Dominican Republic announces 4,000 english scholarships for tourism workers

Santo Domingo.- The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCyT) will award 4,000 additional English-language scholarships to workers in the Dominican Republic’s tourism sector as part of efforts to strengthen the industry’s workforce and support its continued growth.

MESCyT Minister Rafael Santos Badía said the initiative responds to strong demand for professional training, particularly for virtual English courses focused on employability. The initial scholarships offered through the program were filled in less than two hours.

The new scholarships will include 2,000 opportunities through the Association of Hotels and Tourism Companies (Asonahores) and another 2,000 for workers in developing tourism destinations.

Training tourism workers for leadership roles

Santos Badía said strengthening human capital is essential for ensuring that Dominicans benefit from the expansion of the tourism industry. He also announced plans to promote management training aimed at increasing Dominican representation in middle- and senior-level positions within the hotel sector.

Asonahores Vice President Aguie Lendor welcomed the initiative, describing the scholarships as an important step toward professionalizing the tourism workforce. She highlighted language and leadership training as key tools for improving career opportunities and maintaining the sector’s competitiveness.

The program is intended to help tourism employees improve their communication skills and service quality while better meeting the expectations of international visitors, particularly those from the United States, one of the Dominican Republic’s main tourism markets.