The US bank identifies tourism as one of the main sources of foreign currency that have helped sustain the value of the Dominican currency
Santo Domingo– The growth of Dominican tourism has become one of the main drivers of the country's foreign exchange earnings and a key factor behind the strength of the Dominican peso during 2026, according to an analysis by JPMorgan.
During the first half of the year, tourism revenues reached US$6.716 billion, an increase of 15.3% compared to the same period in 2025, while the arrival of international visitors grew by around 10%.
The sector's performance has contributed to increasing the availability of dollars in the Dominican economy, at a time when the peso has accumulated an appreciation of 7.6% so far in 2026, according to a JPMorgan report dated August 20.
Tourism brings more dollars to the economy
The US bank identifies tourism as one of the main sources of foreign currency that have helped maintain the value of the Dominican peso. This flow is complemented by remittances, exports, and foreign direct investment.
Collectively, these activities generated more than US$26.5 billion in foreign exchange during the first half of 2026, about US$2.8 billion more than during the same period of the previous year.
The increase is particularly relevant for the Dominican Republic due to its dependence on imports, including oil, whose higher international prices have increased the energy bill.
The increased inflow of dollars from tourism has helped to offset some of these pressures and has contributed to improving conditions in the foreign exchange market.
A key sector for external balance
The strength of tourism revenues also coincides with a narrowing of the current account deficit. JPMorgan notes that this indicator stood at 0.7% of GDP during the four quarters ending in March, its lowest level since 2017-2018.
By the end of 2026, the entity projects a current account deficit of close to 0.9% of GDP, supported by the stability of the trade balance and the maintenance of high incomes from tourism and remittances.
The behavior of the tourism sector thus acquires an importance that transcends the arrival of visitors: its income represents a fundamental source of foreign currency for the economy and contributes to reducing pressures on the peso.
Tourism enters the equation for investors
The strong performance of foreign exchange sources has also improved the perception of Dominican assets. JPMorgan believes that the strength shown by the peso during 2026 could maintain the attractiveness of investing in the country's financial instruments.
In that context, the entity recommends that investors gain exposure to the Dominican peso through global sovereign bonds maturing in 2033.
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