The Dominican Republic reaffirmed its global tourism leadership at the 2026 International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR), closing the event with record-breaking negotiations totaling more than US$13.37 billion (approximately RD$885.68 billion), the Ministry of Tourism reports.
Tourism Minister David Collado, joined by representatives from major commercial banks and the Hotels and Tourism Association (Asonahores), described the results as “extraordinarily impressive” and a “total success.”
The bulk of the investment was secured through intensive business rounds led by the country’s top financial institutions Popular (US$6.2 billion), Banreservas (US$4.2 billion) and BHD (US$2.97 billion) leading the way.
These figures stem from over 150 high-level meetings involving 60 co-exhibiting companies. In total, the Dominican delegation conducted approximately 1,500 private business meetings, strengthening the local supply chain and positioning domestic providers as essential partners for foreign investors.
The financial operations secured during the fair are set to transform the country’s tourism capacity over the next three years. The Ministry of Tourism said the investments will add around 10,000 hotel rooms to the Dominican inventory by 2028 that translates to capacity to accommodate another 500,000 tourists annually. The country received 11 million tourists in 2026. For the 2026 year end, another 4,411 hotel rooms benefited by local incentive laws are expected to be finished.
Aviation and cruises
To ensure a steady flow of visitors, the Ministry of Tourism focused on securing “blinded” connectivity with Europe. The Ministry announced new agreements with TUI, Air Europa, World2Fly, Iberia, Neos, Discover, and Edelweiss. Together, these airlines account for over 90% of European traffic to the island, guaranteeing more than 1 million incoming seats for 2026.
During Fitur, the Ministry also announced that MSC Cruises has formalized an agreement to establish La Romana as a permanent, year-round Home Port starting in 2026. This partnership, signed by MSC CEO Gianni Onorato, includes weekly itineraries featuring nearby Catalina Island as an exclusive nature reserve experience.
During Fitur, several flagship projects were highlighted as the future of Dominican luxury and sustainability. These include Grupo Puntacana and Melia alliance to build the 600-room Paradisus Miches; the adults only 467-suites Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana and the Miches Grand, a 7,000 unit mixed-use development.
Read more in Spanish:
Ministry of Tourism
El Caribe
27 January 2026