Tourism & Taxes: Tourism-linked tax revenue in the Dominican Republic has tripled over the past decade, climbing from about RD$15B to over RD$45B in 2025, with tourism’s wider economic impact reaching 15.9% of GDP (vs 8.3% direct). Business Growth: The Santo Domingo Chamber of Commerce says 18,000 new companies were created in the first half of 2026, alongside rising exports (US$9.267B in the first seven months, +12%). Tech Skills Push: Amazon Web Services and the government launched AWS Entrena República Dominicana, offering 50,000 free scholarships in AI and cloud training by 2028. Air Connectivity Boost: Canadian travel to the DR is surging—up 13% in Puerto Plata and 62% in Samaná—prompting new winter routes including Air Canada’s Montreal–Santo Domingo service. Consumer Protection: Pro Consumidor marked its 18th anniversary, reporting more than RD$3.5B returned to consumers over the last five years. Education Pressure: PISA 2025 highlights a major student disengagement crisis, with the DR showing the steepest global drop in persistence and perseverance. Labor Reality Check: New jobs growth is heavily informal: 82.7% of net job gains in Q1 2026 came from the informal sector. Policy & Trade: The DR and Honduras moved to expand trade and investment ties through a CABEI-backed business forum. Finance Watch: DGII reported RD$671.87B in tax collections through August 2026 (+RD$8.55B year-on-year). Regional Environment: A study warns Caribbean queen conch marine protected areas may lose suitable climate conditions abruptly within two decades, threatening livelihoods tied to the species.