Dominican Republic Tourism Surges: Over 7 Million Visitors in 2023
The Dominican Republic has experienced a tourism surge, welcoming over seven million travelers through August 2023, marking a 25% increase from the same period in 2022. August alone witnessed a record-breaking 782,000 tourists, contributing to the country’s optimistic outlook of reaching 10 million visitors by the year’s end—the highest total in its history, surpassing the 2019 figure of 7.5 million combined land and cruise-ship visitors. Forecasts suggest a remarkable 54% tourism growth in the fourth quarter of 2023, positioning the Dominican Republic as the leader in global post-pandemic tourism expansion.
Ministry officials anticipate a 10% year-over-year increase in tourism for 2023 compared to 2019, with land-based visitors averaging an eight-day stay. Despite air travel being the preferred method of visitation, the cruise segment has shown robust performance, hosting 1.5 million cruise ship travelers in 2023, surpassing the 2019 figure of 1.1 million. The Dominican Republic continues to enhance its cruise offerings, with a new port in Pedernales scheduled to open in December, complementing existing ports in La Romana and Puerto Plata.
