The Dominican Republic is experiencing record-breaking tourism growth in 2025, welcoming over 11.2 million visitors as it cements its position as the Caribbean’s leading destination for luxury, sustainability, and experiential travel. Speaking at World Travel Market London 2025, Vice Minister Jacqueline Mora highlighted major hotel investments, new flight routes, and eco-conscious projects in Miches and Punta Bergantín that blend development with environmental and social inclusion. With more than 6,000 new hotel rooms opening by 2026 and continued investment in infrastructure, digital innovation, and workforce training, the country’s tourism vision focuses on sustainable growth that benefits both travellers and local communities.

BTN - The Dominican Republic continues to see strong tourism growth. What do you believe is driving this success?

2025 has been a transformative chapter in our tourism growth. We have welcomed a wave of new hotel openings, pioneering sustainable developments, and multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects, all of which have supported increasing visitor numbers and our inclusive approach to tourism growth. 

We have invested strongly in our transport infrastructure to support increasing visitor numbers. In addition, a growing number of hotel brands have also committed to investing in the region and we are fortunate to welcome a number of new hotels recently. Highlights of new hotel openings include:
o W Punta Cana in Uvero Alto developed in partnership with Marriott International
o Partnership between Punta Cana Group and Melia Hotels to develop the Melia Bergantin Beach Hotel to support Puerto Plata’s position as a world-class travel and tourism destination. As part of the agreement Melia Hotels will develop a 5*, 400-room complex with beach club, pools, spa, restaurants and MICE spaces.
o Other international brands will soon begin new construction, consolidating the region’s tourism renaissance
o Newly opened properties have added additional inventory across the Dominican Republic, including Zemi Miches Curio Collection by Hilton and the St. Regis Cap Cana which are contributing to elevating its overall luxury standard.

We expect to see over 6,000 new hotel rooms with new additions including Moon Palace The Grand – Punta Cana between now and into 2026 so the outlook is extremely positive.

In July this year we launched our global tourism campaign “Dominicana Smiles at You” to highlight the warmth, culture, and hospitality of our people which has been hugely successful. We have welcomed 11.2million visitors already this year which is a record and that looks set to continue to grow into 2026.

BTN - How are you ensuring that tourism investment supports jobs and long-term prosperity for Dominican communities?

Tourism is a core part of our economy. To ensure that is sustained we have a strong commitment to supporting our local communities and our people. One of the biggest investments we have made recently is in the redevelopment of market stalls and outlets for independent producers to offer them a safer, smarter space to enable them to build their own businesses and prosper in line with our wider growth.

BTN - As interest in sustainable travel grows, what actions are you taking to protect natural environments and cultural heritage?

Sustainability is a critical part of our strategy with initiatives underway in destinations such as Miches and Punta Bergantín, promoting tourism development models based on environmental preservation and social and cultural inclusion.

For example, The Dominican Tree House Village in El Valle, Samana is also an example of how tourists can have an exceptional experience while preserving and respecting the environment. This project has cemented its position as the Dominican Republic’s most exclusive eco-destination, where guests live the extraordinary experience of staying in elevated houses suspended among the treetops.

BTN - The country has expanded its luxury and adventure offerings. Which segments do you see as the next major growth areas?

The luxury segment looks set to be one particularly strong growth area for us. Particularly as we are planning for a number of new luxury hotel openings in the future.
As part of the transformation of our tourism offer, we are also moving towards more experiential tourism.

Cap Cana is an example of this transformation. With investments that exceed 70 million dollars, it has developed spaces that integrate entertainment, gastronomy, nature and sports. Parks such as Dorado Park and Scape Park offer water attractions, zip lines and interactive adventures, consolidating the area as a destination that combines leisure and adventure.

In addition, gastronomic tourism has become another pillar of the sector. High-end restaurants, local markets, and culinary workshops allow visitors to enjoy Dominican cuisine while supporting producers and entrepreneurs. With the advance of more experience-based tourism, it is estimated that the Dominican Republic could exceed 20 million annual visitors in the coming years.

BTN - Skills development is vital to service quality. How is the government investing in the tourism workforce?

The Dominican Association of Investment Fund Management Companies reported a substantial impact on the tourism sector, generating over 1,200 permanent direct jobs and over 3,000 indirect jobs as a result of recent investment.

Much of this investment has focused on the provinces of El Seibo, La Altagracia, Pedernales, Samaná, and Santo Domingo and ranges from the construction of new luxury resorts to developing and enhancing our existing infrastructure which in turn has led to wider jobs creation within the hotel industry and hospitality sector to name just a couple of examples.

BTN - Air connectivity plays a key role in your strategy. What progress have you made with airlines to open new routes or increase frequencies?

In line with the increased investment from hotel operators and brands we have also seen investment in new air routes and airlift.

Particularly exciting for us is the recent announcement from TUI that it will be operating direct flights from Belfast International Airport to Punta Cana in June 2026.

Looking further ahead, to support increased airline routes and capacity, Las Américas International Airport (Santo Domingo) will also see significant upgrades from 2028.

BTN - What role is technology playing in improving the visitor experience and promoting smarter destination management?

We are investing in the content and user experience of our main website godominicanrepublic.com to ensure that all visitors can search and view the full range of experiences and itineraries that a visit to the Dominican Republic offers.

In addition to our main website we have also enhanced our agent training and rewards programmes which can be accessed and used by our agent partners. Agents are able to access a wide range of exclusive benefits as DO Travel Rewards members including cashback for eligible bookings and monthly giveaways.

BTN - World Travel Market 2025 will gather global decision makers in London. What are your main goals and announcements for WTM this year?

It is a fantastic opportunity to meet with colleagues from across the industry – including hotel groups, airlines, tour operators and agents and enable them to learn more about the shared opportunities for growth that the Dominican Republic offers.

We have been fortunate to welcome a number of operators to invest in the region and we are keen to showcase the opportunity that Dominican Republic offers for other operators to forge new partnerships.

BTN - How will you use WTM 2025 to strengthen the Dominican Republic’s position as a leading Caribbean destination and attract new partners for sustainable development?

A key part of our presence at this year’s show is to outline the incredible growth that we have seen in tourism over the last 12 months and also detail how that is set to increase further in the year ahead. We are projected to exceed projects to 11.6 million visitors this year which is positive news but that can only continue if that growth is sustainable.

We are fortunate to host sustainable travel projects across a number of key regions including Miches which will see increased investment in LEED-certified buildings and a focus on social inclusion and Punta Bergantín, a district which is putting environmental zoning into action with the preservation of mangroves, wetlands and dunes. We pride ourselves as a pioneers of sustainable travel and WTM is a key platform to showcase our development as a sustainable tourism destination on the world stage.

BTN - Looking ahead, what are your top priorities for tourism in the next two years and how will you measure success?

For us we are focused on continuing to build on the successful investment programme that is already underway so we can continue to welcome a growing number of partners and visitors to the Dominican Republic. Alongside that investment we have a strong commitment to sustainable growth that supports our environment and our people. Growth in visitor numbers and the economic growth that delivers will be key to enabling us to measure and plan for even more tourism success in the future.