Intermediate results of the study, organized by "BANKO" service for the preparation of rating of popular destinations in the winter-2018/2019, reported about changes in the preferences of tourists. At the moment, 260 firms from Moscow and Moscow region took part in the study. According to the study, the Dominican Republic (16% of the votes) replaced Vietnam (14.5%) on the second position.

Tour operator ANEX Tour opened the sale of tours to the Dominican Republic on the action of early booking for the summer season 2019. According to the company, the volume of guaranteed hotel rooms in the Dominican Republic is 80%. Discounts on accommodation from hotels reach 35%. The action of early booking of tours will last from November to March 2019.

According to the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, the total amount of incoming tourist traffic for the period from January to September 2018 amounted to 5.731 million foreign tourists, of which the majority came by air transport and 722.6 thousand - by cruise liners.

In the Dominican Republic the demand for winter dates 2018/2019 among tourists with children under the age of 12 years increased by 24%, the share of such customers in the total sales structure amounted 12%. As it was noted in the press service of Biblio-Globus the tour operator, the company's specialists came to this conclusion after analyzing reservations for the upcoming winter season.

The tours to the Dominican Republic for the nearest dates are sold at prices comparable to the cost of air tickets. Thus, the weekly tours with departures from Moscow on October 11 are offered in the booking systems of tour operators from 89 thousand Rubles ($ 1,333) for two persons.

According to market participants, sales of Dominican direction in September are going in compliance of the announced plans. ANEX Tour, characterizing the high demand for the direction, pays attention to the prevalence of the concept of "all-inclusive", possessing of huge areas of local hotels and high-level animation in Dominican Republic.

According to the dynamics of sales, Dominican is now one of the leaders of "winter beach" and tour operators, who have expanded their flight programs this season to Dominican, note active demand. In this winter season, ANEX Tour operator flies to Dominican Republic by AZUR airline - 5 times a week with a flight from Moscow to Punta Cana and 2 times a week with a flight from St. Petersburg to La Romana (the program from St. Petersburg is operating for the second year).

On August 28, 2018, an agreement was entered into force on the introduction of a visa-free regime between Russia and Dominica for duration up to 90 days during each period of 180 days. Paradoxically, it will not help tourists in current conditions, even if they suddenly become interested in this Caribbean direction.

In the first quarter of 2018 Dominican Republic hosted 1,794,321 foreign tourists, which is 128,714 more (+ 7.7%) than in the same period of 2017. Most tourists arrive to the country via Punta Cana International Airport - 68% of the total flow or nearly 1.1 million.

AZUR Air airline has launched regular flights Moscow-Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) on March 26. "The regular flights on this route will be carried out by Boeing 767-300 airplane from April till October inclusive with a frequency of 6 times a week", - informed the carrier. Previously AZUR Air flew to Punta Cana only on charter basis. Dominican Republic became the sixth regular direction in the company. In addition, regular flights are performed from Moscow to Dubai (UAE), Varadero (Cuba), Sanya (China) and from Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk to Sanya. AZUR air is the largest charter airline in the Russian Federation. The strategic partner is the tour operator Anex tour. The fleet consists of 20 aircraft, including eight Boeing 757-200s, seven Boeing 767-300s and five Boeing 737-800s.

For the past 2017 Dominican Republic was visited by 240,038 Russian citizens, while in 2016 130,000 Russian tourists arrived to the Republic. This is follows from the latest data of the Central Bank of the country.

“The number of Russian tourists who visited Dominican Republic from January to August grew by 159% against the last year”, - informed Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) with reference to the data of tour operators. "From January to August, more than 150,000 Russian tourists visited Dominican Republic, which is 159% more than in the same period in 2016. The winter season 2017/2018, according to the expectations of market players, will show no less impressive results", - says the ATOR’s report.

“The demand for tours to Dominican Republic has grown among Russian tourists this year. This trend will continue”, - according to forecasts of Anex Tour operator. "According to Dominican Tourism Ministry, the resorts of the country were visited by more than 118 thousand Russian tourists.

“The tourist flow from Russia to Dominican Republic in January 2017 amounted 20.5 thousand people, which is 136% more than in the same month a year ago”, -said in the press service of the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic. Despite the decline of 2014-2015 due to the economic difficulties, the flow of tourists from Russia to Dominican Republic has grown by a record 97% in 2016.

“In 2016 the Dominican Republic was visited by 90% more Russians than a year earlier”, -according to data published by the Central Bank of the country. In 2016 136.2 thousand Russian tourists arrived in Dominican Republic. This is 90.3% higher than a year earlier, when the country was visited by 71.5 thousand Russians. In December 2016 the number of tourists from Russia in Dominican Republic exceeded 23 thousand people, which is 167% higher than the result of December of the last year (8.6 thousand). Totally, in the last year the Republic we visited by 5, 96 million foreign tourists. In comparison with 2015 the number of tourists increased by 6.4%.

The intensity of flights on the route Moscow - Punta Cana has increased. The airline company “Nord Wind”, which performed flights on this route every 10 days until October 20, has changed the frequency of flights – now it is two per week. Flights are implemented in the interest of the "Pegasus Touristik" tour operator. Recall the fact: “Azur Air”, in cooperation with “ANEX Tour” tour operator, is flying daily from Moscow to Dominican Republic since August 8.

“More than 13 thousand tourists from Russia visited the Dominican Republic in August, it is four times more than in the same month of the last year”, - reported in the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) on Thursday. "This year most Russians arrived in the Dominican Republic in January - 8.682 thousand, in July -. 8.097 thousand, as well as in August - 13.328 thousand. The growth of demand is explained by reduction of the tour prices due to the expansion of proposal" - said in a statement.

The tour operator announced the termination of the program to Punta Cana from Moscow starting from March 19. It should be noted that in the last six months, the Dominican Republic has been one of the main destinations for charter operation of Biblio Globus. Tour operator did not name any reasons of cancellation, but sent a letter to travel agents, offering to cancel tour packages with cancellation fees or to book another package with a regular flight. Most possible reason for cancellation of flight program is unsatisfactory load of the flights. This is evidenced by the number of special offers from the tour operator. So, travel agents reported on tours to Dominican Republic for 8 days for two people at the price of 80 - 90 thousand roubles (about 1 200 USD)

The representative of Biblio Globus reported that the company reached an agreement with Aeroflot group to extend flights to Egypt and the Dominican Republic from Moscow after December 15. Also it is agreed on flights to Egypt from several regions of Russia and to Thailand from Moscow. In all cases, the flights will be operated as charters on Orenburg airlines.

For last several years, Dominican Republic was a popular winter beach destination for Russians. Although, for six months of 2015, the number of tourists due to the weakening of the ruble fell by 60%. However, the tourist authorities are confident that next year the decline will stop, and the republic will be able to regain lost ground in the Russian market. The director of the department of international promotion of the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic Indira Jose discussed with Interfax the prospects of the upcoming season.