Dominican Republic has secured its position as the Caribbean’s leading destination by a wide margin as the destination draws visitors with its broad all-inclusive appeal, as well as its boutique niche offerings. It features some of the best beaches, fascinating history and culture, and is a chosen escape for celebrities, couples and families alike.
According to recent data, Dominican Republic alone saw a 9.6 per cent increase in tourism last year, receiving 5.14 million tourists, while the Caribbean as a whole registered at just a 6.6 per cent growth. The Dominican Republic received around 5.14 million tourists in 2014, according to new data from the Caribbean Tourism Organization. That number was the largest of any tourism destination in the Caribbean; the next-largest was Cuba, with just over 3 million.'We are happy to see success in our tourism efforts over the previous year and have high expectations for our numbers in 2015,' says Magaly Toribio, marketing advisor for the Ministry of Tourism. 'Our marketing teams work hard to focus our efforts on reaching diverse audience segments to showcase all that Dominican Republic has to offer in addition to the beautiful beaches and relaxing resorts it is so well known for.'LEADING SOURCE MARKETLeading tourism growth, the United States remains the country’s single-largest source market, with 1.78 million US arrivals – and a 12.4 percent growth rate – in 2014. The year’s high numbers likewise indicated an increase in summer travel, showing an 11.7 per cent spike in tourist visits in the summer months, expected to trend into 2015.Simon Suarez, president of hotel and tourism association ASONAHORES, has said that tourist arrivals to Dominican Republic by air grew a whopping 30.7 per cent between 2010 and 2014 – a very promising growth for the country’s tourism-heavy economy. Regular improvements to the official GoDominicanRepublic.com website ease access to the best and most current information about the country. A brand-new hotel directory was designed for streamlined searches of a visitor’s best fit among the country’s 70,000 hotel rooms and also included multiple new languages. The release of the Dominican Republic Travel App has made it easier than ever for visitors to plan their travel and access maps, information, guides and more both on- and off-line.
PUERTO PLATA MARKETPLACEThis month, Discover Puerto Plata Marketplace will show off all there is to experience in Dominican Republic’s next up-and-coming vacation area on the country’s north coast. Highlights include the new Amber Cove cruise port, revamped golf courses and new adventure sports.Carnival Corporation’s new $85 million Amber Cove facility represents the largest cruise industry investment ever made in the Dominican Republic, and will feature a two-berth port able to accommodate the largest cruise vessels in operation today. Carnival Corporation has monitored the various stages of the port’s construction progress with the use of drones.Named the number one Golf Destination in Caribbean & Latin America by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators, Dominican Republic boasts 28 designer golf courses, upscale resorts, pristine nature and sophisticated cities and quaint villages filled with warm Dominican people. Highlighting world-class designer golf courses easily accessible from many popular resorts, the DR Golf Travel Exchange brought together golf media and course operators last month to experience first-hand why Dominican Republic remains the top golf destination in the Caribbean and holds its place as one of the best golf destinations in the world.