Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic has seen a significant increase in the arrival of Brazilian tourists, largely due to the elimination of visa requirements, giving the country a competitive edge over other tourist destinations like Cancun, which has seen a decline in Brazilian visitors.
Dominican Ambassador to Brazil, Patricia Villegas, highlighted that despite the Dominican Republic covering only 0.5% of Brazil’s territory, it surpasses the South American giant in the tourism sector. She emphasized that this tourism advantage is key to balancing trade relations and fostering cooperation between the two nations.
In 2023, the Dominican Republic welcomed over 10 million tourists, compared to nearly six million in Brazil. So far in 2024, nearly 30,000 Brazilians have visited the Dominican Republic. Airlines like Arajet already operate flights to São Paulo, with plans to expand routes to Brasília or Manaus. Additionally, Villegas facilitated a memorandum of understanding to exchange tourism best practices, including a course conducted by the Dominican Tourist Police for their counterparts in Salvador, Bahia.
The 2021 visa elimination agreement has also led to a surge in Dominicans visiting Brazil, increasing from around 200 in previous years to 8,000 in 2023.