The Punta Cana tourist area has become the top destination, not only for the Dominican Republic but for the Caribbean as a whole, and this year the airport is expecting to serve two million passengers. Ernesto Veloz, the president of the local hoteliers association, said that the area currently offers seven golf courses and another three are due to open this year. Veloz stressed that in 2008 there will be 10 courses open to visitors and in 2009 there will be 13 courses. The region now offers 24,703 rooms in 49 hotels, and another 2,900 rooms are under construction.