AGP Executive Report

Tourism & Investment: Dominican Week 2026 kicks off in Santo Domingo and Punta Cana (July 7–10), bringing together lawyers, regulators and business leaders to discuss AI, cross-border investment and economic development. Real Estate & Payments: AEREDIUM joined Lava’s tokenization sandbox to test multi-chain real estate settlement using Alba Bay as a real-world case—aimed at easing fragmented settlement for investors and developers. Housing Costs: Lawyers say DR’s rent hikes in the National District are largely governed by “freedom of contract,” with tenants’ main protection tied to lease terms and renewal clauses. Fuel Retail Pressure: ANADEGAS is pushing the government and the Superintendency of Banks to rein in credit/debit card fees, arguing commissions are squeezing margins at gas stations. Digital Security: Indotel is moving ahead with a procurement process for a Cybersecurity Assistance Center to help citizens with scams, identity theft, hacked accounts and online fraud. Trade Talks: Ecuador and the Dominican Republic begin negotiations on a partial trade agreement to expand market access and set clearer rules. Infrastructure & Safety: Dajabón’s Massacre River border bridge is deteriorating, with rust and a collapsed metal gate raising fears for trade and daily crossings. Aviation & Tourism Growth: JetBlue cuts some Dominican Republic routes this summer, while Lopesan inaugurates three new Punta Cana resorts with 300M+ euros in investment.

Tourism Momentum: Dominican tourism hit a record first half, with 6.62 million visitors arriving Jan–Jun 2026 (+7.7% vs. 2025), putting the country on track to surpass 12 million for the year. FDI & Investment Climate: The Americas Investment Forum 2026 wrapped up with an estimated US$4.15 billion in investment intentions, reinforcing the DR’s push to attract more foreign capital. Cybersecurity for Citizens: Indotel is moving ahead with a Cybersecurity Assistance Center to help people respond to scams, hacked accounts, identity theft, sextortion, and online fraud. Airport Security Upgrade: Aerodom delivered 18 explosives detection dogs to Cesac to strengthen airport surveillance and inspections, alongside broader airport investment plans. Tourism Costs & Solid Waste Fees: Tourism associations asked the government to review how the solid waste fee law is applied, saying it disproportionately burdens MSMEs. Punta Cana Hotel Expansion: Lopesan inaugurated three new Punta Cana resorts (300M+ euros), adding 1,000+ rooms and a convention center for MICE tourism. Trade Talks: Ecuador and the DR began negotiations for a partial trade agreement to expand market access and set clearer trade rules. Exchange Rates: The Central Bank set the euro at RD$67.35 buy / RD$69.38 sell for July 7.

Air Connectivity: JetBlue is cutting three Dominican Republic routes this summer, ending Tampa–Punta Cana and discontinuing Newark–Punta Cana plus Newark–Santo Domingo, while keeping nonstop service from JFK. Public Finance & Spending: The government kicked off the 2027 General State Budget process, setting guidelines to steer investment toward education, health, infrastructure, productivity and institutional strengthening. Budget Oversight Meeting: Ministers and directors began arriving for an Abinader-led Government Council meeting at the National Palace to review execution and policy monitoring, including steps to optimize spending. Cybersecurity for Citizens: Indotel started the procurement process for a Cybersecurity Assistance Center to help people respond to scams, identity theft, account takeovers and other digital incidents. Transport Rules: Intrant reiterated it has not approved any public transport fare increase and warned commuters not to pay higher rates. Tourism & Tech: MITUR launched the “Colonial Challenge,” a mobile, game-based way to explore Santo Domingo’s Colonial City and unlock local rewards. Energy/Research Deal: The DR and Mexico signed a three-year energy research and innovation agreement focused on hydrocarbon and technology development. Aviation Fees: Aerodom received authorization to raise airport passenger and baggage handling fees across its terminals via Decree 367-26. Digital Ethics: A regional AI ethics roadmap was approved in Santo Domingo, aiming to guide ethical AI policy across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Tourism Momentum: The Dominican Republic logged 6.62 million visitors in the first half of 2026 (+7.7% vs. 2025), putting it on track to top 12 million this year, with 4.96 million air arrivals and 1.65 million cruise passengers. Transport & Costs: Intrant says no public transport fare increase has been approved, warning operators against unauthorized hikes. Airport Fees: Aerodom’s 2026 passenger and baggage handling fee increases were legalized via Decree 367-26. Energy & Innovation: DR and Mexico signed a three-year energy research and innovation agreement to boost hydrocarbon sector R&D and knowledge transfer. Finance & FX: The Central Bank set the euro at RD$67.40 (buy) and RD$69.47 (sell) on July 6. Health System Pressure: Private clinics (Andeclip) will vote July 8 on whether to suspend ARS services amid reimbursement shortfalls. Legal Watch: The Medusa case returns to court Monday as judges rule on defense motions that could move the process forward. Digital Tourism: MITUR launched the “Colonial Challenge” interactive game route through Santo Domingo’s Colonial City. AI Policy: Over 20 countries agreed on a regional roadmap for ethical AI under the Santo Domingo Declaration.

