Diario Libre devotes a full page inside today’s edition to the current fortunes of the Dominican tourist industry. The fall of the peso, while disastrous for so many, makes the Dominican Republic a very attractive proposition for tourists, and the sector is experiencing a boom, with high hotel occupancy levels. The first ten months of the year saw a record number of tourist arrivals numbering nearly 2,700,000 – the first Caribbean tourist destination to attain this figure. This represents a 21.6% increase on the figure for the equivalent period last year and additional income of US$410 million. The total income for the tourist sector this year is estimated at US$2.78 billion, according to Central Bank statistics. Three million tourists will have visited the Dominican Republic by the end of 2003, and the income generated will rise to well over US$3 billion, according to these projections. The Dominican Republic’s main competitors in the region, Cuba and Mexico’s Caribbean coast, have seen a lower growth in tourist traffic, 14% and 7% respectively. The average Dominican hotel’s occupancy rate for this year is 74%. These improvements can also be attributed to the economic upturn in the US, which sent 25% more tourists this year, as well as the Dominican tourist authorities’ promotional work abroad. The stronger euro currency is also a factor in the 22% increase in tourism from Europe. This coming weekend, which is a long weekend for Dominicans, all hotels in the main tourist areas are fully booked.