U.S. tourists in Dominican Republic south rely on cash due to payment gaps

A collaboration between the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism and Visa has revealed that 71% of U.S. tourists visiting the southern coastal region rely on cash due to a lack of alternative payment methods.

These visitors typically stay for up to five days and spend an average of $173 per day, often exceeding their planned budgets by up to 35%. Jacqueline Mora, the technical Vice Minister of Tourism, noted that the high dependency on cash is driven by a shortage of ATMs and point-of-sale terminals (verifones) in the region.

Mora emphasized the urgent need for the financial sector to engage with local merchants, shops, and small to medium-sized enterprises in the south. The goal is to stimulate banking integration and provide the infrastructure necessary to improve credit access and business standards to better serve international tourists.