Tourism Momentum: The Dominican Republic logged 6,616,671 visitors in the first half of 2026, up 7.7% year-on-year, with 4,963,542 stayover arrivals by air and 1,653,129 cruise passengers—keeping the country on track to push past 12 million this year. MSME Finance Push: MICM and Equifax Dominicana signed an agreement to expand financial inclusion, formalization, and business development for Dominican micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. Banking Recognition: Banco de Reservas was named among Central America and DR’s leading companies in Revista Summa’s 2026 study, ranking first in the DR for organizational culture. Rural Water Gap: A new ENHOGAR-MICS 2025 report says only 68% of rural households have safe access to treated drinking water (vs. 92% in urban areas), with health risks and inequality impacts. Heat Warning: Extreme heat is expected to persist through at least July 14, raising risks of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. China Air-Route Talks: China’s ambassador said efforts are underway for a direct flight between China and the DR to boost tourism, trade and cultural exchange.

Banking Recognition: Banreservas was named one of Central America and the Dominican Republic’s leading companies for 2026 by Revista Summa, ranking first in the country for organizational culture and scoring across learning agility, innovation, and digital transformation. Water & Health Equity: A new ENHOGAR-MICS 2025 snapshot shows only 68% of rural Dominican households have safe access to treated drinking water (92% in urban areas), with gaps worst in deep south and border regions and risks rising for children under five. Heat Risk: The Dominican Republic remains under an “extreme heat” warning through at least July 14, with NOAA-linked forecasts pointing to multiple days of dangerous heat stress, raising the odds of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Skills for Industry: Industry and Commerce Minister Eduardo “Yayo” Sanz Lovatón says the DR has the human capital to back higher-tech investment, highlighting a Spain partnership offering 150 scholarships for Dominican women managers in industrial leadership and digital transformation. State Capacity: The Ministry of Public Administration says 21 state reorganization processes have been carried out since Sept. 2024, including major planning/fiscal consolidation between the economy and finance ministries. Humanitarian Trade & Airlift: Arajet and the Dominican government coordinated a humanitarian flight to Venezuela carrying medical staff, equipment, medicines, and a mobile hospital, with logistics support donated by Caribe Cargo. Real Estate & Urban Growth: Noval Properties unveiled Coralia, a mixed-use waterfront project in Santo Domingo Este featuring condo-hotel towers, a hotel tower, convention space, commercial areas, and recreation. Rural Tech Education: Flow Foundation’s ICT Innovation Teacher of the Year award went to Duval Ebanks of Camperdown Primary School, with the winner set to attend a Dominican Republic tech conference in August.

