The president of the Association of Hotels and Tourism (Asonahores), David Llibre, said that the tourism results accumulated up to April (more than four million visitors) have an economic and social effect, since they do not stay in airports, hotels, restaurants and transporters.
“These results are felt in thousands of small and medium-sized businesses distributed throughout the national territory. Let’s remember that the last study on the impact of tourism on MSMEs, registered 17 thousand productive units of this category throughout the national territory whose activities are directly or indirectly linked to tourism”, he indicated.
“When we look at the accumulated numbers to April, we continue to celebrate the arrival of tourists via air and cruise ships, whose presence strengthens the country’s economy and energizes the productive activities of the communities directly and indirectly related to tourism activity.”
Difference with other competing countries
The head of the country’s largest tourism guild, said that unlike other competing countries, tourism imports most of the products and services consumed in the Dominican Republic, being responsible for impacting different sectors of the economy up to 40% of its production and is responsible for 10% of the country’s tax revenue with a collection of 155 billion pesos of taxes paid directly and indirectly.
He detailed that for this reason, “we should not be satisfied when we celebrate that we have surpassed the goal of 10 million visitors, the Dominican Republic has all the characteristics to continue growing and even double the amount of tourist arrivals that we receive in 2023”.
Llibre urged to maintain the formula of success that has allowed the levels of investment that the sector has today, since he understands that a modification, reduction or elimination of the legislative structure that the sector has today, will only lead investments to migrate to other competing countries, therefore, not allowing the tourism offer to stay updated and at the forefront of the different competing countries would affect the contribution to the Gross Domestic Product, its contribution to taxes, its contribution to the rest of the economy and its contribution to the generation of jobs.
“Tourism in the Dominican Republic is a tradable sector that competes in the international market with other tourist destinations. Unlike other sectors, tourism needs to continue developing to maintain its competitiveness in the global market. Despite the advances, there is still a great potential for growth in different tourist areas of the country, such as Pedernales, Miches, Punta Bergantin, which need the current legislative structure for their development”, he pointed out.
Source: Arecoa.com
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