Dominican Republic welcomes record 7.7 million visitors in first seven months of 2026

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic welcomed a record 7,700,118 visitors during the first seven months of 2026, the highest January–July total ever recorded for the country’s tourism sector, Tourism Minister David Collado announced.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, the total represents a 7% increase compared with the same period in 2025. Between January and July, the country received 5,885,259 tourists by air and 1,814,859 cruise passengers, setting a new benchmark for international visitor arrivals.

In July 2026 alone, the Dominican Republic welcomed 1,083,448 visitors, up 2.9% year over year. Of that total, 921,718 arrived by air, while 161,730 arrived on cruise ships.

The United States remained the country’s largest tourism market, accounting for 48% of all July arrivals. It was followed by Canada (7%), Argentina and Colombia (6% each), Puerto Rico (5%), Mexico and the United Kingdom (3% each), and Spain (2%).

Punta Cana International Airport continued to be the country’s main tourism gateway, handling 58% of July’s incoming flights. It was followed by Las Américas International Airport (24%), Cibao International Airport (13%), Puerto Plata (3%), and La Romana and Samaná airports with 1% each.

Collado also highlighted the destination’s strong visitor experience. Hotels posted an average 76% occupancy rate in July, while travelers rated their overall satisfaction at 4.4 out of 5. The survey also found that 91% of visitors said they would return to the Dominican Republic, and 59% said they would recommend the destination, reinforcing the country’s position as one of the Caribbean’s fastest-growing tourism destinations.