In times of a troubling global economy, tourism has experienced a decline in many areas. However, the Dominican Republic has managed to continue to grow in the area of tourism. The DR is quickly establishing itself as a world leader in regards to tourism, and it is not slowing down.
It has proven that economic slowdowns and concerns will not keep tourists from visiting the area and spending money to stimulate the economy. In fact the DR has seen a 6.55% growth in tourism for the first part of 2008, a number that is almost unheard of during the current economic state of the world. While other countries are losing tourists at a record rate, the Dominican Republic is still building up their tourism industry.
As the DR has managed to enjoy continued growth through tourism, there are measures being put in place in order to allow the area to continue to experience growth. Investors, along with the government, have realized an improved infrastructure can lead to even more growth in regards to tourism. Because of that, money is being put into the tourism industry like never before. The money is being used to make the Dominican Republic even more attractive to tourists.
One of the most significant investments in regards to tourism is from a development group from the Balearic Islands. This group has plans to invest money on a railway from Santiago to Santa Domingo. This is very significant for several reasons. The influx of money will help travelers go back and forth to the area, it will make the area more marketable, and it will increase jobs in the DR.
The development group plans on investing 3.7 billion euros into this project. This investment will span a four year period and is likely to improve the already strong tourism industry in the DR.
With all of the investments that are going into the tourism industry in the Dominican Republic, major airlines could not help but notice. There have been serious financial declines for major airlines in the last several years due to economic woes experienced around the world. However, the airlines see the opportunity to reverse their fortune by adding flights to the DR.
Two major airlines, JetBlue and Delta, have recognized the power of tourism in the DR, and because of that, they are changing the way they fly to the area. JetBlue is preparing to launch an intra-Caribbean service, which will have continuous flights between San Juan, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Delta plans to focus on adding more flights to the DR. By the winter time, they plan on having several more available flights to the Dominican Republic on a daily basis. The efforts of both airlines should help boost tourism in the DR.
While the influx of resources into the Dominican Republic is important, it is also important to realize how those resources have directly affected the residents of the area. With tourism comes job creation, and the DR is proof of that. Currently, the DR has given jobs to 550,000 people thanks to tourism. Projected numbers show job creation from tourism to reach 743,000 within the next ten years.
With the focus on job creation and visitor satisfaction, the Dominican Republic has managed to break away from the mold the rest of the world is involved in when it comes to tourism. Unlike other countries, the DR has managed to benefit from tourism and grow because of it.
It does not appear likely that tourism will slow down in the DR in the near future. The abundance of resources, along with increased interest in the area, has allowed the Dominican Republic to defy the world economy and continue to grow in ways never imagined.
