Tourism Minister David Collado officially inaugurated the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE) 2026 held at the Bavaro Convention Center in Punta Cana on Wednesday, 22 April 2026, declaring that the Dominican Republic’s tourism sector has reached an unprecedented peak. Despite a volatile international landscape, Collado reported that all primary source markets are currently in “the black,” reflecting sustained statistical growth across the board.
“This edition of DATE finds the Dominican Republic in its best moment for tourism,” Collado stated, emphasizing the country’s readiness to scale operations further. “This is the time to continue betting on Dominican tourism.”
A strategic business hub
DATE 2026 serves as the nation’s premier commercial platform for the industry. This year’s event featured around 200 companies representing 20 source markets, alongside 300 international buyers and 120 exhibition stands.
The event was programmed for 8,000 business appointments. These negotiations are expected to directly impact hotel occupancy rates and foreign exchange generation throughout the remainder of the year.
Economic impact and projections
Javier Tejada, first vice president of the National Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic (Asonahores), underscored the sector’s role as the primary engine of the national economy. Following a record-breaking 2025, where the country welcomed 11.7 million visitors, Tejada issued an ambitious forecast for the current year.
“We were the most visited destination in the Caribbean in 2025,” Tejada noted. “For 2026, we project reaching between 12 and 12.5 million visitors, driven by the expansion of air routes and market diversification.”
The industry’s social impact remains significant, currently supporting over 800,000 jobs (direct, indirect, and induced) across the Dominican Republic.
Recognition of leadership
During the ceremony, the Expedia Group, represented by Salim Arkuch and Miguelina Céspedes, presented Minister Collado with a special recognition award. The citation honored his “sacrifice, love, and passion” in leading the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) and his role in the sector’s recovery and expansion.
Speaking at the opening, Minister of Tourism David Collado stressed the country’s ability to adjust, modify, innovate, and respond to tourism demands as the reason why the tourism industry is booming in the Dominican Republic.
Collado focused on diversification of what is offered can sustain the industry even during the crisis in Iran. He noted that, since the beginning of the conflict in Iran, more than 950,000 visitors arrived by air and over 400,000 by sea.
Collado spoke of the strengthening of new destinations in the country, beyond the strength of the Punta Cana destination. The emerging eastern destination, Miches, for example, reported a 100% occupancy for March, and has had occupancy levels between 97% and 98% so far this year. In Puerto Plata, he mentioned international investor interest in Punta Bergantin.
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Presidency
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Diario Libre
Diario Libre
28 April 2026