Dominican Republic receives World Tourism Day with more income and visitors

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic is making significant progress in its tourism sector, generating substantial revenue in the first half of the year, positioning itself as a prominent destination in Latin America and the Caribbean. The sector has contributed $7,668.9 million in revenue to the country’s treasury during this period.

This amount represents a 58.8% increase compared to the $13,031 million generated by the sector in taxes alone, which is the highest revenue recorded in the last five years. It’s also 15.7% higher than the $10,986.6 million generated in 2019 before the pandemic.

The revenue is primarily derived from taxes on the departure of passengers abroad through ports and airports, which accounted for 64.32% of the collections. The Dominican Republic has experienced an increase in commercial flights, with 43,490 flights arriving in the country by September 10, 2023, carrying over 5.7 million passengers. Additionally, cruise tourism has grown significantly, with more than one and a half million excursionists visiting the country this year.

The government aims to reach at least 10 million visitors by the end of 2023, further boosting tourism-related revenue. Latin American countries have become significant contributors to the tourism sector, with increased air routes connecting to South America.

While Europe has experienced a slowdown in tourist flows due to geopolitical and economic conflicts, Latin American countries like Colombia, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Venezuela, and Mexico have become prominent sources of tourists to the Dominican Republic.

The high hotel occupancy rates in various regions of the country, including La Romana-Bayahíbe, Bávaro-Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo, Samaná, Santiago, and Boca Chica, highlight the attractiveness of these destinations to travelers.

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dominican Republic’s tourism sector is showing resilience and contributing significantly to the country’s economic growth. The global tourism industry is also gradually recovering, although it still faces the impact of the pandemic.