The Dominican Republic closed December with a historic milestone for its tourism industry, registering nearly 960,000 air arrivals in a single month, the highest monthly total ever recorded. This figure represents year-over-year growth exceeding 10%, further consolidating the country’s position as the leading tourism destination in the Caribbean.
These results significantly surpass pre-pandemic benchmarks, when average monthly arrivals stood at approximately 667,000 visitors, and come despite a challenging global environment shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, economic moderation, and evolving international travel patterns. With this performance, the Dominican Republic concluded 2025 with 11.6 million total visitors, marking the strongest tourism year in the nation’s history.
The 2025 figures confirm that Dominican tourism is no longer operating in recovery mode, but rather within a resilient, diversified, and mature growth framework. While certain traditional source markets—particularly the United States—experienced a moderation in growth, arrivals accelerated during the final quarter of the year, supported by enhanced air connectivity and effective demand management strategies.
At the same time, the sector demonstrated its capacity to absorb growth efficiently. The addition of approximately 2,500 new hotel rooms was seamlessly integrated into the market, with healthy occupancy levels and sustained investor confidence maintained across the hospitality industry.
Cruise Growth and Global Leadership Recognition
Cruise tourism continued to strengthen its role as a strategic pillar of the Dominican Republic’s tourism ecosystem, with the country welcoming 2.8 million cruise passengers throughout the year. The arrival of larger vessels and the expansion of international cruise itineraries further reinforced the nation’s leadership within the Caribbean cruise market, while highlighting the modernization, efficiency, and operational capacity of its port infrastructure.
This strong performance has been supported by consistent leadership and strategic direction from Tourism Minister David Collado, whose management has earned widespread recognition from international tourism executives and regional authorities alike. Leaders from major hotel groups, cruise operators, and global tourism companies have praised the Dominican Republic’s clear vision, execution capabilities, and solid public–private collaboration model.
At the institutional level, this recognition was further elevated when UN Tourism appointed David Collado as Minister of Tourism for the Americas, positioning the Dominican Republic as a regional benchmark for effective tourism governance and policy execution across the continent.
A Milestone Year Marking a New Era for Dominican Tourism
The close of the year confirms that Dominican tourism has reached a new level of institutional maturity, supported by a clear long-term strategy, disciplined execution, and strong coordination between the public and private sectors. This alignment has allowed the country to scale sustainably while maintaining competitiveness across global markets.
More than simply ending 2025 on a high note, the Dominican Republic closed the year by setting historic benchmarks. Record-breaking visitor numbers, expanding air and cruise connectivity, and internationally recognized leadership have positioned the country as one of the most consistent and resilient tourism performers in the Americas, setting a strong foundation for continued growth in the years ahead.
Source: www.dominicantoday.com
