After the Dominican Republic set the Caribbean’s all-time record with 10 million total visitors, local tourism officials have another major ambition for 2024: 11 million. 

That’s the goal stated by Tourism Minister David Collado, who said that the number should be achievable if current trends hold. 

Indeed, last month, the country welcomed 1.05 million visitors (sea and air), including 755,832 by air alone. 

That’s a 14 percent increase compared to the same month in 2023, and a 25 percent jump compared to the same month in 2019, before the onset of the pandemic. 

On the cruise side, cruise passengers grew by 19 percent compared to last year. 

Unsurprisingly, Punta Cana’s airport remains the country’s primary hub, accounting for just under 60 percent of all visitors in February.