The Dominican Republic’s Hotel and Tourism Association (Asonahores) held the 2025 Tourism Investment Forum, an edition marked by a strategic focus on sports tourism, a sector identified as one of the main opportunities for diversification and capital attraction in the coming years.
The event brought together government authorities, business leaders, sports organizations, and national and international experts in a space designed to outline the roadmap for positioning the country as a regional leader in sports, international events, and specialized infrastructure.
Asonahores president Juan Bancalari highlighted the importance of diversifying the tourism offering to sustain the historic growth the Dominican Republic is currently experiencing.
“A key factor behind the strength of a tourism destination is diversification. Our country today shows formidable and sustainable tourism growth, consolidating itself as one of the main engines of the national economy,” he said.
Bancalari emphasized that the development of sports tourism opens a scenario full of opportunities for investors. “This outlook represents a major and attractive investment opportunity for those who choose to bet on sports tourism… Betting on the Dominican Republic is always the right decision, and sports tourism is part of our future development and diversification,” he added.
Asonahores Executive Vice President Aguie Lendor stressed that this edition of the forum seeks to elevate the level of analysis and trace concrete routes for public–private collaboration.
“This is a meeting designed to stimulate strategic reflection, public–private collaboration and technical analysis of the opportunities offered by Dominican tourism. In this edition, we are convened by a particularly relevant theme: sports tourism,” she said.
Lendor highlighted the economic, social, and urban impact of this segment. “Sports tourism is today a fundamental driver of economic development… The Dominican Republic is in an exceptional position to become a regional benchmark. This forum aims to transform that opportunity into a concrete path of action, investment, and future,” she noted.
Three panels to define the vision for Dominican sports tourism
The forum featured three specialized panels with sports leaders, business executives, and authorities:
World-Class Sports Tourism
High-profile international figures shared strategic perspectives on positioning the country as a global reference. Participants included Manuel Sajour (golf), Mario Monterrosa (Concacaf – football), and Junior Noboa (MLB – baseball), moderated by Andrés Marranzini Grullón.
The Dominican Republic as a Multi-Sport Destination
This panel explored expansion opportunities in disciplines such as equestrian sports, fishing, surfing, tennis, and padel. Speakers included Juan Bancalari, Jack Astacio, José Hernández, and Joel Schad, moderated by Yerik Pérez.
Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026
Featuring Luisín Mejía, José P. Monegro, and Augusto Castro, moderated by Manuel Luna, this panel discussed the event’s impact on infrastructure, urban development, international projection, and the country’s organizational capacity.
Recognition of Tourism Transactiones of the Year
The event concluded with the presentation of the Transactions of the Year, an award recognizing tourism investment initiatives that have exemplarily contributed to the growth, competitiveness, and sustainability of the sector.
Transaction of the Year:
Awarded to Punta Bergantín, a project made possible through the alliance of multiple institutions that structured an investment of more than US$500 million. The recognition was granted to Fideicomiso Punta Bergantín, Banreservas, AFP Reservas, Excel, and the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic.
Innovative Transaction of the Year:
Awarded to Banco Popular Dominicano for being the first financial institution to acquire a stake in the companies owning the Paradisus Palma Real Golf & Spa and ZEL by Meliá hotels.
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