Local tourism authorities said that 3.4 million foreign vacationers visited the country last year, compared to three million tourists in 2003.

They predicted that 3.7 million foreign travelers will visit the country this year, and that number might increase to more than four million in 2006.

Authorities added that 225,000 vacationers came from Spain, accounting for a 6 percent increase in contrast to the previous year.

Spain has become the Dominican Republic's third major market in Europe, only preceded by France and Germany.

Revenues from the tourism industry, which contributes 23 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product, totaled 3.3 billion dollars.

By: Dtcuba