by Brian Major
Last updated: 2:05 PM ET, Fri January 20, 2023
The tiny Caribbean island country of Dominica is reporting big tourism growth in post-outbreak 2022, hosting a total of 60,704 overnight, land-based visitors last year, a 307.7 percent increase over the 14,888 visitors the country welcomed in 2021.
Officials at Discover Dominica, the island nation's tourism office, say the country is projecting "even stronger growth in 2023" following positive developments including heightened post-pandemic travel demand, Dominica's relaxed COVID protocols and the launch of the island's first direct flights from the U.S.
Travelers were compelled to visit Dominica as the boutique travel destination welcomed a new luxury resort, Coulibri Ridge, while also attracting "record numbers of attendees" at its World Creole Music Festival in October. Since the pandemic, the island saw a tremendous amount of interest among repeat and new visitors to the island.
"We are thrilled to see the comeback of travel," said Colin Piper, Discover Dominica's CEO. "We are still working toward recovery as we are not yet back to pre-pandemic numbers, but we are in a good place as we begin 2023 with strong bookings throughout the winter travel season."
Pre-arrival testing for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers arriving in Dominica has been removed, as has arrival testing for symptomatic travelers.
In December, Discover Dominica officials celebrated the first anniversary of American Airlines' nonstop service to Dominica from Miami International Airport, the first-ever direct flights to the country from the U.S.
As of November, American Airlines' service contributed 33 percent of all traveler capacity to the island. Service will continue throughout 2023 "with changes to the schedule and frequency," said Discover Dominica officials.
"The addition of the American Airlines flight had a significant impact on our tourism arrivals," added Piper. "It's never been faster or easier for U.S. visitors to travel to and from Dominica. It's also a valuable addition for the diaspora community."
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