SANTO DOMINGO.- While the Dominican Republic continues to consolidate itself as one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in the Caribbean, the 2025 National Survey of Economic Activity (ENAE) reveals a less visible reality within the industry: the accommodation and food services sector experienced a reduction in its economic activity, associated with the departure of formal companies and a decrease in its employed personnel.
The finding contrasts with the record visitor arrivals registered by the country in recent years and demonstrates that the dynamism of tourism does not necessarily translate into uniform growth for all companies that make up the value chain.
According to the report prepared by the National Statistics Office (ONE), the Gross Production Value (GPV) of the accommodation and food services sector registered a decrease of 10.5% between 2023 and 2024, becoming the only economic activity analyzed that presented a drop of this magnitude.
However, the institution itself clarifies that this reduction does not necessarily reflect a lower tourist demand.
The document explains that during 2024 the sector experienced a significant exodus of companies that ceased operations, as well as establishments that significantly reduced their number of employees. Both factors altered the universe of companies analyzed by the survey and impacted the sector's economic estimates.
A phenomenon that transcends hotels
Although tourism is usually associated primarily with hotels and resorts, the category also includes restaurants, cafes, bars and other establishments linked to accommodation and food.
This means that the reorganization observed by the ENAE reflects processes of business consolidation, business closures, mergers or transformations within an industry that, after the pandemic, has continued to adapt to new models of operation and consumption.
Less employment in the sector
The survey also shows that the decline had a direct impact on formal employment.
While in 2023 the sector registered 169,657 workers, in 2024 that figure fell to 133,125 employees, being the main reason that explains the reduction in total employment among the economic activities studied.
In general terms, the ENAE estimates that formal employment in the analyzed sectors fell from 891,144 people in 2023 to 881,265 in 2024, a decrease of 1.1%, even though most economic activities registered increases.
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