Dominican Republic Defies Tourism Market, Keeps Growing

Throughout the world, there has been a decline in tourism.  That decline has, however, missed the Dominican Republic.  The Dominican Republic has managed to attract tourists year after year, and with plans from investors and new routes promised by airlines, it would appear the Dominican Republic is going to continue to grow in the area of tourism.

With so many markets struggling, the Dominican Republic has managed to see a 6.55% increase in tourism for the first part of 2008.  That increase is thanks to the 2.2 million people that traveled there in the opening months of the year.  People continue to go to the area, despite tourism trends in other areas of the world. 

The world is noticing the strong tourism market in the Dominican Republic.  Because of that, investors are getting in on the action.  The first indication that tourism in the DR was going to exceed even current expectations was when a development group from the Balearic Islands decided they wanted in on the opportunity to invest.

The group intends to invest 3.7 billion Euros over a four year time period in order to build up the tourism industry.  With the money, they want to work on a railway linking Santiago and Santo Domingo.  The railway promises to help the tourism market by making traveling in the region easier. 

With the railroad, Santiago, Santa Domingo and everywhere in between are expected to grow.  They will be able to lure in more tourists, and they will then be able to offer even more development to the area.  The area is already quite popular, and with the money being used, it will be able to become even more enticing to tourists.

With the sound tourism market, along with the promise of more money going into the DR, airlines are making changes so they can bring even more tourists in.  For the first time, JetBlue Airlines plans to launch an intra-Caribbean service.  The service is going to start in the winter, and will have continuous, non stop flights between San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.

Also, Delta Airlines is going to be adding more flights to the DR this winter.  It is believed these added flights will bring more people to the area, thus boosting tourism even more.  It will be easier than it has ever been for tourists to get on a plane and visit the area.

The growth in tourism has greatly helped the economy in the Dominican Republic, and it is projected to make the economy even healthier in the years to come.  Right now, there are 550,000 jobs that were created by tourism in the DR.  That number is expected to rise to 743,000 by 2018.  The economy has become stable due to tourism, and it looks as if it will continue to strengthen as more jobs are created.

As the economy strengthens, there is even more for tourists in the Dominican Republic.  The area is able to continue to build because of the strong economy, and through the building tourists have more options when they visit the DR.  The economic boost has helped those who live in the Dominican Republic, along with those who visit on vacation.

During unsure times across the world, the Dominican Republic has managed to remain strong in tourism.  People like the fun and tranquility the DR offers, which is why they continue to come back year after year.  The area has devoted time and resources to tourism, and that has paid off with job creation and a stronger infrastructure.  The tourism industry is expected to grow through the years, and current trends show the Dominican Republic tourism industry can survive, even when tourism throughout the rest of the world is facing uncertain times.