In a recent press briefing during *La Semanal con la Prensa*, Dominican Republic’s Tourism Minister David Collado revealed that the country has emerged as the least affected in the Caribbean region by the recent wave of U.S. flight cancellations triggered by the federal government shutdown. Collado acknowledged the indirect impact on tourism but highlighted the sector’s resilience, with November welcoming 213,000 tourists—a 7% year-on-year increase. The U.S., which accounts for over half of the Dominican Republic’s tourism, remains its primary source market. Despite the grounding of more than 1,000 flights due to the political impasse in Washington, the country’s tourism industry has outperformed its regional counterparts. Collado cited feedback from investors in neighboring nations, who confirmed that the Dominican Republic experienced the least disruption in tourism flows. The U.S. travel crisis, stemming from the partial government shutdown, has left thousands of federal employees, including air traffic controllers, unpaid, leading to widespread flight cancellations and delays. The situation is expected to worsen if Congress fails to resolve the shutdown promptly.
David Collado: Dominican Republic least affected by U.S. flight cancellations
