Collado: “There are no signs that tourism is declining”

The Dominican tourism sector is capitalizing on the security crisis in the Middle East, stemming from the war, to increase flights from Europe. However, officials in the industry are constantly monitoring the situation and anticipating impacts, primarily due to rising aviation fuel prices.

This was stated by the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, who affirmed that, despite the armed conflict, “the Dominican Republic has not a single sign that tourism is going down.”

“Today, we have positive signs. We just had the best March in history, with double-digit growth, and April is projected to be the same. The work we have done over the last five years has found the Dominican Republic, at this time of crisis, in its best position compared to other Caribbean countries,” he stated.

Collado made these remarks during the inauguration of the DR Tradeshow 2026, a trade fair held in Miami, Florida. There, he revealed that flights from the European market that previously went to other countries are being rerouted to domestic destinations, citing the case of the German airline Condor, which added three more flights, according to Diario Libre.

However, he stated that the situation must be “handled with caution,” adding that it is a crisis and that rising fuel prices “may affect us at some point.”

“That’s why we’re here today, strengthening our relationships with short-haul flights. Here (at the fair) we’re closing deals with agents from Puerto Rico , Colombia , and Canada as well, to solidify our short-haul flight strategy,” he pointed out.

The official highlighted that among Caribbean countries competing in tourism, the Dominican Republic is currently at its best.