Dominican Republic among top Caribbean destinations with most bookings from Europe and North America

Dominican Republic is presented as one of the main destinations in the Caribbean region with a significant number of seats scheduled for the winter season – (November – March) according to data from Mabrian’s ‘Tourism Outlook Analysis’, which indicates that the number of seats scheduled by the European and North American markets to travel to the Caribbean between this November and March 2024 is 13.8 million, 15% more than in the same period last year and also 31% higher than the pre-pandemic level.

The study presented by Mabrian highlights that regarding winter 2019/2020, the tourism intelligence services platform has pointed out that the month of March has been bypassed when in 2020 the sector was already affected by travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

As for this season, all months analyzed show increases in scheduling to the Caribbean, although the months with the highest projected growth are February (+20%) and January (+15%) next year.

By destinations within the Caribbean, Costa Rica (+24% and 1.49 million seats) Cancun (+18% and 5.24 million) and the Dominican Republic (+18% and 3.89 million) show very strong increases with respect to 2022, mainly due to the increase in connectivity from North America and with upturns in some European markets.

In addition, Jamaica (10% and 1.71 million) grows with a similar pattern but at a slower pace, while Cuba (+1% and 1.49 million), weighed down by a 22% drop in connectivity with the United States, manages to compensate and mark a slight growth thanks to increased connectivity from markets such as Russia, which grew by 230% in this period.

The engine of growth is North America, which recorded a 14% increase in total arrivals compared to 2022. Latin American countries improved on a smaller scale (+5%), while Europe is expected to see a slight decline this season (-2%).

The Caribbean, «better connected and more competitive».

According to Mabrian, we see a «better connected and more competitive» Caribbean, as tourists now have to make fewer stopovers to reach their destination. While we see an exception with some European markets for Cancun.

On average, Canadians experience the fewest stopovers on their trips, especially when visiting the Dominican Republic, Cancun and Jamaica. In addition, British tourists enjoy excellent connectivity with Jamaica, which facilitates their arrival to the destination «without major inconveniences».

In addition, in the ‘Tourism Outlook Analysis’ study, Mabrian has compiled data such as stays, flight and accommodation prices. Thus, in general, the average stay in the Caribbean is expected to be stable, with an average of seven days and an increase of 1 percent.

For their part, flight prices have experienced an average decrease of 10 percent compared to 2022, standing at an average of 363 euros each way.

Costa Rica stands out as the most expensive destination (€405), exceeding the Caribbean average by 12%. While Cancun (298 euros) is the most competitively priced destination, being 18% below the Caribbean average.

By accommodations, five-star hotels are already showing a downward adjustment compared to last year (-8%), while there is a rebound in all categories as of January 2024, above 12% on average.

The average price difference between four-star and five-star increases by 3 percent from 2024, as well as from three-star to four-star by 6 percent.

Finally, the main motivation for travel to the Caribbean in the winter season continues to be the enjoyment of good weather and outdoor activities. Although active and natural tourism already surpasses the traditional sun and beach in terms of interest.