In late October, Hurricane Melissa became the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record. The Category 5 storm wreaked havoc on several parts of the Caribbean, including parts of Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, and the Bahamas.
As a result, the Dominican Republic has now authorized 800 new flights into the country, to accommodate the expected influx of tourists who are rebooking vacations in affected areas.
“We authorized 800 flights in one fell swoop because all that tourism that was going to Jamaica, the Dominican Republic will benefit,” said Héctor Porcella, president of the country’s Civil Aviation Board.
The flights will be a combination of regularly scheduled flights and charter flights.
“This will have a positive impact on hotel occupancy in the Dominican Republic, and Dominican hotels have the capacity to receive that influx,” said Nairobi Santos, spokesperson for the country's Association of Hotels and Tourism.
The additional flights are expected to occur over the next eight months, and Santos said that the country expects an average occupancy rate of more than 95% across the upcoming holiday season.
The Dominican Republic’s tourism numbers rose last month to roughly 672,000, up from 575,600 in September. Officials expect the numbers to surge eve more this month. From January to October of 2025, the country has welcomed more than 8 million visitors. Hotel occupancy rates rose to 63% in October after sitting at 58% in September.
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