According to the Ministry of Tourism report presented to the National Congress last month, in 1998 some new 4,630 rooms entered into operation, a US$568 million investment made primarily by Spanish, Austrian, French, Italian and Canadian investors, in addition to Dominicans. The rooms were built in: Punta Cana: 1,945 rooms (Spanish and Dominican investment) Puerto Plata: 630 rooms (Austrian investment) Samana-Las Terrenas: 590 rooms (French investment) Bayahibe-La Romana: 552 rooms (Italian investment) Sosua-Cabarete: 463 rooms (Canadian investment) The Ministry forecasts an additional US$280 million will be invested in the construction of new hotel rooms in 1999. The Hotel & Restaurant Association recently reported that new hotel rooms opening in 1998 represent a 10% increase of the hotel inventory, bringing the national total to 40,847 rooms in the DR, the largest count in the Caribbean. According to the Ministry, expenses per tourist in 1998 were US$974.95, with an average stay of 10 days. Tourist arrivals last year were 2,308,189.
