As Dominica continues to celebrate two months of Carnival, or “Mas An Lawi,” with an authentic display of revelry, freedom, and culture with tasteful nods to the West African and Creole roots of the island, the island’s tourism office is reporting a significant increase in 2022 tourism arrival numbers, while projecting even stronger growth in 2023.

The destination welcomed 60,704 visitors in 2022 compared to 14,888 in 2021, an increase of more than 308%. The uptick, says Discover Dominica, can be attributed to a few key factors including an increase post-pandemic travel demand, relaxed COVID protocols, the island’s first direct flight from the US, as well as being recognized by well-known travel sources as a top Caribbean destination.

“We are thrilled to see the comeback of travel,” said Discover Dominica CEO Colin Piper. “We are still working toward recovery as we are not yet back to pre-pandemic numbers, but we are in a good place as we begin 2023 with strong bookings throughout the winter travel season. In 2023, Dominica remains focused on its sustainability efforts, which is becoming an increasingly popular selling point of the island.”

Overall, 2022 proved to be a big year for Dominica, including the opening of Coulibri Ridge, an ultra-luxury resort that is completely self-sufficient, to the record numbers of attendees at the first in-person World Creole Music Festival since the pandemic.

The island received recognition from some of the world’s leading travel publications including being named the number one island on the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas list for 2022 in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards.

Additionally, Lonely Planet named Dominica as one of the top destinations to unwind in its ‘Best in Travel’ list for 2023, marking another first for the island. Similarly, Forbes also featured Dominica as one of the top destinations to travel to in 2023.

Meanwhile, December marked the first anniversary of American Airlines’ nonstop service to Dominica from Miami International Airport. The first commercial service to the island from the US, the addition of the flight has made the island more accessible than ever before and as of November 2022, the AA service contributed nearly 33% of all carrier contributions to the island. Service will continue throughout 2023 with changes to the schedule and frequency.

“The addition of the American Airlines flight had a significant impact on our tourism arrivals. It’s never been faster or easier for visitors to travel to and from Dominica. It’s also a valuable addition for the diaspora community,” said Piper.