On the occasion of Dominican Republic Week in Paris, in the presence of Minister Eduardo Sanz Lovatón, Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade Daniel Peña and the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to France, David Puig, Accor signed on Monday, October 19, 2026, at its headquarters, an impressive series of agreements that mark its large-scale expansion in the Caribbean’s leading tourist destination.
The arrival in the Dominican Republic of the French hotel group – the leading one in Europe and the sixth worldwide – had been anticipated. It is the logical consequence of the island’s dynamism for many years.
Finally! could be said, because, in the view of several participants at the ceremony and given the island’s very strong tourism momentum for several years, it was logical that a major French group could be present.
Indeed, France ranks in the top 10 source countries for visitors and plays a strategic role.
In 2025, the Dominican Republic welcomed 132,747 foreign tourists residing in France and, for 2026, the market shows positive growth. Between January and August, the country registered 112,056 tourists from France, i.e. a growth of 14.3% compared with the same period in 2025, representing 14,039 additional visitors.
The arrival in the Dominican Republic of the French hotel group – the leading one in Europe and the sixth worldwide – had been anticipated. It is the logical consequence of the island’s dynamism for many years.
Finally! could be said, because, in the view of several participants at the ceremony and given the island’s very strong tourism momentum for several years, it was logical that a major French group could be present.
Indeed, France ranks in the top 10 source countries for visitors and plays a strategic role.
In 2025, the Dominican Republic welcomed 132,747 foreign tourists residing in France and, for 2026, the market shows positive growth. Between January and August, the country registered 112,056 tourists from France, i.e. a growth of 14.3% compared with the same period in 2025, representing 14,039 additional visitors.
More than 5,000 rooms
The investment by Accor signed this Monday at the group’s headquarters, which TourMaG attended, is truly massive and involves no fewer than eight agreements that plan to open over 5,000 rooms: a foray into all segments at once, signed in a single day.This therefore concerns budget airport hotels, business hotels, distinctive addresses, and grand resorts in the East.
In total, ten brands of the group, from Ibis Budget to Swissôtel, will support the diversification of Dominican tourism, beyond the purely coastal tourism. A diversification desired by the Dominican authorities, as highlighted by Jennifer Elias Franjul, Director of International Marketing at the Ministry of Tourism, in an interview with TourMaG at the recent IFTM show.
Relative to the more than 90,000 rooms that the Dominican Republic counts according to Asonahores – the main tourism sector organization in the Dominican Republic – the whole represents the equivalent of 5% of the national hotel stock.
On the morning of October 19, the owners of these projects presented their plans to international and Dominican financial institutions gathered at Accor’s headquarters in order to accelerate financing and execution.
In detail, these contracts and memoranda of understanding concern deployments in cities, near airports, or dedicated to the art of living:
• Ibis Budget at Santo Domingo Airport with 700 rooms
• Ibis hotel at Punta Cana airport, with 500 rooms
• Ibis Styles near Panaca Park in Punta Cana with 90 rooms
• Miches Grand Resort with 2,500 rooms
• Cabocoa, Cabo Engaño with 1,300 rooms.
These memoranda set the framework for an exclusive partnership between Accor and landowners. They will be followed by hotel contracts on a per-property basis, according to studies and authorizations. Franchise and management contracts, or when a partner takes a brand, Accor will assist in the building’s design, construction, and management.
Satisfaction expressed by Accor and the Dominican Republic
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade, Daniel Peña, in his remarks, stated: “I think what we celebrate today goes beyond a mere signature. It is a celebration of trust, which plays a crucial role in building shared value.
In the Dominican Republic, they say: ‘the good son returns home.’ That is why the Dominican government celebrates and thanks; I am profoundly proud to be here for this announcement of a brand so renowned, of such great prestige, which is once again joining the Dominican Republic, and, so to speak, its family.”
Fabrice Carré, the Chief Strategy Officer at Accor, also welcomes the announcement. “In hospitality, you must always have the right partner at the right time. It’s true, it took us some time, but we are moving forward with more than 5,000 rooms to be opened in the next five years, across a range of our brands. So yes, if we’re going to go for it, we’re going in very strong and across all segments.
We have 120 million members, and they will be very happy to have this destination offered to them.”
In the Dominican Republic, they say: ‘the good son returns home.’ That is why the Dominican government celebrates and thanks; I am profoundly proud to be here for this announcement of a brand so renowned, of such great prestige, which is once again joining the Dominican Republic, and, so to speak, its family.”
Fabrice Carré, the Chief Strategy Officer at Accor, also welcomes the announcement. “In hospitality, you must always have the right partner at the right time. It’s true, it took us some time, but we are moving forward with more than 5,000 rooms to be opened in the next five years, across a range of our brands. So yes, if we’re going to go for it, we’re going in very strong and across all segments.
We have 120 million members, and they will be very happy to have this destination offered to them.”
Finally, the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, David Puig, also shared his satisfaction: “This is very big news for the Dominican Republic and for the relations between our two countries. An announcement that comes at a fitting moment during Dominican Republic Week in France.
We have excellent relations, with French companies present in many sectors – energy, transportation, and large-scale distribution – and the question has always been: why were French hospitality companies not more present?
We have numbers that speak for themselves and above all a government and a minister who take tourism very seriously and invest heavily in its growth.
Everything is in place for this major announcement to be a success with projects that will bring more rooms and a diversity of brands across different segments.
This is something the Dominican Republic needs. We want to grow and need hotels all over the country and for all budgets.
The challenge is also to stimulate domestic tourism. We talk a lot about foreign visitors, but we also need hotels for Dominican tourists.”
We have excellent relations, with French companies present in many sectors – energy, transportation, and large-scale distribution – and the question has always been: why were French hospitality companies not more present?
We have numbers that speak for themselves and above all a government and a minister who take tourism very seriously and invest heavily in its growth.
Everything is in place for this major announcement to be a success with projects that will bring more rooms and a diversity of brands across different segments.
This is something the Dominican Republic needs. We want to grow and need hotels all over the country and for all budgets.
The challenge is also to stimulate domestic tourism. We talk a lot about foreign visitors, but we also need hotels for Dominican tourists.”
Published by Amelia Brille 
