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DR had more than 5 million tourists in 2014; 90% went to hotels

The country consolidated itself as the principal destination in the Caribbean region

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DR had more than 5 million tourists in 2014; 90% went to hotels
SANTO DOMINGO. During 2014 the Dominican Republic reached the record number of 5,141,377 nonresident passengers, of which 4,464,643 were foreigners and 676,734 were Dominicans, which means a growth of 451,607 additional visitors with respect to 2013.

Numbers from the Central Bank indicated that they were able to verify a recovery in the flow of nonresident Dominicans with relation to the year 2013, showing last year an increase of 51,718 visitors. Last December, the country received 429,494 nonresident foreigners for a growth of 6.9%, which in absolute terms represents 27,651 additional tourists with relation to December 2013.

This situation, according to the banking institution, owes itself to a combination of improved prospects for growth in the United States, the principle market that sends tourists to the country, as well as the strategies implemented by the Ministry of Tourism with the collaboration of the private sector.

An analysis of the arrival of passengers by port of origin shows that 2014 closed with an increase of 238,972 nonresident foreigners from North America, divided into contributions of 206,617 from the United States, 24,354 from Canada and 8001 from Mexico. Europe continues their recovery process and registered a growth of 5.3%, bringing 57,750 additional tourists, which contrasts in a positive manner with the decrease of 13,320 passengers registered in 2013.

In global terms the nonresident foreigners that arrived in the country were 2,573,409 from North America, which represents 57.6% of the total, of which 1,829,455 came from the United States, 712,245 came from Canada and 31,709 from Mexico.

From Europe came 1,138,194 tourists, with 25.5% from Germany (230,318), France (219,076), Russia (175,782), Spain (146,798) and England (124,483).

From South America the arrival the 535,292 tourists was registered (12% of the total), providing the remaining 4.9% of the passengers from Central America and the Caribbean, and Asia with 207,032, 8015 and 2701 passengers, respectively.

According to the airports

The terminal area of the greatest growth was the Punta Cana International Airport, which contributed 328,597 additional tourists, with the point of origin in the United States (187,447) standing out, followed by Canada (26,729), Colombia (15,630) Puerto Rico (14,829) and Brazil (13,548). In 2nd place is the Cibao International Airport with 27,099 visitors.

It should be stressed that the Las Americas Airport registered a growth of 3.1% partially reversing the fall of 3.2% in the year 2013, growing in absolute terms by 25,089 nonresident foreigners.

Likewise, the airport at La Romana presented a recovery in the reception of tourists as it registered an increase of 14,601, compensating for a reduction of 13,886 passengers in 2013. In the same way, the Gregorio Luperon Airport in Puerto Plata received 8288 additional passengers.

According to the report from the Central Bank, the arrival of nonresident foreigners through the Punta Cana International Airport grew by 12.7% in 2014, increasing the leadership position of this terminal. In this sense some 2,913,468 visitors entered through its facilities, equal to 65.2% of the total arrivals.

The terminals of Las Americas and Puerto Plata registered participations of 18.5% and 8.1% of the tourist flow, respectively, followed by the Cibao (4.4%), La Romana (2.4%), while the airports at El Catey and La Isabela together contributed 1.4%.

Tourist arrivals from South America grow

Passengers coming from South America showed a growth of 18.6%, with 83, 894 additional persons with respect to 2013. This behavior was pushed by the arrival of visitors from Venezuela (37,972), Brazil (21,287), Colombia (14,364), Chile (8160) and Argentina (5079). In the same way the arrival of tourists from Central America and the Caribbean also registered an increase of 10.8% with relation to 2013, for a contribution of 20,251 additional visitors from Puerto Rico and 2712 from Cuba.

"At the close of 2014, the year-to-year growth rate of the tourist flow of nonresident foreigners in terms of a tendency - cycle was placed at 9%, which permits a forecast that the flow of hard currency to the country for 2015 will continue growing," predicts the report of tourist flows issued by the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic. According to the authorities of the sector these numbers consolidate the country as the principal destination in the Caribbean region.