Where Are the CONFOTUR Zones? A Map of Tax-Incentivized Real Estate in the DR

The highest concentration of CONFOTUR-approved projects in the country. This is where the law's impact is most visible — from mega-developments like Vista Cana Resort & Country Club (39,600+ rooms in its second phase alone) to boutique condo projects in El Cortecito. Cap Cana, Ciudad Las Canas, and Macao all have active CONFOTUR-certified developments. La Altagracia province dominates the approval pipeline: in any given quarter, it accounts for 40–60% of all new CONFOTUR classifications.

Designated as a "Polo Turístico" under the law — the entire Samaná province is a CONFOTUR priority zone. This is the fastest-growing region for new approvals. In January 2024 alone, two Las Terrenas projects totaling 2,800 rooms received provisional classification. Armonia de Portillo (121 rooms) received definitive classification in mid-2024. The peninsula's appeal for eco-tourism and boutique luxury aligns perfectly with the law's intent to develop areas with "great potential" that haven't yet reached their expected tourism ceiling.

The "Costa de Ámbar" was one of the earliest tourism development poles in the DR, and CONFOTUR continues to fuel its reinvention. Cabarete in particular is experiencing a surge — Eden Cabarete (73 rooms) and Xanadu Resort & Residences (324 rooms) both received definitive classification in 2024. The law specifically names La Isabela Histórica and El Castillo in Puerto Plata province as designated areas. Espaillat province (municipalities of Gaspar Hernández, Higüerito, José Contreras, Villa Trina, and Jamao al Norte) is also explicitly listed.

The law explicitly designates the provinces of Hato Mayor, El Seibo, and San Pedro de Macorís as CONFOTUR zones. Juan Dolio in particular has active CONFOTUR projects. La Romana-Bayahibe, already a major tourism destination with Casa de Campo and Dominicus, continues to attract CONFOTUR-certified developments. This corridor benefits from proximity to both Las Américas and La Romana international airports.

The Zona Colonial of Santo Domingo is explicitly named in the law as a designated CONFOTUR area. This reflects the government's interest in developing heritage tourism and boutique hospitality in the first European city in the Americas. Hotel conversions and mixed-use developments in the Colonial Zone can qualify for CONFOTUR incentives, making it a unique urban play in a law otherwise dominated by beach destinations.

Jarabacoa and Constanza are explicitly designated CONFOTUR zones — a fact that surprises most foreign buyers who associate the law exclusively with beach property. These mountain towns offer eco-tourism, adventure tourism, and agro-tourism opportunities at elevations above 500 meters, with year-round spring-like climates. The "city of eternal spring" (Jarabacoa) and the "Dominican Alps" (Constanza) represent some of the most underexplored CONFOTUR territory in the country — lower property prices, less competition, and growing domestic and international tourism.

The least developed CONFOTUR region — and the one the government is pushing hardest. The opening of the Port of Cabo Rojo in Pedernales (14,200 cruise passengers in just the first two months of 2025) signals serious infrastructure investment. Barahona's dramatic coastline, Bahía de las Águilas, and the ecological diversity of the Sierra de Bahoruco represent the DR's last major undeveloped tourism frontier. Projects here benefit from the law's original intent: jumpstarting tourism in areas of "scarce development."

The quietest CONFOTUR zone — designated in the law but with minimal active development so far. Montecristi's mangrove ecosystems and the border region's cultural tourism potential are the primary angles. This is a long-term bet rather than an active market, but the legal framework is already in place for developers who want to move first.