Dominican Republic leads region in sustainable tourism policies

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic has outperformed the regional average in developing policies for sustainable and resilient tourism growth from 2019 to 2024. According to the 2024 Sectoral Competitiveness Bulletin from the Ministry of Economy, Planning, and Development (MEPyD), the country’s travel and tourism development index rose by 0.07 points to 3.88, surpassing the regional average of 3.75. The nation ranked ninth in Latin America and the Caribbean and 64th worldwide out of 119 countries.

Key improvements were noted in business climate, safety, health, infrastructure, and ICT readiness, leading to increased tourism performance. Between 2019 and 2023, 1.6 million more non-resident foreign tourists visited the country, and average tourist spending rose by 4.4%, generating an additional US$50.8 per tourist. However, adventure tourism offerings declined by 4.1 points by 2024.

The report highlights the Dominican Republic’s strong sustainability rating (4.68) compared to the LAC average of 4.33, while adventure tourism ranked sixth out of 14 countries in the region. Despite these achievements, the country scored lowest in tourism resources (1.78), indicating the need to enhance natural, cultural, and non-recreational attractions to remain competitive.