MIAMI — During a recent interleague matchup between the Miami Marlins and New York Mets at LoanDepot Park, Dominican Republic’s Tourism Minister David Collado laid out an ambitious vision to elevate the country’s beloved national pastime into a powerhouse driver of family-friendly entertainment and international sports tourism. Drawing direct comparisons to the polished, multi-purpose spectator experiences offered at top U.S. baseball venues, Collado argued that the Caribbean nation urgently needs a state-of-the-art modern stadium to unlock this untapped economic potential.
Collado stressed that investment in world-class sports infrastructure is far more than a upgrade for local fans: it is a strategic move to draw international visitors, supercharge the broader tourism sector, and reimagine what a baseball venue can offer local communities. Unlike the country’s current facilities, which primarily see activity during championship matches, a modern stadium should operate as a year-round destination for family recreation, community events, and entertainment, he explained.
“As a nation that is defined by baseball, we need a venue that can welcome international audiences and serve as a space for all-family leisure and recreation,” Collado said. Beyond attracting out-of-country visitors, he noted that upgraded facilities would also create strong incentives for Dominican-born Major League Baseball superstars to compete in local domestic leagues, a pull that would draw even more baseball fans from across the globe. For example, he pointed out that a appearance by star Juan Soto at the country’s iconic Quisqueya Stadium would instantly generate significant tourist interest.
The push for a new stadium aligns with the Dominican Republic’s broader strategy to diversify its $10 billion-plus tourism industry, with sports tourism framed as one of the fastest-growing segments of the market. Collado shared preliminary projections showing that more than 400,000 international travelers will visit the country specifically for golf tourism in 2025, a benchmark that demonstrates the massive demand for specialized sports-focused travel. He added that ongoing partnerships with leading U.S. sports organizations like the Miami Marlins have helped strengthen the country’s global tourism promotion, with Florida emerging as a critical source market: the state sends more than 600,000 visitors to the Dominican Republic each year, making it the country’s second-largest source of American tourists.