This Week In Travel: Dominican Republic Is Breaking Records, 6 Airlines Offering Direct Flights to Tulum, Disney Cruise Line Unveils Their Plans For 2025, Increased Airline Baggage Fees, And More

The Dominican Republic was the Caribbean’s most popular destination last year, welcoming over 10 million visitors, and it looks like 2024 is going to be even a bigger year for the popular beach destination. This February, the Dominican Republic welcomed 755,832 visitors by air and 301,384 visitors by cruise ship, bringing the visitor total to a record 1,057,216 (16% increase over February 2023). Expect the Dominican Republic to continue on this trend of growth as we move through 2024 and into 2025. According to TravelPulse, six North American Airlines are offering direct flights to Tulum Airport as soon as March 28. https://www.travelpulse.com/news/airlines-airports/more-airlines-add-flights-to-tulum According to Travel & Leisure, Delta Air Lines has increased baggage fees on domestic and some international routes. Both the first and second checked bags will increase by $5 for most domestic flights originating in the United States and on short-haul international routes. https://www.travelandleisure.com/delta-increases-baggage-fees-for-2024-8605042 According to CNBC, on flights starting after April 10, Frontier will offer UpFront Plus in the first two rows of its Airbus planes, where it will block the sale of the middle seat. Those seats will also include four to five inches more legroom compared with most of the seats on the planes. Prices start at $49. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/12/frontiers-newest-upsell-empty-middle-seats-more-legroom.html According to Forbes, Crystal Cruises Begins Booking their 27-Country, $85,000 Luxury World Cruise. The 135-day trip will include visits to 72 destinations in more than 27 countries, including Rome, Athens, Hong Kong, Dabai, Bora Bora, and others. https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgoldstein/2024/03/14/crystal-begins-booking-27-country-85000-luxury-world-cruise/ According to Travel Weekly, Disney Cruise Line has unveiled their ship deployments for summer 2025, including the Disney Fantasy's first season in Europe and the Disney Wonder's return to Alaska. https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Disney-Cruise-Line-unveils-plans-for-summer-2025 According to Travel & Leisure, Virgin Voyages is Launching a Month-long Cruise Pass So You Can Work From Paradise. This pass, called the Scarlet Summer Season Pass, is valid for a month-long journey on board the cruise line’s Scarlet Lady ship sailing across the Mediterranean Sea. The pass starts at $9,990 for two people, which Virgin notes is a 30 percent savings off the cost of a typical cruise fare. https://www.travelandleisure.com/virgin-voyages-cruise-wfh-summer-pass-8606290 According to Travel Weekly, Ambergris Cay, the private island, all-inclusive resort in Turks and Caicos, has added eight beachfront bungalows, seven one-bedroom accommodations and one two-bedroom. https://www.travelweekly.com/Caribbean-Travel/Luxury-beachfront-bungalows-Caribbean-Turks-Caicos-Ambergris-Cay According to Travel & Leisure, Cayo Levantado Resort, one of the Dominican Republic's newest all-inclusive resorts which just opened last year, is pricing as low as $500 a night. With 219 accommodations, including stand-alone villas, four restaurants and six bars, the biggest selling point is actually the wellness center, Yubarta, which includes a relaxation area with chaise lounges, a human-made cenote, a meditation room, an atelier, and a nutrition studio. As we head further into 2024, we should expect to see more resorts focusing on wellness travel. https://www.travelandleisure.com/cayo-levantado-resort-dominican-republic-hotel-review-7970971 And that’s “This Week In Travel.” This episode of the Modern Travel Agent Podcast is brought to you by our partnership with the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. If you’re currently booking the Dominican Republic but you’re not taking advantage of their rewards program, you’re leaving money on the table. Visit https://dotravelrewards.com to learn more about their program and how you can register.