Hoteliers deny that the tourism sector hires illegal aliens

Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic Hotels and Tourism Association (Asonahores) president Joel Santos on Sun. dismissed  reports that the formal tourism sector hires undocumented foreigners.

“This is one of the fallacies and myths that are launched against this thriving industry, which is among the ones which most contributes to the growth of the Gross Domestic Product,” Santos said.

He said the tourism sector is one of the most formal in the Dominican economy, but acknowledged that it’s not formal in its entirety, “but is much more formal than the average.”

The business leader said the high level of formality in his sector ensures compliance with the law.

He stressed the need for the economy to be formal in every standpoint, including employment.

“In the formal tourism sector there is no such problem, the laws are complied with,” the business leader said, interviewed by Héctor Herrera Cabral on Telesystema Channel 11

“Unfortunately in the construction period, the tourism sector is the one with the highest investment, and having that investment, hotels are built, in the process of construction, foreign laborers are involved, which are often undocumented,” Santos said.