Billion-Dollar Investments in the Dominican Republic: The Tourism ProjectsTransforming the Country

The Dominican Republic is experiencing in 2026 one of the most dynamic investment cycles in its recent
history. The tourism sector has attracted billions of dollars in internationally significant projects, making the
country the most active destination in the Caribbean in terms of hotel and resort development. According to
data from the Dominican Central Bank, tourism revenues reached $8.5 billion between January and
September of 2025 alone — a figure that confirms the sector’s strength as a foreign currency generator and
justifies the confidence of major international investors in the Dominican market. The country has evolved from
being recognized primarily for its affordable all-inclusive offering to firmly establishing itself in the ultra-premium
segment of global tourism.

Among the most emblematic projects transforming the country’s tourism landscape is the St. Regis Cap Cana,
inaugurated in May 2025, which brought to the destination Marriott International’s legendary 24-hour butler
service. Equally significant was the opening of W Punta Cana in Uvero Alto in June 2025, which marked the
global debut of the W Hotels brand in the all-inclusive segment — combining the chain’s signature avant-garde
energy and design aesthetic with the convenience of a single-payment format. Both openings were celebrated
across the industry as definitive confirmation that the Dominican Republic has reached the level of the world’s
most sophisticated destinations, successfully attracting the brands with the greatest recognition and
aspirational power in global hospitality.

The project pipeline for 2026 and beyond is equally impressive. The Four Seasons Resort and Residences
Dominican Republic at Tropicalia, under construction on Playa Esmeralda in Miches, encompasses 95 rooms
and 25 private residences designed by the renowned Brazilian architect Isay Weinfeld, with an opening
projected for late 2026. Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana, with a $1.5 billion investment and two 18-story
towers featuring 2,171 rooms, is on track to become the largest resort in the country by room count. The
Rosewood Punta Cana, announced in partnership with Grupo Puntacana, will offer 78 suites including
innovative overwater villas, with an opening slated for 2029. The arrival of these ultra-luxury brands
permanently repositions the Dominican Republic on the global map of premium tourism.

Beyond individual projects, the Dominican Republic has implemented a public policy framework that actively
facilitates and stimulates tourism investment. The CONFOTUR Law grants tax exemptions over defined
periods to tourism developments that meet specific criteria, a factor that has been decisive in leading
international funds, hotel chains, and private developers to choose the country over its Caribbean competitors.
Dominican legislation guarantees foreign investors exactly the same property rights as national citizens,
including the right to freely repatriate capital and profits in convertible currency. This legal certainty, combined
with the country’s macroeconomic stability, creates an extraordinarily favorable environment for large-scale
capital deployment.

The economic impact of this investment wave extends far beyond hotel metrics. Thousands of direct and
indirect jobs are being created, air and land connectivity infrastructure is being developed, and the local
economies of historically underserved destinations — such as Miches, Pedernales, and Playa Grande on the
north coast — are being energized. The expansion of Casa de Campo, the development of Miches as a new
emerging luxury hub, and the consolidation of Cap Cana as a world-class resort city are all part of a coherent
strategic vision that the Dominican government, under Tourism Minister David Collado — recognized by the
UNWTO as Minister of Tourism for the Americas — has articulated and executed with historically verifiable
results.