Center for Export and Investment (CEI-RD) director Eddy Martinez says that according to business experts from New York University and The Economist magazine, the DR's economy is not at risk from the international financial crisis. In fact, according to Martinez, the experts claim the Dominican economy will continue to grow. During the closed-door seminar, "Global Business Today; Different Perspectives For The Dominican Republic", President Leonel Fernandez said the Dominican economy would grow 3% in 2009. Fernandez said that the DR has been able to maintain its stability despite the current turbulence in the global financial market. "Our country continues to enjoy the highest levels of growth in Latin America: with a 5.4% growth rate projection for 2008 it will among the four with most growth in the region." Fernandez says that foreign direct investment has increased due to confidence in the country and added that the DR has a potential 40 investment opportunities worth upwards of US$8 billion. These investments included renovating the Duarte Highway, building the train from Haina to Santiago and the second line of the Santo Domingo Metro.

Economy, Planning and Development Minister Temistocles Montas and Central Bank Governor Hector Albizu Valdez were present at the event. Dean Anthony Davidson from New York University, Anna Szterenfeld from the Economist, Larry Marciano from Financial Markets, Marjorie Kalter from Global Marketing, Denis Garritan from Global Business Strategies and Bruce Baulch from Global Operations also attended the event, which was sponsored by CEI-RD and the Foundation for Global Democracy and Development (FUNGLODE).

Japanese tourists
Several tour operators have started to bring Japanese tourists to the DR, opening up the country to a new tourist market. Since April operators have brought tourists to the provinces of Pedernales and Barahona where they have taken part in ecological activities in Bahia de las Aguilas and visited Lago Enriquillo. Dominican Ambassador in Japan Jose Urena said that Japanese tourists spend a good portion of their salaries on travel, which could be beneficial for the DR tourism sector. Urena says that the DR's diplomatic mission in Japan has been promoting Dominican tourism to Japanese citizens for three years.