Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic is strengthening its position as a leading golf tourism destination by combining its natural attractions and hotel infrastructure with world-class golf courses.
According to Jean Carlos Navarro, head of Sports Tourism at the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur), one in three tourists who visit the country for sports-related reasons choose golf. Surveys of non-resident visitors found a satisfaction rating of 4.7 out of five, while 74% said they would recommend the Dominican Republic as a golf destination and 87.2% said they would return.
Navarro said the figures demonstrate the value of sports tourism in attracting visitors while generating positive experiences, recommendations and repeat travel.
The Dominican Republic received 9,241,246 visitors between January and September 2026, a 7.5% increase from the same period in 2025. The United States accounted for 39% of visitors, followed by Canada with 11%.
The figures were presented during a press conference for the Dominican Republic Tour Championship presented by Scotiabank, the final event of the 2026 PGA Tour Americas season, being held in the Dominican Republic for the first time from October 15 to 18.
Gonzalo Pan de Soraluce, Piñero’s global golf director, said the U.S. and Canadian markets offer significant opportunities for golf tourism because of the size and spending power of their golf communities. He noted that the United States alone has approximately 33 million golfers.
Pan de Soraluce explained that golf travelers tend to choose destinations where they can combine their vacations with their sport. He added that this segment generally stays longer and spends two to three times more than other tourists, making golfers particularly attractive to destinations seeking to expand high-value tourism.