The devastating damage caused by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica has severely impacted its tourism industry: closed hotels and airports, displaced tourists are the direct result of one of the most powerful cyclones in the island nation’s history.

Faced with this scenario of complete disaster, tour operators have had to look for other options in the Caribbean, with the Dominican Republic being the most favored destination of the tourist influx that will now have to be accommodated outside of Jamaica.

According to information obtained by arecoa.com from sources connected to Punta Cana Airport, major tour operators have already redirected their flights to the Dominican Republic’s largest tourist terminal, including the giant TUI. Other destinations will also benefit (Puerto Plata and Samaná), since Punta Cana will be unable to absorb the surge in flights resulting from Hurricane Melissa.

Major North American airlines are rescheduling flights to all Jamaican tourist destinations, as well as to those in Latin America and Europe. And the most significant demand is concentrated in the Dominican Republic.

However, given that this large influx of tourists is expected to coincide with the peak of the high season, it remains to be seen whether hotels in the Dominican Republic will have availability, as the country continues to set records for arrivals, projecting to close 2025 with more than 11.5 million visitors.

Due to the magnitude of the damage, it will take Jamaica a long time to recover its tourist infrastructure, which will almost naturally generate a massive flow of tourists to the main Dominican holiday destinations.