Dominican Republic and Costa Rica see surge in foreign direct investment

The Central Bank of the Dominican Republic reported that foreign direct investment (FDI) reached $3.276 billion in the first half of 2026, a 7.7 % increase from the same period a year earlier. Energy projects accounted for 27.8 % of the inflows, tourism 20.1 %, with real estate development and mining each contributing 12.4 %. Exports and tourism revenues also rose sharply, and the bank forecasts total FDI to exceed $5.3 billion by the end of 2026 despite a competitive global environment.

Costa Rica was highlighted as the leading destination for greenfield FDI in Latin America and the Caribbean in the 2026 Greenfield FDI Performance Index. The country ranked eighth globally for projects per million inhabitants and attracted $5.121 billion in 2025, more than six times the amount expected given the size of its economy. "Nuevamente, Costa Rica demuestra su capacidad para atraer inversión de alto valor," said Laura López, general manager of Procomer. The index underscores the nation’s strong legal security, skilled workforce, and focus on innovation and sustainability.