What you notice first about the Dominican Republic is its size. This is not just another tiny Caribbean island with a beach and a straw market. Instead, it's a big country with spectacularly varied scenery that includes the tallest mountains in the region, stretches of white sand that run unbroken for miles/kilometers and the Caribbean's oldest and—some claim—most cosmopolitan city, Santo Domingo.
The Dominican Republic was for long one of the Caribbean's more obscure locales. Then the Dominican Republic's government began splashing its assets around the world in colorful television and print advertisements in a determination to elevate the country's name on the list of Caribbean vacation spots.
Evidence of their success is visible throughout the country. Visitor numbers have soared along with the construction of dozens of all-inclusive resorts. There's also been an increase in visits by cruise ships to the ports of Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata and La Romana. Other improvements can be traced to the pursuit of tourism income: Many of the country's roads have been widened and paved,Read More ... historic areas in the major cities have been renovated, and in recent years the nation has gained a new cache among the world's rich and famous as more and more deluxe boutique hotels open. In 2006, the Dominican Republic received more than four million visitors—far outstripping any other isle in the Caribbean. Though the growth in tourism is easing some of the country's economic troubles, it hasn't ended the desperate conditions experienced by many Dominicans. The unemployment rate is high, and more than a quarter of the people live in poverty—residing in shantytowns and rural shacks that even visitors to all-inclusive resorts will find hard to ignore.< Show Less
