How Important Is Tourism And Agriculture For The Dominican Republic Economy.

Thesis Statement

How important is Tourism and Agriculture for the Dominican Republic economy.

Outline

Agriculture

* One of the base of Dominican economy

* 35% labor force

* Produces of Dominican Republic are; coffee, cacao, tobacco, cotton, rice, beans, potatoes, etc.

* The Dominican agriculturists are responsible for supplying most of the Dominican food to the population.

Tourism

* One of the most important aspects I the Dominican economy.

* Because of location, Dominicans people and climate, Dominican Republic is one of the most visited countries in the Caribbean by tourists.

* Also helps in the social development since they are constantly receiving people from other countries.

Draft

"The Dominican Republic is a middle-income developing country primarily dependent on agriculture, trade, and services, especially tourism. Although the service sector has recently overtaken agriculture as the leading employer of Dominicans, agriculture remains the most important sector in terms of domestic consumption and is in second place in terms of export earnings. Tourism accounts for more than $1 billion in annual earnings. Free Trade Zone earnings and tourism are fasted-growing export sectors." In the following essay I am going to write about how important is tourism and agriculture is for the Dominican Republic Economy.

Agriculture has been the economic base of the Dominican Republic from its beginnings, thanks to the globalization, the foreign trade and the persistence to satisfy to the population in agreement with the new international demands, has caused that the recent governments to be directed towards other forms of finances. The citizens also have been very cooperative interchanging agricultural goods and other simple works by the modern commerce, as they are: businesses, stores, etc. This reason does not make agriculture less important. The farming sector is responsible in replacing most of foods to the Dominican population; which covers 80% of all foods consumed in the Dominican Republic by the small and medium agriculturists.

"The Dominican Republic recently has signed a free trade agreement with the United States. It is anticipated that the Dominican Republican's agreement will be placed under the umbrella of the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which would make CAFTA the second largest U.S. export market in Latin America, behind only Mexico, with a combined total trade relationship of approximately $32 billion." This state that we will soon be exporting our goods such as coffee, cacao, tobacco, cotton, potatoes, corn, bananas etc which will help improve our economy and will give more opportunities for unemployed people raising our current labor force. In recent years has been considered as the economy's largest employer, which is a 35% of the Dominicans labor force due to the growth in tourism and free trade zones.

Tourism in the Dominican Republic has contributed to creating a more diversified economy and helpful fuel what has recently been strong economic growth. The tourism, is one of the main sources of income of the Dominican economy, it is still being developed day after day. Local and international hotel chains have built hotels and "resorts" in beaches full of light and color and trained their personnel so that it can offer services of world-wide class. It is not strange that the Dominican Republic is the preferred tourist destiny; because of their people, beaches, landscapes and meals are rewarding and full of freshness. The possibility of practicing all type of aquatic sports and superb golf courses, along with an enviable climate makes the visiting worth while.

The tourism has grown with significant rates in the last ten years and it has become the greater source of currency income in the Dominican Republic. The tourist activities are generating more economic benefits than other important sectors such as duty free zones and the agricultural product export. It is estimated that around 150,000 Dominicans are working in tourism.

Lately the Dominican Republic has tried to implement the economic concept of eco-tourism. This concept has been a matter of discussion and a great way of publicity among traveling agents, hotels, politicians, etc. this represents an important alternative for a massive tourism which is causing the countries pollution, since they were only focusing on all inclusive hotels and not taking advantage of all the other things they have to offer like museum, monuments, among other things. On the other hand eco-tourism could generate much more income to the Dominican economy and will also help to conservate Dominican Republic's natural resources and will help other providing services besides the hotels.

In conclusion we can see that the Dominican Republic has been on a bit of an economic roller coaster ride in recent years. Lifted by agriculture and tourism, the Dominican Republic in the 1990's had one of the fasted growing economies in the region. Agriculture and tourism has been very important to this country. They both generate a large number of labor resources and a large economic entry to the country, also, they both help in the injection of the U.S. dollar to the country since tourist consume with dollars and when we export the payments are in dollars, as well. Agriculture supplies most of the food consumed by the population and helps economically from exporting products to outside countries. And tourism "has contributed to creating a more diversified economy and helped fuel what has recently been strong economic growth". Tourism has also contributed in important changes in social and gender relations.

Final Essay

The Dominican Republic is a middle-income developing country primarily dependent on tourism, free zones, money sent by Dominicans living abroad, agriculture, trade and services. Although the service sector rules over agriculture as the leading employer of Dominicans, the latter remains the most important sector in terms of domestic consumption and is in second place in terms of export earnings. Tourism accounts for more than $1 billion in annual earnings (about 7% of GDP)