SANTO DOMINGO.- President Luis Abinader stated yesterday that during 2024, more than 50 projects with final classification were approved in the country by Confotur, and that they will impact seven provinces and contribute more than 2,800 rooms to the hotel supply in the next 18 months.
With this, the country will continue to expand its hotel offerings, the president stated while reviewing the growth of the tourism sector during his accountability report to the National Assembly on the 181st anniversary of National Independence.
He noted that Santiago de los Caballeros is experiencing extraordinary economic growth, which is reflected in the hotel sector: “In 30 years, up to 2020, only two hotels were built in Santiago. In the last four years, three international brand hotels have been built and opened: Hilton, AC Marriott, and Residence-Inn, and another Hampton-Inn is under construction.”.
He referred to the Amber Coast which, with Punta Bergantín, represents a new opportunity for the destination of Puerto Plata.
“Let’s remember that in 2021 I personally visited and officially launched this project. Today it’s a reality. And at the latest edition of FITUR, the construction of three hotels was announced: Hyatt, Meliá, and Westin Puerto Plata—the first hotel of this American brand in the country—and the operator ITM announced the construction of a water theme park.””.
He pointed out that these new North American and international hotel brands will relaunch Puerto Plata as a tourist destination stronger than ever.
Tourism
Luis Abinader said that 2024 was a year of great milestones for tourism in the Dominican Republic, consolidating the Dominican destination as a leader in the Region.
“For the first time, more than 11 million visitors arrived in the country, exceeding the number of visitors in 2023 by 9%. These visitors directly impact 201,000 formal jobs, representing 11.5% of total formal employment in the private sector,” he stated.
He stated that the arrival of visitors represented more than US$10 billion in gross foreign exchange earnings for the country. “If we add to this the impact on employment generated by informal activities in the sector, plus the RD$180 billion in purchases, the impact on employment from investment and the spending of direct and indirect employees in the sector on a daily basis, tourism impacts approximately 750,000 jobs throughout the country, from agriculture to industry, transportation, telecommunications, construction, and many more,” he explained.
Aviation
The Dominican president highlighted that after the enactment of Law No. 57-23, which created an incentive regime to strengthen local aviation, in 2024, 14 out of every 100 flights entering the country did so through local airlines, a fact he described as "unprecedented in our recent tourism history.".
He highlighted that the Open Skies Agreement was signed last year after more than two decades of negotiations, an important step in strengthening and expanding our country's air connectivity. "Thanks to this agreement, local airlines will now be able to access any destination in our main source of tourists under much more favorable conditions.".
He emphasized that airlines continue to increase their flights and improve prices, and that to date they travel to the entire continent, from Canada to Chile and to more than 20 cities.
He highlighted that the new Destination Brands were launched during the recent FITUR tourism fair. These include Miches, as the new Dominican jewel; Samaná, as the sanctuary of Caribbean diversity; the Amber Coast, as a multifaceted offering that combines cultural, beach, and adventure tourism; and Santiago, as a niche destination for the MICE tourism market, as well as health, sports, and cultural tourism.
He highlighted that in 2024 the country surpassed 2.6 million cruise passengers, going from ninth place in the reception of cruise tourists in the Caribbean in 2019, to becoming the third receiving destination for the region after the Bahamas and Cozumel.
“Here we have also diversified with the opening of the Port of Cabo Rojo in Pedernales, which received 11,626 cruise ship passengers in 2024, and in just two months of 2025 we have already received 14,200,” the president said.
