Dominican Republic Tourism Push: Fitpar Honor and Luxury Hotels
Dominican Republic · TOURISM
Key Facts
- —What happened The Dominican Republic was named guest-partner country of honor for FITPAR 2026, the 21st edition of Paraguay’s international tourism fair in Asunción.
- —How big The tourism ministry is promoting US$4 billion, about RD$250 billion, in expected investment, including a US$500 million hotel complex in Miches.
- —The catch The fair’s official launch is 26 August 2026 at the Unión Industrial Paraguaya, with the event itself in October.
- —Who pays Private developers back the headline projects, with local bank BHD financing the first phase in Miches.
- —What comes next A three-day Dominican presence in Asunción in October, with operators engaging the local trade and public.
Guest-of-honor status at Paraguay’s tourism fair pairs with a US$4 billion luxury investment pitch.
The Dominican Republic will be the guest-partner country of honor at FITPAR 2026, Paraguay’s international tourism fair, taking place on 16-18 October 2026 at the Centro de Convenciones Mariscal in Asunción. The honor gives Dominican Republic tourism officials a prominent three-day platform as they push a luxury investment agenda anchored by US$4 billion in expected projects.
FITPAR 2026 Names Dominican Republic Partner Country
FITPAR, the Feria Internacional de Turismo del Paraguay, will hold its 21st edition on 16-18 October 2026 at the Centro de Convenciones Mariscal in Asunción. The Dominican Republic will attend as guest-partner country of honor.
The fair is organized by ASATUR, Paraguay’s tourism association, with backing from SENATUR, the national tourism secretariat. The official launch is set for 26 August 2026 at the Unión Industrial Paraguaya.
As partner country, the Dominican Republic will hold a prominent presence across the three days. Its delegation and operators will engage directly with the Paraguayan trade and the general public.
The role is a showcase for Dominican Republic tourism in a South American market the country has been working to grow.
FITPAR’s 21st edition continues a fair that has become Paraguay’s main meeting point for travel agencies, tour operators and destinations. Landing the guest-of-honor slot gives the Dominican delegation top billing in programming and exhibition space.
How the Role Was Formalized
The guest-of-honor role was formalized by a letter of intent signed on 15 October 2025 in Santo Domingo. The signatories were Tourism Minister David Collado and Paraguay’s Tourism Minister Angie Duarte de Melillo.
The signing took place during a UN Tourism event, giving the agreement an international frame. Paraguay and the Dominican Republic have both raised their profiles in the organization.
For the Dominican Republic, the FITPAR slot is one piece of a broader strategy that mixes trade promotion abroad with investment attraction at home.
The sequence of events is deliberate: the letter of intent in October 2025, the FITUR luxury pitch in January 2026, the official FITPAR launch on 26 August 2026, and the fair itself in October.
Paraguay, in turn, gets a headline partner with one of the strongest tourism brands in the Americas for its flagship fair.
Luxury Push Anchors Dominican Republic Tourism Strategy
The luxury focus was set out at FITUR in Madrid on 21-25 January 2026. There, Mitur, the tourism ministry led by David Collado, centered its pitch on US$4 billion, roughly RD$250 billion, in investment expectations.
Vice Minister Jacqueline Mora described luxury as “a driver for tourism real estate”, tying high-end hotels to property development.
The strategy builds on record arrivals: the country received 11.7 million visitors in 2025, and 1,219,606 in January 2026 alone, up 5.5% year on year.
Dominican Republic tourism officials argue that moving upmarket raises spending per visitor rather than relying only on volume growth.
The January 2026 figure is striking because it shows the record pace continuing into the new year. A base of more than a million visitors in a single month gives investors confidence that new rooms can be filled.
Flagship Projects: Miches, Cap Cana and Punta Cana
The largest concrete deal is a US$500 million JW Marriott and Autograph Collection complex at Playa Esmeralda in Miches. It will have 650 rooms, with a first phase of US$300 million financed by BHD.
Miches, on the country’s northeastern coast, has been positioned as the next major resort pole after Punta Cana, and the Marriott commitment is one of the largest hotel investments announced for the area to date.
The Miches property will be the country’s and the region’s first all-inclusive luxury hotel under the JW Marriott brand, extending a luxury brand into a format the Dominican Republic pioneered.
A second project brings Archipelago International together with Tonino Lamborghini in a luxury alliance. Its first development will be in Cap Cana, backed by Duna Development Group.
In Punta Cana, the Grand Aston Coral Golf Resort represents US$160 million. With 200 rooms and 325 residences, it is billed as the country’s first fully tokenized hotel, adding a novel financing twist to the luxury wave.
Together the three projects show the range of the current cycle: global brands entering all-inclusive, fashion-branded hospitality alliances, and digital-asset financing structures, all within the same US$4 billion pipeline.
Execution risk remains, as investment expectations are not completed hotels. But the record arrival figures, 11.7 million visitors in 2025, give developers a demand story that few Caribbean competitors can match.
For Asunción in October, the message will be simple: the Dominican Republic is open for both tourists and investors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Dominican Republic’s role at FITPAR 2026?
It is the guest-partner country of honor at the fair in Asunción on 16-18 October 2026, with a prominent three-day presence and operators engaging Paraguay’s trade and public.
How much luxury investment is Dominican Republic tourism promoting?
Mitur is promoting US$4 billion, about RD$250 billion, in expected investment, including a US$500 million JW Marriott and Autograph Collection complex in Miches and a US$160 million tokenized resort in Punta Cana.
What visitor numbers back the luxury push?
The country received a record 11.7 million visitors in 2025 and 1,219,606 in January 2026 alone, up 5.5% year on year.
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