Dominican Republic welcomes 9.24 million visitors through September

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic welcomed 9,241,246 visitors between January and September 2026, a 7.5% increase compared with the same period last year, according to Tourism Minister David Collado.

Of the total, 7,143,993 visitors arrived by air, while 2,097,253 arrived by sea, including cruise passengers. Collado highlighted the figures during a press conference in Puerto Plata, describing them as another milestone for the country’s tourism industry.

In September alone, the country received 684,831 visitors, up 16.4% from September 2025. Air arrivals reached 533,735, an 8.8% increase, while cruise arrivals surged 54.7% to 151,096 passengers.

The United States remained the Dominican Republic’s leading source market in September, accounting for 39% of arrivals, followed by Canada with 11%, Colombia with 9%, Argentina with 7%, Mexico and Puerto Rico with 4% each, and the United Kingdom and Brazil with 3% each.

Punta Cana International Airport handled 47% of incoming flights, followed by Las Américas International Airport with 32% and Cibao International Airport with 12%.

Hotel occupancy stood at 55% in September, while visitor satisfaction reached 4.4 out of five points. According to Tourism Ministry data, 93% of visitors said they would return to the Dominican Republic, while 63% said they would recommend the destination.

Collado projected that if the current growth trend continues, the Dominican Republic could surpass 12.4 million visitors by the end of 2026, potentially setting another record for the country’s tourism sector.