He said that the city will be presenting a bill so that it may, together with the National Police and the Ministry of Health, better regulate prostitution. As of 30 November, some 1,900,000 visitors had arrived, including Dominicans residing abroad. The estimate of some 200,000 visitors in December brings the total to the mentioned 2,100,000 which is the Ministry's preliminary figure for 1995. The total does not include arrivals by sea. The Ministry emphasizes that the continued strength of the sector has permitted the industry to continue to contribute to the financing of the balance of payments deficit.
Tourism is the country's principal generator of hard currency.
The fact that it stimulates the production of goods and services is also stressed as a measure of its positive effect on the nation's economy. In the end of year report presented to the National Assembly on 27 February, the Ministry states that the hotel sector employed 43,971 in 1995, and was responsible for creating another 109,927 indirect jobs. Furthermore, the Ministry's annual report states that the number is greater if the jobs generated by the industry in restaurants, travel agencies, airlines, the construction industry, furniture making, and the textile factories, etc. are taken into consideration. All rights reserved. Revised April 6, 1996.