WTTC report reveals tourism’s leadership as a driving force in the Dominican Republic’s economy

The World Travel and Tourism Council ( WTTC ) projects that by the end of 2025, the Dominican Republic’s travel and tourism sector could reach a new all-time high, contributing more than $21 billion to the country’s GDP, representing 15.8% of the country’s economy.

This projected growth, with a year-over-year increase of 3.3%, reflects the Dominican Republic’s commitment to solid, sustainable, and resilient tourism development.

According to the latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), prepared by WTTC in collaboration with Oxford Economics, the sector is expected to employ nearly 893,000 workers this year, equivalent to 17.9% of the national workforce.

International tourism spending is also expected to reach $11.4 billion by the end of this year. In comparison, domestic tourism spending is projected to reach $4.1 billion, cunderscoringthe the importance of the domestic market alongside the destination’s global positioning.

A look at 2024

In 2024, the travel and tourism sector contributed $20.5 billion to GDP, representing 16.1% of the national economy.

It generated more than 876,000 jobs, accounting for approximately 17.6% of the total national employment.

That same year, international tourism spending reached $11.2 billion, while domestic tourism spending reached $3.9 billion, representing increases of 17.6% and 12.3% compared to 2019, respectively.

Julia Simpson, President and CEO of WTTC, said, “The Dominican Republic continues to demonstrate exemplary leadership in the region, consolidating its position as an internationally recognized tourist destination.”

“The projections for 2025 reflect a sector that continues to strengthen, with real impacts on the economy and employment. We congratulate President Luis Abinader and our Dominican members for their vision, commitment, and contribution to the growth of this sector, which is so vital to the country,” he said.

For his part, Frank Rainieri, Founder and Chairman of Grupo Puntacana and a member of the WTTC Executive Committee, commented that “this performance is the result of the close public-private collaboration achieved in Dominican tourism, to boost this sector of the economy, which has such a direct impact on reducing the poverty rate.”

Tourist spending and travel trends

The same report revealed that during 2024, leisure travel accounted for 93.7% of the total, compared to 6.3% for business tourism.

Among the main issuing markets were the United States (39%), Canada (14%), and Colombia (4%).

Travel and Tourism Sector Projections to 2035

Within a decade, the WTTC projects that the sector could contribute more than $29 billion to the GDP, with an annual growth rate of 3.3%.

The sector is estimated to employ around 980,000 people, which would result in the creation of more than 87,000 new jobs over the next decade.

Regional data

In 2024, the Caribbean travel and tourism sector is expected to contribute $81.4 billion to the regional economy’s GDP, representing 17.6% of the total and exceeding 2019 levels by more than 28%.

By 2025, the contribution is expected to reach $86 billion, representing 18.2% of the regional GDP. Furthermore, employment in the sector is expected to exceed 3 million jobs, representing 16.1% of the regional total.