At a luncheon event hosted by the Corripio communications group yesterday, Wednesday 20 March, Luis Emilio Rodriguez Amiama, president of the National Hotels and Tourists Association (Asonahores) said that tourists coming to the country spent US$4.3 billion last year that translates into US$101 per day, with an average stay of nine days.
In 2012, a total of 4.4 million tourists visited the DR: 55.9% were from the United States, Canada and Mexico, 27% from Europe, down from 60% previously and 10% came from South America.
Amiama said that last year showed a 6% increase in the number of tourists coming to the country which meant it was a good year and that for the first time in the DR’s history there was a President who had tourism at the forefront of his mind.
Nevertheless he said that the tax reform had affected the flow of tourists with a decrease in numbers of tourists in December 2012, and January and February this year. He went on to say that President Medina wanted the number of tourists to increase to 10 million over the next years, and that they did have a plan to achieve this, but were waiting for the government to implement it.
www.eldia.com.do/nacionales/2013/3/20/109916/El-gasto-turistas-en-RD-en-2012-supero-los-4-mil-millones-dolares