National Development Corporation (NDC)

The National Development Corporation (NDC) of Dominica was established by the National Development Corporation Act No. 17 of 1988, codified as Chapter 84:02 in the laws of Dominica. This Act formalised the merger of two key entities: the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the Dominica Tourist Board, creating a unified statutory body to spearhead both industrial and tourism development across the island. Its creation marked a pivotal shift in how Dominica approached investment promotion and sectoral growth, particularly in industry and tourism.

About the National Development Corporation

The NDC was designed to encourage, facilitate, and implement both industrial and tourism initiatives across Dominica. More than just a domestic agency, the NDC developed an international footprint, establishing offices in New York, London, and Paris, while building collaborative links with institutions and development agencies in Washington, D.C., Toronto, Brussels, Taiwan, and other locations. These foreign offices played a proactive role in seeking investment opportunities, accelerating project setup, and facilitating inbound tourism visitations.

Operating as a centralised “one-stop” agency, the NDC offered comprehensive services to investors and tourism stakeholders alike. These included providing research and market data, assisting in identifying viable business opportunities and sources of financing, arranging government contacts, and coordinating the regulatory approval process. Investors could rely on the NDC to support permit acquisition and licensing from relevant ministries, streamlining administrative hurdles from the first inquiry to project execution.

Transition to Discover Dominica Authority (DDA)

Despite its broad reach, the NDC’s expansive mandate eventually proved limiting as Dominica’s tourism industry grew more complex. As global tourism trends shifted toward eco-tourism and experiential travel, the government of Dominica recognised the need for a dedicated, specialised body to focus entirely on tourism development. This recognition led to the dissolution of the NDC’s tourism functions and the establishment of the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) under the Ministry of Tourism.

The DDA was designed with a refined mission: to manage destination marketing, improve product development, support tourism enterprises, and enhance service standards nationwide. The creation of the Nature Island Standards of Excellence (NISE) certification program under DDA’s oversight reflected a move toward internationally benchmarked quality assurance in tourism.

Core Mandates of the Discover Dominica Authority

Today, the Discover Dominica Authority is responsible for:

• Destination Marketing: Promoting Dominica in key tourism markets through campaigns, trade shows, digital media, and airline partnerships.
• Tourism Product Enhancement: Developing and supporting festivals, eco-tourism activities, heritage sites, and rural community tourism.
• Industry Support: Collaborating with hotels, guides, vendors, and transport providers to improve capacity, service, and sustainability.
• Standards Enforcement: Leading the implementation of NISE and other programs that maintain service excellence and guest satisfaction.

By narrowing its scope, the DDA has been able to create deeper engagement with stakeholders and deliver more targeted and measurable outcomes in visitor arrivals, tourist spending, and community-based benefits.

Institutional Legacy and Forward Vision

The shift from the wide-ranging NDC to the focused DDA symbolises Dominica’s evolving tourism priorities, moving from a generalist investment agency to a specialist in tourism branding and policy. The DDA continues to uphold many of the relationship-building values of its predecessor while modernising the country’s approach to global travel trends, sustainability, and quality assurance.

With its headquarters in Roseau and strong networks regionally and internationally, the DDA now spearheads Dominica’s goal of becoming the Caribbean’s top destination for eco-consciousness.