The Dominican Republic reached a new milestone in the first half of 2026, welcoming 6,616,671 visitors between January and June, marking the strongest first-half performance in the country’s tourism history. According to figures presented by Tourism Minister David Collado, this represents an increase of 7.7% compared to the same period in 2025 and an impressive 11% growth over 2024, further reinforcing the country’s position as the leading tourism destination in the Caribbean.
The positive momentum continued in June, when the Dominican Republic received 975,012 visitors, reflecting a 6% increase over June 2025 and a 5.5% increase compared to June 2024. These figures highlight the continued resilience of the country’s tourism industry amid an increasingly competitive global travel market.
Of the total arrivals recorded during the first six months of the year, 4,963,542 visitors arrived by air, while 1,653,129 cruise passengers entered through the country’s expanding network of cruise ports, demonstrating the importance of both air and maritime tourism to the Dominican Republic’s growth strategy.
“These two arrivals bring us to a remarkable 6,616,671 visitors during these first six months, leading us to project that we will reach 12 million by the end of the year. A true record!”
David Collado – Minister of Tourism
Air travel continued to drive the majority of tourism growth, with 816,517 passengers arriving by air during June alone, representing increases of 6% compared to 2025, 7.6% compared to 2024, 15.4% compared to 2023, and 39.1% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Meanwhile, the cruise sector maintained its strong performance, welcoming 158,495 cruise passengers in June, an increase of 6.3% over the previous year, further strengthening the Dominican Republic’s leadership position in Caribbean cruise tourism.
Key Market Insights
The latest tourism data confirms the Dominican Republic’s continued strength across its most important international markets. The United States remained the leading source of visitors in June, accounting for 53% of all arrivals, followed by Colombia (8%), Canada (7%), and Puerto Rico and Argentina (5% each). Other key markets included the United Kingdom and Chile (3%), as well as Mexico (2%), reflecting the country’s increasingly diversified visitor base.
Air connectivity continued to be a major driver of tourism growth. Punta Cana International Airport handled 53% of all arrivals in June, maintaining its position as the country’s primary tourism gateway, followed by Las Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo (28%) and Cibao International Airport (12%). Other regional airports, including Puerto Plata, El Higüero, La Romana, and Samaná, also contributed to the overall performance of the sector.
Beyond visitor arrivals, the tourism industry maintained strong operational indicators throughout the first half of 2026. Average hotel occupancy reached 71%, while visitor satisfaction remained high at 4.4 out of 5. Perhaps most notably, 92% of travelers surveyed said they would return to the Dominican Republic, and 60% indicated they would recommend the destination to others, reinforcing projections that the country is on track to surpass 12 million visitors by the end of the year.
Source: dominicantoday.com
