Dominican Republic breaks record with more than 10 million visitors in 2023

PUNTA CANA , La Altagracia, DR December 26, 2023. – The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, reported that this December 26, the Dominican Republic received its 10 millionth visitor of 2023, which marked an unprecedented milestone in tourism. country and the entire region.

Collado indicated that the long-awaited figure was reached for the first time in the country’s history thanks to the strategic work developed jointly between the public and private sectors, as well as the vision of President Luis Abinader and the trust that the president placed in professionals. of the ministry to carry out unprecedented work.

According to the figures presented, in an event held at the Punta Cana International Airport, the Dominican Republic managed to exceed 10 million visitors thanks to an arrival of 7,863,542 tourists who arrived by air, plus some 2,168,209 cruise passengers who arrived in the country by air. maritime.

“Reaching 10 million tourists between air and cruise ships is a fact that should fill the entire country with pride, regardless of political flags, since each of these visitors are friends of the country who contribute to development, employment, to the countryside, to construction and for the country’s entire productive apparatus to continue growing,” said Collado.

MITUR presented the figures of the economic impact that tourism has had this year in the Dominican Republic, having more than 620 thousand direct jobs and an estimated generation of foreign exchange of more than 11 billion dollars.

The Dominican Republic is the country that has grown the most in tourist arrivals in the entire Caribbean region from 2019 to date, going from 6.4 million visitors to more than 10 million; It has also been recognized on several occasions by different international organizations as the number 1 country in terms of post-COVID tourism recovery.

The 10 millionth passenger was celebrated in a symbolic event in terminal B of the Punta Cana International Airport, with a flight from the United States, which is the number 1 country in terms of tourists to the Dominican Republic.

North American Ariana Guilak, who is visiting the country for the first time, is Visitor 10 million and arrived on American Airline flight AA 2638 from Miami, Florida, where 90% of the passengers who arrived are non-resident foreigners.

The tourist Ariana Guilak was received by the Minister of Tourism David Collado, the businessman Frank Rainieri, among other personalities from the tourism sector.

Simultaneously, activities were carried out to celebrate the 10 million visitors at the Las Américas International airports in Santo Domingo, and at the Cibao International airport in Santiago, as well as at the Amber Cove and Taino Bay cruise ports in Puerto Plata.