TORONTO — The Dominican Republic is showing its love for the Canadian market with is second official visit to the country in just six months.

Minister of Tourism David Collado arrived in Toronto last week to meet with tour operators, airlines, travel agents and partners to deliver an important message: that Canadians are a key market for the DR and that the government is proactively working to support local partners.

During his visit, the Minister shared some incredibly positive statistics coming out of Canada, where nearly 1,700 flights arrived from in the first 10 months of the year. The majority of traffic comes out of Ontario, which reported a 97% increase this year over 2021. Canadian customer satisfaction also remains very high, with 9 out of 10 exit polls showing guests would return in the future. Hotels and excellent beaches were the elements most respondents cited in customer satisfaction surveys.

Minister Collado also noted that Punta Cana remains the favourite destination among Canadians, with current reservations up 20% over pre-pandemic bookings.

“We have confirmed 500 additional flights into Punta Cana this winter. It is one of the most popular sun destinations out of Canada and we want to ensure that agents have inventory to sell,” he said.

While inflation has increased the cost of travel, the Minister confirmed only 7% of Canadians said they would cancel travel plans. They will, however, be seeking economical options, he added.

“We are well positioned to cater to a price-sensitive market because our packages offer excellent value. We have a high level of service, competitive pricing and a reputation for safety and service. This all combines to make us highly competitive heading into the winter season,” said the Minister.

He added: “Canadians have always had a special affinity for our country and we are delighted to see such a robust response for this winter. We are grateful for your support and look forward to welcoming you to the sun soon.”