This Caribbean Island Sets Ambitious Goal to Attract 14 Million Tourists Annually by 2028

After an impressive post-pandemic recovery, which saw the Dominican Republic recognized as the top tourism destination in the world for two consecutive years, the country is now aiming to welcome an unprecedented number of tourists.

The island nation is thinking big—back in 2013, the government forecasted 10 million annual visitors for the coming years, unaware that the world would face a global lockdown in 2020.

However, this setback did not stop the country from breaking records. Last year, the island welcomed its first 10 million visitors, and it now expects to reach 12 million by the end of 2024. 

Vice President Raquel Peña is ready to raise the stakes. As part of the government’s sustainable growth strategy, which extends until 2036, the goal is to welcome 14 million annual travelers before 2028.

In 2023, the Global Travel Trends Report revealed that the Dominican Republic has been attracting foreign investment at a rate never seen before.

This partly explains how the country achieved its best tourism year on record last year, with 14% more international passengers than in 2022.

The Ministry of Tourism took advantage of the pandemic’s downtime to craft a future-proof plan, focusing on two key markets: remote workers—whose numbers were growing rapidly—and luxury travelers.

“These and other strategies are having a direct impact on the increase in arrivals this year versus previous years,” said Juan Gomez Garcia, senior director of intelligence at ForwardKeys, back in the day. “We have to highlight the marketing strategy that [the Dominican Republic] is carrying out to reach premium markets.”

Tourism minister David Collado has stated that the key to their success is understanding new travel trends because “traveler behavior is evolving.”

Acknowledging this evolving behavior, the country has shifted its focus to non-traditional markets such as luxury travel, sports and wellness.

This strategy led to a 56 percent increase in airline ticket bookings between January and March 2024, according to travel analytics company ForwardKeys.

In July alone, 811,192 passengers passed through customs at the country’s eight international airports, while 206,704 cruise passengers docked at its ports.

These figures represent an 8 percent increase in non-resident air arrivals and a 19 percent growth in cruise passengers.

Collado revealed that the sector had surpassed all previous four-year visitor records.

Interestingly, a recent report highlights that much of this new tourism is being driven by the accelerated development of luxury hotels and resorts —such as several Marriott properties—and the launch of new air routes connecting the US directly to the island.

Dominican Republic Leads the Way in Sustainable Luxury Travel

According to data from Euromonitor, the new sustainability-conscious luxury traveler seeks to minimize their environmental footprint without compromising their upscale lifestyle.

These travelers are willing to pay between 30 percent and 50 percent more for sustainable features like, for example, energy-efficient amenities.

Other popular services among this demographic include tailored luxury experiences like private tours, exclusive cultural encounters, customized wellness retreats, and even the option to rent private islands or yachts.

“Sensory experiences” such as gourmet farm-to-table meals, featuring organic and locally sourced ingredients, are also key to helping them feel connected to the community—especially when the dishes are prepared by top local chefs.

So the Dominican Republic has quickly adapted to offer a range of services that these travelers might not find in other destinations within the region.