Dom Rep Approaches Goal of 10 Million Tourists in 2023

• President Luis Abinader has expressed confidence in achieving the goal of welcoming 10 million tourists to the Dominican Republic this year. During an event organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Abinader stated that the countdown has begun toward this objective, emphasizing the positive impact of tourism on the livelihoods of Dominicans and the country’s economy.
• The event also showcased an advertising campaign featuring renowned Dominican artists singing together to achieve “10 million smiles.” The Dominican Republic has seen impressive tourism numbers, with 619,204 visitors in October, bringing the total for 2023 to 8,245,189. This represents a 23% growth compared to the same period in the previous year.
• The Ministry of Tourism highlighted the role of cruise tourism in this growth, with over 1.6 million visitors arriving via cruise ships in 2023, and emphasized the support for new ports like Taino Bay. To reach the 10 million tourist goal, an additional 1,754,811 arrivals are needed.
• President Abinader mentioned upcoming transformative projects that will continue to drive tourism growth and emphasized the importance of tourism for prosperity, development, employment, and improving the quality of life for the Dominican people.
• In other news, The Dominican Republic has replaced Ecuador as Latin America’s 7th largest economy, according to a Latinvex analysis of the latest data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF forecasts that the Dominican Republic will keep that position for the next five years as well likely supported by sustained high growth rates that have enhanced the scale and wealth levels of the economy.

(Sources: Dominican Today & IMF)