In its report on tourism flow 2024, the Central Bank highlights that the Dominican Republic has established itself as the benchmark country in the tourism industry due to a combination of strategic factors and natural advantages, including the development and strengthening of infrastructures.
Also, a diversified offer and an effective promotion in international markets, in which the main attractions, the world-renowned beaches, the cultural, historical, and gastronomic heritage, and the hospitality of the Dominicans stand out.
“Despite challenges such as fluctuations in global demand and external events, Dominican tourism has demonstrated remarkable resilience and competitiveness,” says the report, which also places the United States and Canada as the primary source markets for tourists to the country, followed by Colombia, Argentina, and Puerto Rico.
Last year, more than 9.5 million passengers entered the country through the different international airports, of which more than 8.5 million were tourists (foreign visitors), which, in percentage terms, represents a year-on-year growth of 5.9%.
83.5% (more than 7.1 million) of the tourists came from various countries, and non-resident Dominicans visited the remaining 16.5% (more than 1.7 million).
The growth in passenger arrivals in 2024 was 510,185 people compared to 2023, and that of tourists was 477,030.
Passenger arrivals in 2024 almost doubled compared to 2021, going from 5.5 million to 9.5 million. The growth in passenger arrivals has been on the rise. In 2022, 7.9 million passengers arrived, and in 2023, more than 9 million. Between 2023 and 2024, there was an increase of 510,815 additional passengers.
The same behavior is recorded in the arrival of tourists (non-resident foreigners), which was more than 3.6 million in 2020, more than 5.8 million in 2022, more than 6.7 million in 2023, and more than 7.1 million in 2024.
The total arrivals of foreigners who are residents in the country, however, contracted. In 2024, there was a 3.2% drop in foreigners who had a residence in the country compared to 2023. The segment is striking because when comparing the arrivals of 2022 and 2021, foreigners with residence in the country grew by 98%, and between 2023 and 2022, they also grew, although to a lesser extent, by 16%.
Non-resident foreigners and Dominicans residing outside the country also increased their arrivals 2024 by 5.9% and 6.2%, respectively. Dominicans abroad entered significantly, increasing their entries from 1.4% between 2022 and 2021 to 2.2% between 2023 and 2022, to an increase of 6.2%.
The report also points out that 64.8% of visitors to the country came from North America, 15.7% from South America, 13.1% from Europe, 5.9% from Central America and the Caribbean, and the remaining 0.4% from Asia and the rest of the world.
December
In December alone, 884,129 visitors entered the country by plane. Of these, 77.2% were tourists, and 22.8% were non-resident Dominicans.
In December 2022, 765,935 tourists arrived in the country, in the same month of 2023 there were 867,570 and, in 2024, foreign visitors were 884,129.
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46.5% of the U.S.
The United States of America and Canada led the issuance of tourists to the country. “These countries, which have historically been the ones with the highest generation of tourists for the Dominican Republic, accounted for 46.5% and 16.7%, respectively, of the total arrival of non-resident foreigners during 2024,” says last year’s tourist flow report.
The United States of America and Canada led the issuance of tourists to the country. “These countries, which have historically been the ones with the highest generation of tourists for the Dominican Republic, accounted for 46.5% and 16.7%, respectively, of the total arrival of non-resident foreigners during 2024,” says last year’s tourist flow report.
Europe in decline
Passengers from Europe had a year-on-year drop of 48,381 visitors (-4.9%) in 2024, mainly attenuated by the year-on-year increase in tourists from North American countries.
However, there has been a growth in tourists arriving from Italy (7,920), Austria (968), Poland (951), and Portugal (916), in addition to the recovery of the United Kingdom. (https://dominicantoday.com/dr/tourism/2025/02/02/dominican-republic-consolidates-itself-as-a-benchmark-in-the-tourism-industry-according-to-report/)
