After a two-year absence driven by market disruption, the Dominican Republic has earned its way back into the top 10 most popular long-haul destinations for French tour operators, new data from the Syndicat des entreprises du tour-operating (SETO) confirms. The Caribbean nation has recorded a 7% rise in customer volume for the ongoing fiscal year, capping a steady rebound from a sharp 2023 market downturn.
In 2023, the Dominican Republic tumbled out of the top 10 rankings after major carriers Air France and Corsair paused direct flights to the country, pushing SETO-measured sales down by 22% year-over-year. Signs of a full recovery emerged clearly in 2025, when the destination reported a 35.1% jump in business volume and a 28% rise in customer traffic from the French market. That positive momentum carried into the 2025–2026 winter season, which delivered a 7.7% increase in business volume, followed by the most recent 7% growth in customer numbers that secured the country’s 10th place return to the rankings.
Industry analysts and tourism leaders attribute the Dominican Republic’s steady rebound to two core factors: expanded air connectivity and targeted marketing engagement with European travel trade. The nation is currently gearing up to participate in IFTM Top Resa 2026, one of Europe’s most influential annual tourism trade exhibitions hosted in Paris, as part of its ongoing push to strengthen its footprint in the French market. Dominican Republic Tourism Minister David Collado noted that the country typically welcomes roughly 220,000 French visitors annually, and consistent participation in major trade shows like IFTM Top Resa has been key to rebuilding traveler awareness.
Above all, expanded direct air access has been the linchpin of the recovery. Starting November 30, 2026, Air France will increase its direct service between Paris and Punta Cana to three weekly flights operated by Boeing 777 aircraft, expanding options for French travelers seeking direct access to the country’s most popular beach destination. Regional carrier Air Caraïbes already operates regular routes to three key Dominican hubs: Punta Cana, the capital city of Santo Domingo, and the coastal destination of Samaná. To further expand the country’s connectivity across Europe, ITA Airways is also set to launch a new direct route between Rome and Santo Domingo on the same date, opening up additional access for French travelers connecting through Italy.
Notably, the Dominican Republic’s growth comes against a broader downturn across France’s tour operating sector. SETO’s latest industry report shows that overall customer volume across member tour operators fell by 2.6% in the current period, while total business volume dropped by 1.4%. The Dominican Republic is one of just a handful of top long-haul destinations to record positive growth amid this broader contraction. Egypt leads the recovery among growing destinations with an 18.7% rise in customer volume, followed by the United Kingdom with an 18.1% increase.
For the Dominican Republic’s tourism sector, the return to SETO’s top 10 rankings underscores a key lesson for small island nations dependent on international tourism: consistent, expanded direct air connectivity is a critical driver of attracting long-haul travelers and rebuilding market share after disruptions. The steady growth trajectory from 2025 to 2026 positions the country to continue expanding its share of the French and broader European tourism markets in coming years.