Paris, France – French airline Air Caraïbes has announced the addition of a new direct flight from Paris to Punta Cana starting later this year, reinforcing its footprint in the Dominican Republic’s booming tourism industry. The carrier already operates up to seven weekly flights on this popular route.
The announcement was made at the IFTM Top Resa Travel Trade Show in Paris, where Dominican Tourism Minister David Collado and Air Caraïbes President Marc Rochet sealed the expanded service with a symbolic handshake. This boost in airlift comes at a strategic moment, seeking to fill the gap left by Air France’s withdrawal from the route in 2023 and to help the Dominican Republic recover its French market. French arrivals dropped from 225,000 travelers annually to just over 144,000 in 2024.
Economic Impact of French Tourism
Minister Collado emphasized the high value of French travelers for the Dominican Republic, noting that they typically spend an average of 11 days per visit, generating an estimated USD 161 million in revenue. Collado projects that, with the new partnership, the country will welcome 250,000 French tourists by 2026.
Modern Fleet for a Premium Experience
For his part, Marc Rochet highlighted that the new flights will be operated with the airline’s Airbus A350 aircraft, among the most modern and efficient planes in Europe. Rochet reaffirmed the Dominican Republic’s strong global appeal, describing Punta Cana as a premier tourist destination in the Caribbean.
With this expanded service, the Dominican Republic positions itself to strengthen tourism flows from France, increase visitor spending, and reinforce Punta Cana’s standing as one of the region’s preferred long-haul sun destinations.
