The Dominican Republic is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the world, attracting millions of tourists every year. In 2024, the Dominican Republic recorded impressive tourism statistics, with airport traffic reaching record levels. It was another record-breaking high season. Below you will find the numbers that the Dominican Republic accumulated during the high season, from the beginning of November 2023 to the end of April 2024.
Most Popular Airports in the Dominican Republic from November 2023 to April 2024.
- Punta Cana – 2,710,138 tourists
- Las Américas (Santo Domingo) – 1,369,485 tourists
- Cibao (Santiago) – 524,355 tourists
- Puerto Plata – 292,118 tourists
- La Romana – 52,136 tourists
- El Catey, Samaná – 34,392 tourists
- La Isabela (north of Santo Domingo) – 25,760 tourists
- María Montez (Barahona) – 304 tourists
PUNTA CANA NUMBER 1
The largest airport, Punta Cana, handles almost half of all arrivals, making it the most important transportation hub on the island. The first place is no surprise. Punta Cana on the eastern coast has the largest hotel base in the Caribbean, stretching today from Miches through the popular Bavaro, Punta Cana, Cap Cana all the way to Bayahibe, La Romana, and ending at Juan Dolio. All travelers flying to these destinations choose Punta Cana airport as their arrival point.
Tourism by Nationality and Place of Residence
Analyzing arrivals by nationality and residency reveals interesting differences. Here is a list of the top 20 countries that most frequently visit the land of eternal summer:
| Country | Nationality | Residency |
| United States | 1,436,364 | 1,704,487 |
| Canada | 744,612 | 879,877 |
| Colombia | 167,691 | 150,751 |
| Argentina | 118,171 | 112,497 |
| France | 105,084 | 96,229 |
| Puerto Rico | 87,048 | 66,494 |
| Germany | 83,523 | 85,935 |
| United Kingdom | 79,162 | 77,400 |
| Spain | 74,707 | 76,923 |
| Brazil | 67,688 | 59,695 |
| Chile | 64,547 | 65,035 |
| Italy | 58,786 | 49,387 |
| Mexico | 56,759 | 49,272 |
| Venezuela | 49,622 | 29,415 |
| Poland | 49,199 | 30,621 |
| Peru | 41,716 | 34,894 |
| India | 34,687 | 1,265 |
| Ecuador | 31,100 | 24,523 |
| Haiti | 30,938 | 11,130 |
| Ukraine | 24,990 | 3,651 |
| Switzerland | 18,634 | 22,583 |
| Russia | 15,903 | 1,760 |
Interesting Fact: Differences Between Nationality and Place of Residence
It is worth noting that in some cases there are significant differences between the number of tourists by nationality and their place of residence. Examples:
- India: 34,687 (nationality) vs 1,265 (residency)
- Ukraine: 24,990 (nationality) vs 3,651 (residency)
- Poland: 49,199 (nationality) vs 30,621 (residency)
- Russia: 15,903 (nationality) vs 1,760 (residency)
Why Such Differences?
These differences result from the fact that many people emigrate from their home countries and then travel to the Dominican Republic from other countries where they have permanent residence. For example, many Ukrainians, Russians, and of course Poles live permanently in Western countries, and their trips to the Dominican Republic are not registered as arrivals from their home countries. Similarly, a significant number of Indian citizens travel to the Dominican Republic from countries where they currently live and work, such as the United States or the United Kingdom.
Who Chooses Hotels and Who Chooses Apartments?
Of all tourists in the period from November 2023 to April 2024, as many as 1,691,652 people chose apartments and houses outside all-inclusive resorts and hotels, which represents 33% of the total number of tourists. It is worth mentioning, however, that when filling out arrival codes for the Dominican Republic, it is much easier to enter any hotel name than an apartment address, which may suggest that in practice there may have been significantly more arrivals to apartments.
Polish Tourists
A total of 49,199 Poles flew to the Dominican Republic during the analyzed period, and of these, 95% chose hotels and all-inclusive resorts, or at least that is the arrival declaration we filled out on the e-ticket.
Is that a lot or a little? We still prefer hotel offerings, but year after year more and more of us are buying properties in the Dominican Republic and simultaneously deciding to rent apartments, appreciating life in the Caribbean outside large all-inclusive hotels.
Hotels Are Preferred By:
- 95% of British
- 92% of Poles!!!
- 91% of Canadians
- 85% of French
- 84% of Germans
- 78% of Colombians
- 75% of Americans
- 75% of Italians
- 70% of Spanish
- 69% of Puerto Rico residents
Apartments Are Chosen By:
- 95% of Dominicans, both those permanently residing in the Dominican Republic and those living abroad
- 70% of Venezuelans
This statistic is not surprising. Dominicans are simply at home. Regardless of whether they are permanent residents or those who have emigrated but like to fly to the country for vacation, they feel comfortable living outside a hotel. They have no language barrier and visit family and friends. A completely understandable choice.
Age of Tourists
Age of Polish tourists visiting the Dominican Republic:
- 0-12 years: 3,119 (10%)
- 13-20 years: 1,887 (6.2%)
- 21-35 years: 8,135 (26.5%)
- 36-49 years: 9,644 (31.4%)
- 50+ years: 7,835 (25.5%)
The age distribution of other nationalities is similar, with the exception of Canadians and Germans, where tourists over 50 years of age account for more than 40% of all visitors from these countries.
Summary
The Dominican Republic is a fascinating tourist destination that attracts tourists from all over the world. Airport traffic in the country is enormous, and the most frequently visited airports are Punta Cana and Las Americas in Santo Domingo. The Dominican authorities and the wealthiest families are strongly lobbying and investing in these regions, and the tourism trend is only deepening to develop the eastern-southern part of the country. The real estate market in charming Bayahibe Dominicus benefits from this, as does the Bavaro Punta Cana region, which Poles have grown very fond of in recent years.
Andrzej Włodarski
