SANTO DOMINGO. - The Dominican tourism has been marred by weaknesses, including lack of safety for the tourist, from which the country risks losing its competitiveness as a preferred Caribbean destination. "Nowadays fears of insecurity are greater than ever from the difficulties that have appeared in different regions of the world," said ex Tourism minister Ellis Perez.

Other unfavorable factors are the high taxes and the United States Government passport requirement for its citizens to travel. He said people look for places to spend safe vacations where they have nothing to fear, where they feel calm, where their physical security isn’t threatened.

Perez urged Dominicans to develop competitiveness to keep Dominican Republic a place where tourists aren’t frightened. He said the Caribbean is currently in a critical time as statistics show that it’s one of the declining tourism destinations from the less than expected tourist arrivals. "In such a competitive world as today’s, especially in the tourism area, one does not compete by area or region, competition is in the global scope instead."

The tourism industry generates 0.8 direct jobs per hotel room, according to the National Hotels and Restaurants Association (Asonahores). The resorts in Bavaro, one of the country’s major tourism regions, generate 16,900 jobs, whereas more than 2,500 people work in Cabarete (north), one of the country’s fastest-growing areas.

According to the figures from official and private entities, 2006 was a good for the industry, which showed a continuous growth. According to the Central Bank in the first seven months this year the arrival of nonresident foreigners by air grew 0.03 percent compared with the same last year period.

Investments in tourism projects are expected to grow an annual average of 4% until 2015, until reaching US$2.34 billion, which would then represent 25.2% of the economy’s total investments.

Tourism is expected to be a US$15.7 billion industry in 2015, with a 4.2% average annual growth starting this year.