The Dominican Republic is a world leader in the business of wedding tourism. Statistics presented at the recent International Association of Destination Wedding Professionals indicate the country is number one in destination weddings in the insular Caribbean and Central American region and number four worldwide.
And wedding tourism is not, according to Tourism Minister David Collado, a small business by any means. According to the minister, this is a US$90 billion-dollar industry.
The Dominican Republic hosted the International Association of Destination Wedding Professionals 2025 Destination Wedding Congress from 26 to 29 May 2025. The world wedding tourism congress was attended by over 400 professionals tied to the industry.
The president of the International Association of Destination Wedding Professionals, Kitzia Morales, noted that the Dominican Republic has established itself as a true leader in the field.
It was noted that destination weddings have a positive effect on every aspect of the tourism realm: hotels, transportation, gastronomy, decorations, and entertainment.
Credence Research says that the Caribbean destination wedding market size is projected to grow from US$5 billion in 2024 to US$14 billion by 2032. Key drivers of growth in the Caribbean Destination Wedding market include the rising popularity of destination weddings among couples, especially millennials and Gen Z, who are increasingly opting for personalized wedding experiences rather than traditional ceremonies.
A The Knot survey says that 44% of destination weddings took place in Mexico and 18% in the Caribbean, including the Dominican Republic.
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Listin Diario
Diario Libre
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Credence Research
The Knot
3 June 2025