Discover Dominica reported 60,704 visitors last year, a jump of more than 300% compared with the 14,888 visitors it welcomed in 2021. The island's tourism office attributed the leap in arrivals to increased post-pandemic travel demand, relaxed Covid protocols, the launch of the first direct flight from the U.S. to Dominica and the recognition it received as a top Caribbean destination from what it called well-known travel publications.
"We are thrilled to see the comeback of travel," said Discover Dominica CEO Colin Piper. "We are still working toward recovery as we are not yet back to prepandemic numbers, but we are in a good place as we begin 2023 with strong bookings throughout the winter travel season. In 2023, Dominica remains focused on its sustainability efforts, which is becoming an increasingly popular selling point of the island."
This past December marked the first anniversary of American Airlines' nonstop service to Dominica from Miami. As of November, American Airlines' service contributed nearly 33% of all carrier contributions to the island.
"The addition of the American Airlines flight had a significant impact on our tourism arrivals," Piper said. "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."