Tourism revenues for the first quarter of this year totaled US$3,909.7 million, about US$656.0 million (20.2%) above the revenues of the first quarter of 2025.
This result was mainly due to the increase in visitor arrivals during the period, which exceeded 3,350,000.
In that period, spending per stay went from US$176.67 per night to US$187.29 per night, while the average stay went from 8.15 to 8.27 nights, according to data from the Central Bank.
In its economic studies of the tourism sector, the regulatory entity indicates that the arrival of non-resident passengers through the country’s international airports reached a total of 2,603,645 tourists during the period January-March of 2026, an increase of 12.2%, equivalent to 283,090 additional passengers compared to the first quarter of 2025.
In terms of the distribution of the total number of tourists received, 86.8% were foreign travelers (2,260,383 passengers) who chose the country as a destination and the remaining 13.2% were non-resident Dominicans (343,261 passengers).
The report highlights that, despite geopolitical tensions, such as the conflicts in the Persian Gulf, which have impacted air transport costs and the volatility of energy prices, in addition to climatic phenomena that affect the flows of travelers globally, the national tourism sector reaffirms its resilience during the first quarter of 2026. consolidating the Dominican Republic as a competitive and attractive destination in international markets.
The report also specifies that in recent years, this performance has been supported by the modernization of infrastructure, the diversification of the tourist offer and the implementation of effective advertising strategies in global markets that highlight the beaches, cultural and gastronomic richness, as well as the renowned hospitality of Dominican people.
It also stresses that strategic alliances aimed at strengthening air and maritime connectivity, a privileged location in the Caribbean and an environment of macroeconomic stability and legal security that favors foreign investment for the sustained development of this fundamental sector in the Dominican economy have contributed.
Source markets
Regarding the cumulative reception of non-resident foreigners according to the regions of residence, we can see that 65.4% of visitors came from North America, 17.3% from South America, 13.2% from Europe, 3.6% from Central America and the Caribbean and the remaining 0.4% from Asia and the rest of the world, in the first quarter of 2026.
The United States of America and Canada headed the list, accounting for 39.9% and 23.7%, respectively of the total arrival of non-resident foreigners in January-March 2026, equivalent to a total of 1,436,980 travelers.
The report highlights the increase in visitors from various countries as a result of proactive actions employed by the Ministry of Tourism and the Dominican Government aimed at attracting travelers and diversifying the issuing markets.
In this context, Argentina is the third most important source of tourists and the main one in South America, registering a 6.6% share of the total of non-resident foreigners for the first quarter of 2026, equivalent to 149,735 people, with a year-on-year increase of 22,577 travelers.
Similarly, among the emerging and secondary markets in Latin America, Colombia, with 26,658 additional visitors, Mexico (14,268), Peru (8,714), Puerto Rico (6,948), Brazil (5,037), Costa Rica (1,306) and Chile (1,224) stand out.
On the other hand, it points out a year-on-year increase in tourists residing in European countries such as France (8,539), Spain (8,432), Germany (6,441), the United Kingdom (5,440), Italy (5,279), Switzerland (2,125) and the Czech Republic (1,728), among others, which contributed to the total increase of 44,490 visitors, equivalent to a growth rate of 17.5% compared to January-March 2025.
Reasons for travel
The analysis of travel characteristics shows that, for January-March 2026, 88.1% of tourists reported that the main reason for their visit to the country was recreation. Likewise, 80.0% of visitors used hotel establishments as an accommodation option.
In terms of age, 47.1% of passengers range from 21 to 49 years old; while, in relation to gender, 52.0% correspond to women and 48.0% to men.
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