According to statistics from the Ministry of Tourism, the Dominican Republic broke records in visitor arrivals every month during 2022.
During 2022, Dominican tourism surpassed the numbers of arrivals of non-resident visitors who came to the Dominican Republic to enjoy the charms that the country has, thus breaking records month after month.
Tourists, of diverse profiles and origins, began arriving in large numbers to the country, after President Luis Abinader lifted all the restrictive measures imposed by COVID-19 in February.
By the end of the year, the Dominican Republic is expected to have received 7.2 million non-resident visitors, and tourism revenues are expected to reach US$8.5 billion.
According to the Central Bank, hotels, bars and restaurants exhibited an average interannual variation of 26.8% in terms of real value added, contributing 1.4 percentage points (p.p.) to the growth of the Monthly Economic Activity Indicator (IMAE) of 5.2% in January-October 2022, that is, one third of the growth so far this year.
The statistics of the behavior of the tourism industry of the Ministry of Tourism indicate that in the January-November period, the country received 6,397,444 visitors by air, as well as another 1,085,606 excursionists (cruise ship passengers), which represents the visit of 7,483,050 people.
The visit of these people in the first eleven months of this year contributed US$7.8 million to the Dominican economy.
The best months for tourism
According to Ministry of Tourism statistics, the Dominican Republic broke records in visitor arrivals every month during 2022.
Jobs
Regarding jobs, the president of the Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic (Asonahores), David Llibre, highlighted that the tourism sector generates more than 570,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The Mitur report, on July statistics, indicates that the tourism sector labor market in the country recovered to 100% as of June 2022, however, there was a reduction in the number of companies of 492.
The Ministry’s figures show that, as of June of this year, the number of employees was 173,345, working in some 6,381 companies.
While, in the same period of 2021, there were 153,760 employees working in 6,873 companies.
These data indicate that there are 19,585 more employees in June 2022 than in the same period of the previous year, but there was a reduction of 492 companies this year.
Foreign investment and hotel occupancy
David Llibre also valued the robust foreign direct investment in tourism of over US$1 billion. In this regard, he pointed out that the sector contributes 16% of the Gross Domestic Product.
Regarding the hotel supply, he points out that the country has more than 85,000 rooms available and there are currently another 10,500 under development “as a result of the confidence in the investment climate we offer and the continuous growth in the efficient execution of the sector”.
Tourism projections for 2023
“From Asonahores and seen working together, we project a 2023 from a sustained growth from the world economic factors of inflation improve, and in this, we follow the exercise of socio-economic development that represents the industry and strengthening the positioning of our country as a destination,” said Llibre.
Tourism advertising
This year, Tourism Minister David Collado reported that they saved some RD$7.2 billion in promoting the country as a tourist destination.
The Ministry reduced this expenditure through the change of strategy in international promotion, and that now advertising is done digitally and the country is promoted without intermediaries.
Cabo Rojo Tourism Project
This year, construction began on the Cabo Rojo tourism project, Pedernales, for an amount of some RD$7 billion, within the strategy of the public-private alliance to develop the south of the country.
The project seeks to turn Pedernales into the most valued and valued cruise destination in the Caribbean. The works include the port of Cabo Rojo, which would be the fundamental axis of the development, which aims to bring the first cruise passengers, and the necessary hydro-sanitary infrastructures for the anchorage and the contemplated hotels.
The integral project is part of the general master plan of the tourist destination, with which they intend to generate jobs for the entire Enriquillo Region, which includes Barahona, Pedernales, Independencia and Bahoruco.
Programs
In August of this year, Mitur launched “Turismo en cada Rincón”, a platform for the promotion and support of local tourism, with a focus on sustainability and inclusion.
To date, Tourism in Every Corner, has been carried out in the provinces of Hermanas Mirabal, Monseñor Nouel, María Trinidad Sánchez and Santiago, where they promoted and relaunched the best of each locality, supporting domestic tourism.
In 2022, it also implemented the National Plan of Reorganization, Regeneration, Training and Financing for Associations and Informal Beach Vendors, with an investment of more than RD$3,000 million for the refurbishment of some 25 beaches.
Among the beaches to be intervened are Macao, Guayacanes, Boca Chica, Las Galeras, Miches, Los Patos, Los Quemaítos, Saladillas, Palenque and beaches of Puerto Plata.
In addition, Mitur continues with the program of remodeling seafronts for the development of tourism in the provinces, and this year the Cabrera seawall in María Trinidad Sánchez was reconditioned, built at a cost of over 73 million pesos.
Work also began on the renovation of the seawalls of:
- San Pedro de Macorís, at a cost of more than 260 million pesos.
- Caleta, La Romana, with an investment of 96 million pesos.
- Samaná, with an investment of more than 400 million pesos.
- Santo Domingo Este, with an investment of 600 million pesos.
Source: Mitur.gob.do
