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Dominican Republic Welcomes Record 7.7 Million Visitors in Seven Months
The Dominican Republic's tourism industry reached another historic milestone after receiving 7,700,118 visitors between January and July 2026, the highest total ever recorded for the first seven months of a year and a sign of the sector's continued expansion.
The Dominican Republic welcomed 7,700,118 visitors during the first seven months of 2026, setting a new record for the period and reinforcing the country’s position as one of the Caribbean’s fastest-growing tourism destinations. The figures represent a 7% increase compared with the same period in 2025, a 10.4% rise over 2024, and a 69.6% jump from 2019 levels, according to Tourism Minister David Collado.
Speaking during his monthly tourism performance presentation in Santo Domingo, Collado said the record was driven by strong growth in both air and cruise arrivals. Between January and July, the country received 5,885,259 air travelers and 1,814,859 cruise passengers, combining for the highest visitor total ever recorded during the first seven months of a calendar year.
July Continues the Upward Trend
Tourism remained strong in July alone, when the Dominican Republic welcomed 1,083,448 visitors. That represented growth of 2.9% compared with July 2025, 6.4% over July 2024, and 60.6% above pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019.
Of those visitors, 921,718 arrived by air, while 161,730 reached the country aboard cruise ships, highlighting the continued contribution of both travel segments to the tourism industry’s performance.
United States Remains the Leading Source Market
The United States continued to dominate inbound tourism in July, accounting for 48% of all international visitors. Canada followed with 7%, while Argentina and Colombia each contributed 6%. Puerto Rico represented 5% of arrivals, with Mexico and the United Kingdom each accounting for 3%, and Spain contributing 2%.
Air connectivity also remained concentrated through the country’s largest gateways. Punta Cana International Airport handled 58% of all arriving flights, followed by Las Américas International Airport near Santo Domingo with 24%, Cibao International Airport with 13%, Puerto Plata with 3%, and both La Romana and Samaná with 1% each.
Most incoming flights originated in the United States, representing 50% of total operations, followed by Panama (7%), Colombia and Puerto Rico (6% each), Canada (5%), Peru and Spain (3% each), and Argentina, Mexico, and Cuba (2% each).
High Satisfaction Supports Repeat Tourism
Collado also reported that the country’s hotel occupancy rate reached 76% in July. Visitor satisfaction averaged 4.4 out of 5, reflecting consistently positive experiences across the destination.
According to the survey presented by the Ministry of Tourism, 91% of visitors said they would return to the Dominican Republic, while 59% stated they would recommend the destination to others. The results underscore the country’s ability not only to attract new travelers but also to generate repeat visits, a key indicator of long-term tourism competitiveness. The latest figures build on the record first-half performance announced in July, when officials projected another historic year for the sector.
