers (523,307), a 10% increase from 2025. Las Américas (AILA) followed with 18% of traffic, growing by 7%.
Other regional airports showed mixed results:
• Cibao Airport (Santiago): 76,106 passengers (9% share), up 13%.
• Puerto Plata: 49,305 passengers (6% share), a 4% decrease.
• La Romana: 13,789 passengers (2% share), up 4%.
In the maritime sector, cruise arrivals reached 393,759 passengers. This was a slight dip of 0.5% (1,796 fewer passengers) compared to January 2025. Taíno Bay in Puerto Plata led cruise traffic with 37% of arrivals, followed by Amber Cove (28%) and La Romana (16%). Notably, the emerging destination of Cabo Rojo matched Isla Catalina’s performance, each accounting for 5% of the total cruise volume. The inclusion of Cabo Rojo in these figures highlights the government’s ongoing efforts to develop the Enriquillo region as a new tourism area.
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Ministry of Tourism
Listin Diario
17 February 2026