Dominican Republic Visitors Rise 7.5% to 9.2 Million

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC · TOURISM

Cruise passengers drove a strong September, and Americans remain the largest group of tourists arriving on the island.

Dominican Republic tourism reached 9,241,246 visitors from January to September 2026, up 7.5% on the same period of 2025. Tourism Minister David Collado presented the figures in Puerto Plata, on the north coast, on Tuesday, 6 October.

The United States was the largest source of tourists in September, with 39% of the total. For US travellers, airlines and cruise lines, the island remains a core Caribbean market heading into the winter season.

What the Ministry Reported

Of the nine-month total, 7,143,993 visitors arrived by air and 2,097,253 came by sea as cruise passengers. The ministry said arrivals were 10.4% higher than in 2024 and 60.4% above 2019, the last year before the pandemic.

“When we add up air and sea arrivals, we have the big number: 9,241,246 visitors,” Collado said, as quoted by Diario Libre. “We keep making history.”

Collado, a former mayor of Santo Domingo’s National District, has been tourism minister since 2020 under President Luis Abinader. Abinader leads the centrist Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and won a second term in 2024.

If growth holds, the ministry expects more than 12.4 million visitors in 2026, which it describes as a historic record. That would be more visitors in one year than the country has residents.

A year earlier, the ministry reported 8,592,694 visitors for January to September 2025, growth of just 2.6%. This year’s nine-month gain came mostly from air travel, up about 8.6%, while cruise passengers rose about 4%.

September Surged on Cruise Passengers

September brought 684,831 visitors, 16.4% more than a year earlier, even though it falls in the Atlantic hurricane season. Air arrivals rose 8.8% to 533,735, while cruise passengers jumped 54.7% to 151,096.

Much of the cruise traffic goes to Puerto Plata, home to Taíno Bay and to Amber Cove, built by US-based Carnival Corporation. On the day of the briefing, Disney Cruise Line made its first call in the country there, Diario Libre reported.

Puerto Plata received almost 13,000 cruise passengers that Tuesday, according to the business daily elDinero. September 2025 had brought only 97,700 cruise passengers in the whole month.

Punta Cana airport, on the east coast, handled 47% of September’s air arrivals. Las Américas in Santo Domingo took 32%, and Cibao, in the northern city of Santiago, took 12%.

Where the Visitors Come From

After the United States, the main September markets were Canada with 11%, Colombia with 9% and Argentina with 7%. Mexico and Puerto Rico each supplied 4%, and the United Kingdom and Brazil 3% each.

Hotel occupancy averaged 55% in September, according to the ministry. Visitors rated their stay 4.4 out of 5 in its survey, and 93% said they would return.

The figures make Dominican Republic tourism heavily dependent on North America. Together, the United States and Canada supplied half of September’s tourists.

The US share edged up from 38% in September 2025, when the ministry described it as tourists by country of residence. The ministry did not publish the number of US tourists behind this year’s share.

What It Means for You

For US travellers, the growth points to busier airports and cruise ports as the winter high season approaches. The US State Department advisory for the country stands at Level 2, “Exercise Increased Caution”, citing crime.

For investors, the cruise surge matters to US-listed Carnival, which built Amber Cove, and to Disney, which just added the country. The Dominican Republic is also a member of CAFTA-DR, the free-trade agreement with the United States and Central America.

The figures do not change visa or entry rules. They measure arrivals, not how much visitors spend.

What Is Not Known

The ministry’s full release could not be opened online, so the figures come from Diario Libre and Hoy reports. The ministry did not give visitor numbers by country, only shares, or tourism revenue for the period.

It is not confirmed whether this year’s 39% share is measured the same way as last year’s. Central-bank arrival data for September could not be checked against the ministry’s figures.

What Comes Next

Recent monthly figures have come out in the first week of the next month, so October data should follow in early November. Diario Libre reports that a new cruise port at Arroyo Barril, in Samaná, opens on Tuesday, 24 November.

The 12.4 million projection depends on growth holding through the hurricane season and the winter peak. Reaching it would not by itself mean higher spending per visitor, which the ministry did not report.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people visit the Dominican Republic each year?

The country received 9,241,246 visitors from January to September 2026, by air and by sea. The Ministry of Tourism expects more than 12.4 million for the full year if growth holds.

Where do most visitors to the Dominican Republic come from?

The United States is the largest market, with 39% of tourists in September 2026. Canada followed with 11%, then Colombia with 9%.

Is it safe for Americans to travel to the Dominican Republic?

The US State Department rates the country Level 2, “Exercise Increased Caution”, mainly because of crime. Travellers should check the current advisory before booking.

Which airport do most tourists use?

Punta Cana International Airport handled 47% of air arrivals in September. Las Américas in Santo Domingo handled 32%.

Why did cruise arrivals rise so much?

The ministry did not give a reason, but cruise passengers rose 54.7% in September from a year earlier. New brands are arriving, including Disney Cruise Line, which made its first call on 6 October.

Sources: Ministry of Tourism figures, as reported by Diario Libre; Hoy; Diario Libre, Disney Cruise Line in Puerto Plata; Diario Libre, Arroyo Barril port; US Department of State, Dominican Republic travel advisory (all accessed 7 October 2026).