Petsonk noted that the Dominican Republic ranks fourth among international destinations for U.S. travelers, following Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In the past 12 months, over 10 million passengers have traveled between the U.S. and the Dominican Republic.

“The United States Department of Transportation and our Dominican counterparts have collaborated to ensure this market supports the needs of our countries and our people. This often highlights that, for U.S. air travelers, the Dominican Republic is the fourth international gateway,” said Petsonk, as reported by Diario Libre.

Petsonk also praised the Dominican Republic’s longstanding commitment to air connectivity. She noted that the aviation relationship between the two countries dates back 75 years, with the first aviation agreement signed in 1949. Additionally, both the U.S. and the Dominican Republic were among the original 52 signatories of the Chicago Convention 80 years ago, which established the general framework for international aviation cooperation.