Friends and family, the biggest motivation for visiting DR

JSBy Joan SanzCurated by Joan Sanz. · August 1, 2026 · Follow on LinkedIn

Voice reading · ~1 min

Friends and family, the biggest motivation for visiting DR · turismo.news

That word of mouth drives destination choice isn't new, but now there's data to confirm it. According to Arecoa, friends and relatives, online promotions and travel agencies are the main channels through which tourists decide to visit the Dominican Republic.

For hoteliers, this isn't a curiosity, it's a roadmap. If personal recommendations rule, the guest experience is your best campaign. And if online promotions weigh so much, you need to make your visible offer on search engines and social media shine. Travel agencies are still alive, no matter how many people wrote them off.

My read: Dominican tourism marketing has to work on all three fronts at once, without neglecting word of mouth. A happy guest brings their friends and creates content to boot. That's not bought, it's cultivated. The opportunity lies in measuring better who influences each booking and giving people who already visited us the reasons to tell the story.

Quick questions

What is the main motivation for tourists visiting Dominican Republic?

Recommendations from friends and family, plus online promotions and travel agencies, are the main factors driving tourists to choose the DR, according to Arecoa.

Do tourists pick DR based on friends and family recommendations?

Yes. Word of mouth from people they trust is one of the strongest influences on the decision to visit the Dominican Republic.

Are travel agencies still useful for selling the DR?

Yes. Travel agencies still rank among the top three channels that motivate visits to the DR, alongside personal recommendations and online promos.

How much do online promotions influence tourist choices?

A lot. Online deals are one of the three main ways tourists learn about and decide on the Dominican Republic.

What should hotels do to attract more guests?

Focus on guest experience to spark referrals, keep offers visible online and maintain good ties with agencies. That mix drives most visits to the DR.

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