Cruise Tourism on a Roll in the Dominican Republic

The tourism industry in the Dominican Republic reported revenues of 5.6 million dollars during the 2007-2008 cruise season. Some 70,000 cruise travelers, 38 percent of whom came from Latin America, visited this city.

European travelers accounted for 33 percent, compared to 27 percent of US tourists and nearly 2 percent from other countries.

According to estimates from the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), which monitors major issues in the cruise industry, each tourist visiting Santo Domingo spends about 80 dollars in goods and services.

Experts estimated that some 82,000 travelers would visit the country during the upcoming cruise season that begins in October, when 40 ships are expected to dock in the Dominican Republic.