Paris.- French tourism in the Dominican Republic maintained a growth trend during the first eight months of 2026, a period in which the country received 112,056 visitors from France, an increase of 14.3% compared to the same period of the previous year.
The data was presented during the Dominican participation in the tourism fair IFTM Top Resa, in Paris, where representatives from the public and private sectors developed an agenda focused on strengthening the destination’s presence in Europe and expanding air connectivity.
The growth of French tourism is equivalent to 14,039 additional travelers compared to January-August 2025 and placed France as the ninth source market for tourists to the Dominican Republic during that period. Throughout 2025, the country had received 132,747 visitors residing in French territory.
French tourism and connectivity
One of the main pillars of the Dominican participation in Top Resa was the strengthening of direct connections with Europe, a factor linked to the growth of French tourism to the country.
Air France plans to operate, starting November 30, a connection between Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Punta Cana with three weekly frequencies, according to information released during the fair.
In addition to that offer is Air Caraïbes, which maintains services from Paris-Orly to Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, and Samaná. The airline currently includes all three Dominican destinations within its network from the French capital.
The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, pointed out during the event that Europe constitutes a strategic market for the country and linked the expansion of air routes with new opportunities for destinations and communities related to tourism activity.
French tourism and Europe
European connectivity will also grow from Italy. ITA Airways will incorporate Santo Domingo into its winter network starting November 30, 2026, via a connection from Rome. The company keeps the Dominican capital among the international destinations scheduled for the season.
More Read
According to the schedule released at Top Resa, the operation will begin with one weekly flight and will subsequently increase to two frequencies per week starting from mid-December.
The Dominican Republic is participating in the Parisian fair alongside more than 21 co-exhibitors, including hotel chains, airlines, tour operators, and other companies linked to the industry.
In addition to promoting connectivity, the Dominican delegation has presented an offer that integrates beach, nature, gastronomy, and culture destinations as part of the strategy to diversify the country’s promotion to European markets.
