Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic has exceeded 10 million visitors this year, with over 10,005,800 arrivals as of Monday, according to President Luis Abinader and Tourism Minister David Collado. The government aims to surpass 11 million visitors by year-end, highlighting tourism’s crucial role in economic growth and job creation.
In November alone, the country welcomed 881,499 visitors, a 54% increase from November 2019. Of these, 667,450 arrived by air, marking a 44% rise from last year, while 214,454 cruise passengers represented a 93% jump from 2019. Minister Collado assured that tourism incentives will continue to support the sector’s sustained expansion.
At a tourism event in the capital, President Abinader and Minister Collado honored key contributors, including Banco Popular Dominicano and tourism pioneer Frank Rainieri. The event was attended by various stakeholders from the tourism sector and a select group of media outlets, highlighting the sector’s impact on the national economy.
The tourism sector, which employs over 720,000 people and accounts for 18% of national employment, continues to thrive, with 400 hotels offering over 84,000 rooms and a current hotel occupancy rate of 76%.