Santo Domingo, DR – The tourism sector in the Dominican Republic is poised to reach a new milestone by the end of 2025, contributing an estimated US$21.1 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to the latest Economic Impact Research report released by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) in collaboration with Oxford Economics.
This projected figure represents 15.8% of the national economy, underscoring the central role tourism continues to play in the Dominican Republic’s economic strategy. The report notes that this growth reflects a year-over-year increase of 3.3%, signaling the country’s sustained focus on building a robust, sustainable, and resilient tourism industry.
Significant Impact on Employment
The tourism and travel sector is also expected to employ nearly 893,000 people by the end of the year—approximately 17.9% of the Dominican workforce. This would mark a continued upward trend in job creation tied directly to tourism-related activities.
“The strength of the Dominican Republic’s tourism model lies in its balance between global attraction and domestic engagement,” the WTTC report states.
Tourism Spending on the Rise
International tourism remains a powerful economic driver. The WTTC forecasts that international visitor spending will total US$11.4 billion in 2025, while domestic tourism spending is expected to reach US$4.1 billion. Together, these figures underscore both the country’s international appeal and the growing significance of local tourism in sustaining the sector.
Long-Term Outlook: Growth Through 2035
Looking ahead, the WTTC projects that the travel and tourism sector could contribute over US$29 billion to GDP by 2035, driven by a consistent annual growth rate of 3.3%. The workforce tied to the sector is forecast to grow to 980,000 jobs over the next decade, representing the creation of 87,000 new positions.
Tourism in 2024: Strong Performance Reaffirmed
The Dominican tourism sector also delivered strong results in 2024, contributing US$20.5 billion to GDP, equivalent to 16.1% of national output. International visitor spending reached US$11.2 billion, while domestic travel spending climbed to US$3.9 billion—an increase of 17.6% and 12.3% respectively compared to 2019, indicating a full recovery and expansion beyond pre-pandemic levels.
In terms of employment, tourism supported more than 876,000 jobs in 2024, or 17.6% of total employment.
Caribbean-Wide Economic Contribution
On a regional scale, the Caribbean’s travel and tourism sector is expected to contribute US$81.4 billion to GDP in 2024, accounting for 17.6% of the regional economy. This marks a significant 28% increase over 2019 levels.
In 2025, that contribution is expected to grow further to US$86 billion, representing 18.2% of the regional GDP. Employment across the Caribbean tourism sector is forecast to exceed 3 million jobs, which would make up 16.1% of total regional employment.
As the Dominican Republic continues to position itself as a tourism leader in the Caribbean and Latin America, the WTTC’s findings highlight a decade of opportunity and sustained growth driven by strategic investment, diversification, and resilience within the tourism sector.
