Durrant Pate/Contributor

By the end of this year, the tourism sector is projected to contribute approximately US$21.1 billion to the Dominican Republic’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to estimates from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Economic Impact Research Report.

This would account for 15.8% of the national economy. The report, prepared by the WTTC in collaboration with Oxford Economics, forecasts that the travel and tourism sector will reach a new all-time high by 2025. 

This projected growth, with an anticipated year-over-year increase of 3.3%, underscores the Dominican Republic’s commitment to developing a solid, sustainable, and resilient tourism industry. In addition to its GDP contribution, the report says the sector is expected to employ nearly 893,000 people this year, equivalent to 17.9% of the national workforce. 

At the end of 2024, international tourism spending reached US$11.4 billion, while domestic tourism spending closed on US$4.1 billion. 

Strength of the domestic market

This data highlights both the strength of the domestic market and the country’s global appeal as a travel destination. Looking further ahead, the study projects that by 2035 the sector could contribute more than US$29 billion to GDP, maintaining an average annual growth rate of 3.3%. 

Employment in the sector is expected to rise to around 980,000 jobs over that period, reflecting the creation of more than 87,000 new positions in the next decade. In 2024, the travel and tourism sector contributed an estimated US$20.5 billion to the country’s GDP, representing 16.1% of the economy.

International tourism spending last year reached US$11.2 billion, while domestic tourism spending totalled US$3.9 billion. These figures represent increases of 17.6% and 12.3% over 2019 levels, respectively. 

The sector supported more than 876,000 jobs in 2024, accounting for approximately 17.6% of total national employment.

Regional Outlook
Across the Caribbean, the travel and tourism sector is expected to generate US$81.4 billion in GDP in 2024, representing 17.6% of the regional economy and surpassing 2019 levels by more than 28%. 

According to the Economic Impact Survey for 2025, the sector’s contribution is projected to rise to US$86 billion, or 18.2% of regional GDP.  Employment in the Caribbean’s travel and tourism industry is expected to exceed 3 million jobs, representing 16.1% of total regional employment.