SANTO DOMINGO.- Tourism Minister David Collado reported this Friday that the Dominican Republic has registered a total of 11,268,973 visitors up to December 24, 2025, a figure that exceeds the 11,192,047 arrivals counted throughout 2024, according to official data from the institution.
In a meeting with his marketing team, the official highlighted that the achievement was confirmed by the agency's intelligence division, which verified that the country had already surpassed the total number of tourist arrivals for the previous year. He emphasized the importance of announcing this result on a symbolic date like Christmas.
According to statistics, 2024 ended with 8,535,742 tourists arriving by air and 2,656,305 cruise ship visitors, for a total of 11,192,047 arrivals. That figure was surpassed before the end of 2025, reflecting sustained growth in the Dominican tourism sector.
Collado specified that the year-end projection is 11.6 million visitors, solidifying the Dominican Republic's position as one of the most dynamic destinations in the Caribbean. The minister indicated that this performance is due to an international promotion strategy and market diversification.
December set unprecedented records. According to Collado, 42,949 tourists arrived by air on December 24th alone, the highest number ever recorded. Furthermore, 120,475 visitors were counted over a single weekend, the best performance ever for that period.
On his social media accounts, the minister shared a message highlighting the historic nature of the results:
“We are building the best moment in Dominican Republic tourism, surpassing our own records!”.
Beyond the arrival figures, he emphasized the economic and social impact of tourism in the country. He noted that the results for December are reflected in the creation of more than 73,000 jobs, as well as in tax revenue of RD$7.699 billion.
The official also highlighted the sector's contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), noting that tourism generated US$2.614 billion for the national economy during the year.
“The result of this historic December goes far beyond records, being reflected in jobs, taxes and economic growth,” Collado stated.
The minister emphasized that the performance of Dominican tourism is the result of coordinated efforts between the public and private sectors, with a focus on international promotion and improvements to tourism infrastructure. He stated that the country is currently in a consolidation phase that will allow it to sustain growth in the coming years.
Finally, he reiterated that the goal is to maintain the Dominican Republic as a regional leader in tourism, ensuring that the benefits translate into economic and social development for the population.
“This achievement commits us to continue working with the same passion and responsibility, so that tourism continues to be an engine of progress in our country,” he concluded.
