Asonahores: Airbnb listings now outnumber hotel rooms in Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo.- The president of the Dominican Hotel and Tourism Association (Asonahores), Juan Bancalari, said short-term rentals have grown significantly in the Dominican Republic, with Airbnb listings in Santo Domingo now exceeding the number of traditional hotel rooms in the capital.

Speaking on the television program Hoy Mismo on Color Visión, Bancalari said Asonahores does not oppose short-term rentals but believes the sector should be regulated to ensure safety, quality standards and tax compliance.

Bancalari also highlighted tourism’s growing contribution to the Dominican economy and the expansion of the industry beyond the traditional eastern destinations.

He pointed to Puerto Plata, where the province is receiving nearly two million cruise passengers annually, with visitors spending more than US$100 per person and generating an estimated US$200 million in local economic activity.

He also cited the rapid development of Miches, where around 3,000 hotel rooms are currently under construction, as well as Samaná, which is projected to receive up to one million visitors annually by 2030.