FDI flows to the Dominican Republic have been trending upwards for the past decade. In 2018, the Dominican Republic had $2.535 billion USD worth of investment, making the country the largest recipient of FDI in the Caribbean and ninth largest in Latin America. In total, it received 44% of the investment within the subregion. The Free Zones were a major contributor to this success, accounting for 9% of FDI to the country.
In 2019, the Dominican Republic Free Zones celebrated 50 years of business success. During this time period, they have attracted investments from global corporations such as Timberland, Baxter, B Braun, Johnson + Johnson, Hanesbrands, and more. This has led to the direct impact of more than 170,000 jobs for local Dominican citizens, providing a source of income and quality of life that may not have been realized if not for the zones.
It is also estimated that companies that participate in the Free Zones have an economic impact that is 6 times higher than the incentives extended to them. For every $100 RD granted to corporations in incentives, the Free Zones in turn provide $620 RD to the national economy, with a net benefit to the Dominican economy of $41.7 billion RD.
The Free Zones offer more than just economic stability for the Dominican Republic, they also uplift the community and invest in social causes. Each zone does their part to contribute to the greater good by undertaking different programs and efforts tasks to reach their goals.
Initiatives can be broken down into 4 major groups: