The Dominican Republic is poised to achieve a historic milestone in its tourism sector, with projections indicating a record-breaking 11.7 million visitors by 2025. This remarkable growth solidifies the country’s status as a premier Caribbean destination, even amidst challenges such as recent storms and disruptions in U.S. air travel. Tourism Minister David Collado underscored the nation’s resilience, noting that by October, the country had already welcomed over nine million visitors, including 2.1 million cruise passengers. This figure surpasses the total of 11.19 million tourists recorded in the previous year. Collado also highlighted that these achievements were accomplished without contributions from Russia and Ukraine, which previously accounted for approximately 500,000 annual visitors. President Luis Abinader announced plans to represent the Dominican Republic at the Madrid Tourism Fair (FITUR) in January 2026, where the country will showcase Pedernales as the next major tourism hub, envisioned as a ‘second Punta Cana.’ Abinader further emphasized that 99.1% of visitors adhere to national laws, while the government remains committed to eradicating illegal activities, particularly child exploitation in areas like Sosúa, ensuring tourism remains safe and sustainable.