Abinader: Tourism supports more than 750,000 direct jobs in the country.

Tourism supports more than 750,000 direct jobs in the country.

President Luis Abinader defined tourism as the Dominican Republic’s “main industry” in his speech at the International Labor Organization (ILO) American Regional Conference, which began yesterday at the Barceló Hotels convention center with the participation of delegates from 24 countries and concludes this Friday.

The president highlighted tourism as the country’s “main industry” and the jobs it generates: “More than 11 million visitors in 2024 will support 750,000 direct jobs and more than 870,000 indirect jobs, a figure that makes the sector one of the largest generators of opportunities in the region.”

Public policies

Let me share with you the Dominican Republic’s experience, Abinader said. “In recent years, we have demonstrated that putting employment at the center of public policies generates visible and encouraging results.”

He explained that the Dominican Republic leads economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean, with rates above the regional average, which, according to ECLAC, will barely reach 1.9% this year, while the Dominican Republic has maintained a steady pace of around 5% annually in recent years.

We have created,” he added, “more than 200,000 new formal jobs in recent years, placing us among the countries that have most recovered their labor market after the pandemic. And real wages have begun to gain purchasing power, and for the first time in decades, the minimum wage covers, on average, the cost of the basic food basket in key sectors,” he indicated. He added that through the technical-professional training system, INFOTEP, they have trained more than 3.5 million people since 2020, aligning worker preparation with digital transformation, Industry 4.0, renewable energy, and new value chains. “These are not just numbers. They are real stories of men and women who today have more security, more income, and more hope.”

Diario Libre / Page 15
Resumenturismo.com
Thursday, October 2, 2025