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BiggerDominican Republic tourism grows 48% in five years
Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader announced that tourism in the Dominican Republic grew by 48% between 2019 and 2024, highlighting the sector as a key achievement of his administration. Speaking on LA Semanal con la Prensa on August 11, Abinader noted that tourist arrivals rose from 7.5 million to 11.2 million during this period, earning recognition from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for the country’s leadership in post-pandemic tourism recovery.
In 2025, the nation set a new record in the first half of the year with 6,145,008 visitors, according to the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur). Cruise tourism has also seen substantial growth, increasing from 830,000 passengers in 2019 to 2.6 million today, establishing it as a cornerstone of the country’s tourism industry.
To further strengthen this sector, Abinader recently signed an agreement with the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), marking a historic step toward consolidating cruise tourism in the Dominican Republic.
They should take some of the tax revenue and fix the ugly pot-holed streets in the Punta Cana tourist zone, especially El Cortecito and Cabeza de Toro. The tourism officials and regional politicians have displayed little shame about the deterioration of the traffic infrastructure. They have done little or nothing. Time for them to get off their seats and do something positive to enhance the zone.