Tourism contributed 15.9% to Dominican Republic GDP in 2025, Asonahores reports
Santo Domingo.- Tourism strengthened its role as a key driver of the Dominican Republic’s economy in 2025, generating an estimated US$21.62 billion and contributing 15.9% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) when its direct, indirect and induced effects are taken into account.
The figures were presented by the Dominican Republic Hotel and Tourism Association (Asonahores) during the Asonahores 2026 Trade Show, highlighting the sector’s broad impact on employment, foreign exchange earnings, investment, tax revenue and other areas of the productive economy.
Tourism activities accounted directly for 8.3% of GDP in 2025. Including their indirect and induced effects, the sector’s total economic contribution rose to 15.9%.
Asonahores president Juan Bancalari said the results demonstrate tourism’s ability to generate growth beyond hotels and tourism businesses, benefiting multiple sectors of the national economy.
Tourism generates more foreign exchange and investment
The tourism industry generated US$11.866 billion in foreign exchange in 2025, representing a 9.3% increase compared with the previous year.
The sector also attracted US$1.288 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), reinforcing tourism’s position as one of the country’s leading recipients of international capital.
Tourism-related activity supported 882,419 direct, indirect and induced jobs in 2025, equivalent to roughly one in every six jobs in the Dominican Republic.
Of the total, 301,800 were direct jobs, while 400,610 were generated indirectly through the supply chain of goods and services. Another 180,010 jobs were associated with the induced economic impact of household consumption linked to tourism.
The average insurable wage in hotels, bars and restaurants also increased, rising from RD$22,705 to RD$27,580. During the year, the sector contributed RD$10.774 billion to the Social Security Treasury.
Tourism’s tax contribution nearly triples in a decade
Tax revenues generated by hotels, bars and restaurants reached RD$45.227 billion in 2025, compared with RD$15.611 billion in 2015.
The increase of nearly three times over the decade underscores the sector’s growing contribution to public finances.
Asonahores also emphasized tourism’s economic impact on a wide range of industries, including agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, construction, commerce, transportation and logistics, basic services, and professional and financial services.