Fuel Relief: The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs cut fuel prices for July 4–10, lowering regular gasoline and regular diesel by RD$5 per gallon and premium fuels by RD$3, backed by a RD$424.53 million subsidy. Public Administration Restructuring: The Ministry of Public Administration said 21 state reorganization processes have been carried out since Sept. 2024, including major mergers such as Economy/Planning with Finance, aiming for leaner, more coherent institutions. Tourism & Investment Push: Noval Properties unveiled Coralia, a mixed-use waterfront project in Santo Domingo Este featuring condo-hotel towers, a hotel tower, convention space and commercial areas. Regional Tech Governance: Belize took over the ERDI pro tempore presidency from the Dominican Republic, with a focus on regional cybersecurity, cross-border electronic signatures and responsible AI use. Creative Economy: Banreservas Cultural Center in Santiago launched the Popular Arts Fair to spotlight artisans and strengthen the local creative economy. Energy/Connectivity: Neos inaugurated a Rome–Holguín direct route with a technical stop in the DR, highlighting renewed connectivity for eastern Cuba. Sports & Talent: Roldy Brito, a Dominican prospect, was named to the MLB All-Star Futures roster.

Fuel Relief: The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs cut fuel prices for July 4–10, lowering regular gasoline and regular diesel by RD$5 per gallon and premium fuels by RD$3, backed by a RD$424.53 million subsidy to cushion consumers from volatile international refining costs. Public Administration Restructuring: The Ministry of Public Administration said 21 state reorganization processes have been carried out since Sept. 2024, including major mergers like Economy Planning with Finance, aiming for leaner, more coherent institutions. Tourism & Connectivity: Italian airline Neos launched a weekly Rome–Holguín direct route, a boost for Cuba-bound travel that also highlights how Caribbean air links keep shifting. Regional Tech Policy: CARICOM pushed for stronger regional cooperation on AI ethics and disinformation, with the discussion held in the Dominican Republic. Real Estate Push: Noval Properties unveiled Coralia, a mixed-use waterfront project in Santo Domingo Este with condo-hotel towers, a hotel tower, convention center and commercial areas. Creative Economy: Banreservas opened the Popular Arts Fair in Santiago, spotlighting artisans and workshops to support local cultural production. Business Links Abroad: The Santiago Chamber signed an MoU with the Ras Al Khaimah Chamber (UAE) to expand trade, investment, and business missions. Energy/Agri Investment: The government highlighted major avocado agroecological park investment and broader development efforts tied to productivity and jobs.

Tourism & Air Connectivity: Italian airline Neos launched a new weekly Rome–Holguín direct route, landing 238 passengers at Frank País Airport and aiming to restore European access to eastern Cuba as the island’s tourism connectivity remains strained. Fuel Prices: The Dominican government cut fuel prices for July 4–10, lowering regular gasoline and diesel by RD$5 per gallon and premium fuels by RD$3, supported by a RD$424.53M subsidy (LPG unchanged). Public Administration Reform: The Ministry of Public Administration said 21 state reorganization processes have been carried out since Sept. 2024, including a major merger of the Economy/Planning and Finance ministries to reduce duplication and improve fiscal-policy coherence. Infrastructure & Investment: The government presented the RD$32B “Amber Highway” project in Puerto Plata, a four-lane expressway expected to cut Santiago–Puerto Plata travel time by about one hour and start construction after bidding in Aug. 2026. Agri & Rural Development: FEDA began building the “Saving the Mountains” avocado agroecological park in San Cristóbal, a nearly US$3.2M project combining production, agritourism, and environmental conservation. Business & Trade Links: Santiago’s chamber signed an MoU with Ras Al Khaimah (UAE) to boost trade, investment, and business missions between the regions. Consumer/Travel Tech Watch: A consumer investigation flagged Tripadvisor’s AI summaries for potentially understating serious hotel safety and hygiene complaints.

