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SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Not content with already being the top tourism destination in the Caribbean with 4.6 million visitors in 2012, the president of the Dominican Republic has set an ambitious goal of attracting 10 million visitors annually by 2022 and is looking east to China to realize it.

Keen to tap into the 80 million Chinese who travel the world today, the Dominican Republic's tourism department has set out on an aggressive marketing campaign to make the idyllic Caribbean paradise into one of the Far East's favourite destinations.

Leading by example, President Danilo Medina personally welcomed two high profile Chinese families who were holidaying on the island to the National Palace recently as well instructing the production of an Asian orientated infomercial and fashion magazine spread.

Commenting on the island's tourism successes and future plans, Robert Gavin, director and founding partner of worldwide investment company Property Horizons, said, "The Dominican Republic is a prime example of how, even in the midst of an economic downturn, it is possible to drive tourist growth. Promoting every diverse attraction the island has to offer, the Dominican Republic has worked hard to outpace not only global tourism growth (4%) but the Caribbean too (4.8%) recording the highest regional growth at 6.6% for the second year consecutively in 2012. And that's not an easy feat!”

With an average annual temperature of 25 degrees, sun kissed beaches, a lush mountainous interior to explore as well a rich history, welcoming people and some of the most affordable real estate in the world, the Dominican Republic can indeed live up to its claim to 'have it all'. An attractive Spring Break destination for North American snowbirds as well as a popular second home location for Europeans and Asian buyers, the island's rental market is buoyant and properties are selling fast.

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