The president stated that holding the international meeting will allow the Dominican Republic to showcase its tourism offerings, strengthen alliances, and promote new business opportunities
SANTO DOMINGO– President Luis Abinader emphasized that the Dominican Republic will take advantage of the 27th UN Tourism General Assembly, scheduled for 2027, as a platform to attract new investments, expand its international reach, and consolidate its position as a tourist destination in the region.
During a bilateral meeting in Madrid, Spain, with Shaikha Alnuwais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, the president noted that this global meeting will showcase the diversity of Dominican destinations and promote business opportunities related to the development of the industry.
He also expressed his enthusiasm for welcoming representatives from the international tourism sector, at a time when the country is strengthening its participation within that organization, after being elected to chair the Regional Commission for the Americas for two consecutive terms.
The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Minister of Tourism for International Cooperation, Carlos Peguero.
The Dominican Republic seeks to strengthen its tourism positioning in the region
The celebration of the General Assembly also represents an opportunity to strengthen the ties of the Dominican Republic with UN Tourism and the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean.
In this context, the Government, together with the international organization, is developing the National Tourism Sustainability Policy and the National Tourism Sustainability Strategy, initiatives conceived as a pilot project of global scope to incorporate sustainable criteria in the planning, administration and growth of destinations.
Similarly, the cooperation includes actions related to air connectivity, climate resilience, technical assistance and institutional strengthening of Caribbean destinations.
Based on this agenda, Abinader reaffirmed his administration's interest in expanding the sector's capabilities, attracting foreign capital, and using the 2027 international stage to share experiences, establish alliances, and generate opportunities that contribute to economic and social development.
The Dominican Republic projects receiving more than 12 million tourists
Furthermore, the head of state highlighted the Dominican Republic's position as the second most popular tourist destination in Latin America, after Mexico, and projected that the country will receive more than 12 million visitors during 2026.
As he explained, this figure exceeds the Dominican population, estimated at 10.5 million inhabitants, reflecting the scale reached by an industry that constitutes one of the main drivers of the economy.
When referring to the conditions that favor the arrival of capital, the president mentioned tax incentives, the facilities for investing and the conditions that, he indicated, allow the participation of both national and foreign entrepreneurs.
To these factors he added the Zero Bureaucracy program, aimed at simplifying administrative procedures and speeding up the processing of permits.
Regarding investment trends, the president stated that the country attracts approximately five billion dollars annually. “We receive more than five billion dollars in direct investment each year. And part of that goes to tourism. So, with these conditions, we have developed in the past and will continue to develop in the future,” Luis Abinader declared.
In addition to the natural attractions, beaches, and hotel infrastructure, the governor identified the hospitality of Dominicans as one of the main differentiating elements of the national tourism offer, highlighting the friendliness and willingness of its inhabitants to receive visitors.
Tourism as a key element of the RD 2036 Goal
Regarding the economic outlook, the president explained that the tourism industry plays a fundamental role in the Meta RD 2036 strategy, whose purpose is to double the size of the Dominican economy.
In that sense, he argued that its contribution transcends the income generated directly by hotels, cruises and airlines, because it also promotes other productive activities.
Among these, he mentioned agriculture, through the demand for food for visitors; transportation, construction, technical services, and infrastructure maintenance. He also noted the contribution of industries that supply goods and materials for the operation of tourist establishments.
This connection with other economic sectors expands the demand for national products and services, in addition to promoting job creation.
In this way, the Government plans to take advantage of the international exposure offered by the UN Tourism General Assembly in 2027 to strengthen cooperation, promote new investments and expand the impact of tourism on the country's economic growth.
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