Tourism Boom: The Dominican Republic logged a record 6,616,671 visitors in the first half of 2026 (+7.7% vs. 2025), with June alone bringing 975,012 arrivals as the government projects 12 million for the year. Big Infrastructure: The RD$32 billion “Amber Highway” was presented in Puerto Plata, a four-lane expressway aimed at cutting Santiago–Puerto Plata travel time by about an hour, with construction expected to start in August 2026 after bidding and environmental reviews. Investment Pitch: Vice President Raquel Peña told the Americas Investment Forum 2026 that legal certainty and public-private coordination are driving confidence, citing foreign direct investment above US$5B in a year and US$1.54B in Q1 2026. Tax Change: A new 0.20% tax on checks and certain electronic transfers takes effect July 3 under Law 30-26, with exemptions for same-owner transfers and some government/social payments. Telecom Disruption: Altice Dominicana said it’s still working to restore mobile service after a major outage tied to an electrical problem in its equipment. Public Safety Crackdown: Authorities dismantled an illicit alcohol operation in Azua, destroying about 25,440 liters of adulterated product. Business & Trade Links: The Santiago Chamber signed an MoU with the Ras Al Khaimah Chamber (UAE) to boost trade, investment, and company networking. Tech for Health: ITLA and SeNaSa expanded talks to strengthen collaboration, including support for ProtoScanner prosthetics and digital transformation of public services.

Tourism Boom: The Dominican Republic hit a record 6.62 million visitors in Jan–Jun 2026 (+7.7% vs. 2025), with June alone bringing 975,012 arrivals as the country targets 12 million for the year. Investment Push: At the Americas Investment Forum, President Abinader and ProDominicana stressed legal certainty, macro stability, and nearshoring opportunities to attract “sustainable” capital. Tax & Payments: A new 0.20% tax on checks and certain electronic transfers kicks in July 3 under Law 30-26, raising the rate from 0.15% while exempting same-owner transfers and some government/social payments. Construction Costs: COPYMECON warns inflation is crushing construction MSMEs by driving up materials, labor, equipment, and financing costs. Telecom Disruption: Altice Dominicana is still working to restore intermittent mobile service after a technical/electrical equipment failure. Tourism Waste Fight: Asonahores says it will keep pushing for changes to a newly amended solid-waste law, warning of economic harm to the tourism sector. Public Security: Authorities extradited a woman accused of meth trafficking to the U.S., underscoring ongoing DR–U.S. cooperation.

Investment Climate: President Luis Abinader opened the Americas Investment Forum (AIF) 2026, pitching the Dominican Republic as a trusted hub for foreign capital built on macro stability, legal certainty and clear rules. Agribusiness & Tourism: FEDA is building the RD$194M “Saving the Mountains” Avocado Agroecological Park in San Cristóbal, aiming to boost the avocado value chain while adding agritourism and conservation. Tech & Telecom: Altice Dominicana says it’s still working to restore mobile service intermittency, with teams working around the clock alongside infrastructure manufacturer specialists. Waste & Tourism Costs: Asonahores is pushing for dialogue over a newly approved solid waste law amendment, warning it could hurt tourism-linked businesses and was passed without enough consensus. Public Safety & Trade: Authorities extradited a Dominican woman accused of meth trafficking to the U.S., citing strengthened DR–U.S. cooperation against transnational crime. Humanitarian Aid: The DR sent another sea shipment of humanitarian supplies to earthquake-hit Venezuela under Operation Quisqueya Solidaria 2026, coordinated with state, private and civil-society collection efforts. Climate Policy: Max Puig highlighted the DR’s push to implement NDC 3.0, focusing on financing, transparency and sector emissions cuts. Consumer Tech Watch: A Which? investigation says Tripadvisor’s AI hotel review summaries can miss serious complaints, raising reputational risk for hospitality brands.

Investment & Policy: President Luis Abinader used the Americas Investment Forum in Santo Domingo to pitch the DR as a stable, rules-based destination, citing 2025 FDI of over US$5B and free-trade zone growth. Aviation & Industry: FL Technics received IDAC RAD-145 certification to start certified aircraft maintenance operations from its Punta Cana MRO hub. Climate Risk Finance: The DR became the first LAC country to roll parametric insurance into Supérate’s adaptive social protection, targeting 3,030 climate-vulnerable households with faster payouts after extreme rainfall or wind events. Payments & Retail Fuel: Transport operators pushed back on proposals to remove card terminals at gas stations, warning cash-only could raise robbery risks and urging negotiations to lower card fees. Humanitarian Aid: The DR shipped a new maritime aid batch to Venezuela under Quisqueya Solidaria 2026, including food, water, and medicines collected via state, private, media, and civil society efforts. FX Watch: Central Bank reference rates for July 1 showed the peso strengthening versus the dollar and euro. Legal/Media: ESPN fully retracted a story linking NFL player Mike Pennel to a Dominican woman’s death, citing documentation provided by his representatives.

