page_title: Tourism in the Dominican Republic
section_title: Santo Domingo
hierarchical_section_title: Tourism in the Dominican Republic / Major tourist destinations of the Dominican Republic / Santo Domingo
caption_attribution_description: English: Fortaleza Santo Domingo (aka Ozama), Ciudad Colonial Santo Domingo, DR.
context_page_description: Tourism in the Dominican Republic is an important sector of the country's economy. More than 6 million tourists visit the Dominican Republic, making it the most popular tourist destination in the Caribbean and putting it in the top 5 overall in the Americas. The industry accounts for 11.6% of the nation's GDP and is a particularly important source of revenue in coastal areas of the country. The nation's tropical climate, white sand beaches, diverse mountainous landscape and colonial history attracts visitors from around the world.
  As one of the most geographically diverse nations in the region, the Dominican Republic is home to Pico Duarte, the Caribbean's tallest mountain peak, and Lake Enriquillo, its largest lake and lowest elevation. The earliest cathedral, castle, monastery and fortress built in all of the Americas is located in Santo Domingo's Colonial Zone, an area declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
context_section_description: Santo Domingo: Santo Domingo has a main tourist area, the Colonial Zone, as well as historical monuments, of which most were built by the Spaniards who originally colonized the island.
  Boca Chica: It is one of the most popular places in the Dominican Republic, due to its beach. It is located about 40 kilometers and 35 minutes from Santo Domingo eastward passing the Las Américas International Airport.
caption: The Ozama Fortress is the oldest military building of European origin in the Americas
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