The Dominican Republic is not just for sun worshippers seeking long days in the warm Caribbean sunshine with a piña colada in one hand and a fresh shrimp canapé in the other.

The Dominican Republic's key geographic position in the center of the Caribbean Sea positions it as a strategic commercial and business center, while its lively culture and splendid climate make it appealing to business travelers. A growing number of large-scale resort and meeting facilities make the Dominican Republic one of the epicenters in the Caribbean for trade shows and conventions. Nearly equidistant to Central America to the west, North America to the north and South America to the south, and with all the Antilles in close proximity, there is no better business destination in the Caribbean than the Dominican Republic.

Due to new airport infrastructure, improved roads, new connectivity technology and a wealth of hotel inventory, the Dominican Republic offers visitors an easily accessible place to do business. Add to this the great all-inclusive hotel values and competitively priced airfares, and the island then becomes extremely cost-effective too.

But what makes a meeting or convention truly special in the Dominican Republic are the welcoming people, the national passion for salsa and merengue, and the delicious Latin/Caribbean cuisine. There’s also the endless array of activities from snorkeling barrier reefs to surveying 500 years of Spanish colonial history in Santo Domingo. The only problem with doing business in the Dominican Republic is that there’ll come a time when you have to go home.

World-Class Infrastructure
More and more international companies and forums come to the Dominican Republic to hold business meetings and conventions. There are meeting facilities on every coast in most mega resorts, and modern telecommunications systems are in place to carry out the day-to-day activities and transactions in between rounds of golf.

As the number one destination in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic has nearly 75,000 rooms and more than 674 hotels, with more and grander hotels opening every year. There is no shortage of meeting space here, with the average major resort having meeting facilities that accommodate 500 to 1,300 or more people. The Meliá Santo Domingo, for example, has high-speed Internet and 11 meeting rooms for a total of 750 people. In addition, business meetings in the Dominican Republic are tax-deductible for U.S. citizens, thanks to the Tax Information Exchange Agreement with the Caribbean Basin Initiative.

For a full listing of large-capacity facilities, visit our Lodging section.

A superb meeting and hospitality infrastructure wouldn't be any good without an equally top-quality airport system. The Dominican Republic has seven major international airports located in Santo Domingo, La Romana, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Barahona, Santiago and Samaná. Four of these are managed by Aerodom, which oversees the day-to-day operations of six airports, as well as their continued expansions and technological updates.

In 2007, the Dominican Republic welcomed more than 4.4 million visitors via air, according to the Central Bank of Dominican Republic, showing the country's capacity and desire to welcome foreigners for business and pleasure. Travel agencies like World Vacations in Miami, Fla., can organize your trips to the country.

For more information on new flights, new air carriers and more information about how to get here as well as a list of the major regional and international airports, see our Focus On section.

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