Northern England Bookings for the Dominican Republic on a Roll

Recent data from Holiday Hypermarket reveals that bookings from the north of England to the Dominican Republic rose significantly in 2015.

The online retailer’s research showed that 23 percent more holidaymakers chose to fly from Manchester Airport to the Caribbean island year on year. This figure is in line with global travel trends, with the Dominican Republic Tourist Board reporting an eight percent increase in visitor numbers over all.

While the Canary Islands and Greece have remained the most popular destinations for Holiday Hypermarket’s customers using the airport, the company also reveals the trend towards long-haul breaks is growing. In fact, 20 percent of all bookings travelling from the airport were heading to All Inclusive resorts in exotic locations including the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Cuba and Jamaica.

The shift towards long-haul can partly be attributed to political unrest in Tunisia and Egypt, but the shift towards the Dominican Republic can put down to improvements in the island’s tourism industry. Punta Cana in particular is a growing All Inclusive resort, with hotel chains including Nickelodeon and ClubMed making significant investments in the area. This is alongside private and public funds being used to preserve the island’s heritage and ecological sites.

Holiday Hypermarket representative Ian Crawford commented: “Manchester is our second most popular airport, and we’re seeing more people using it to go on All Inclusive holidays in long-haul destinations – especially in the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic has been investing heavily in improving its tourism industry, which, when combined with the weather, scenery and heritage make for a very attractive holiday.”