Aviation & Jobs: FL Technics received IDAC Maintenance Organization certification to launch certified aircraft maintenance services from its new Punta Cana MRO hub, a step aimed at boosting safety and local employment. Quality Infrastructure: ODAC expanded TDP Dominicana’s accredited calibration scope (pressure and temperature), letting energy, manufacturing, telecoms, food, pharma and technical services access more specialized services locally. Social Protection & Climate Risk: The DR became the first in Latin America/Caribbean to plug parametric insurance into Supérate’s adaptive social protection, with payouts triggered by verified satellite/meteorological data for climate-vulnerable households. Mental Health at Work: The National Drug Council rolled out a Workplace Prevention and Wellbeing Plan to help public and private employers train staff on mental health promotion and addiction prevention. Payments at the Pump: Transporters warned against removing card terminals at fuel stations, saying cash-only would raise robbery risks and urged talks to lower card fees without losing electronic payments. Investment Spotlight: The DR will host the Americas Investment Forum 2026 in Santo Domingo (July 1–3), positioning the country for new trade and investment partnerships. FX Watch: Central Bank reference rates for July 1 showed the peso strengthening versus the dollar and euro.

Tourism & Branding: Emilio Estefan backed the Dominican Republic’s Miches push at a Florida event, praising the destination’s growth as Tourism Minister David Collado showcased investment and hotel/airline interest. Banking Leadership: The Association of Multiple Banks (ABA) confirmed Rosanna Ruiz’s exit as executive president after six years, highlighting progress on financial inclusion, innovation, and sector development ahead of a succession process. Climate & Risk Planning: The government unveiled NDC 3.0 (RD-2025), targeting deeper emissions cuts and adding adaptation measures across water, agriculture, health, tourism, and coastal resources, with an estimated US$23.7B investment need. Infrastructure & Connectivity: Indotel authorized Swordfish Infrastructure to operate private telecom carrier services, clearing the way for Google-led subsea cable landing and broader digital connectivity. Ports & Trade Links: Antigua and Barbuda floated cutting Rat Island to expand container storage and strengthen transshipment links involving the Dominican Republic. Tourism Growth via Sports: Cap Cana doubled down on sports tourism, citing major event hosting and plans to expand its international calendar to drive longer stays and higher spending. Road Expansion: MOPC advanced the Frank Rainieri Tourist Boulevard widening (Macao–Uvero Alto) to ease congestion from tourism and real estate growth. Public Health Funding: Health and Conavihsida launched a national dialogue to secure long-term financing for the HIV response 2026–2030 as the country transitions from international support.

Climate Policy: The Dominican Republic unveiled NDC 3.0, aiming to cut emissions 28% by 2030 and 32% by 2035, with 41 adaptation measures across key sectors and an estimated US$23.7B investment need. Tourism & Infrastructure: Cap Cana is doubling down on sports tourism, while MOPC is expanding the Frank Rainieri Tourist Boulevard (Macao–Uvero Alto) to four lanes to ease traffic tied to hotel and residential growth. Tech & Connectivity: Indotel authorized Swordfish Infrastructure to operate private telecom carrier services, clearing the way for Google’s subsea cable project to boost regional connectivity. Security & Finance: Police arrested three Colombians in a bank-client robbery ring tied to an RD$1M theft in Santiago, using a flat-tire ruse. Trade & Customs: The DR and Belgium signed a customs cooperation deal to share intelligence and coordinate against illicit trade and organized crime. Travel Costs: Law 30-26 starts reshaping travel expenses with a 50% jump in the departure fee to US$30. Cruise Momentum: FCCA honored Tourism Minister David Collado for the DR’s cruise surge, as Celebration Key’s pier expansion signals continued Caribbean demand. Beach Protection: The DR set aside US$9M to tackle sargassum, releasing funds only after an offshore collection solution is identified.