DATE 2023: Dominican Republic brings together the main players in the commercial tourism industry
David Collado, Minister of Tourism of the Dominican Republic
PUNTA CANA. The Dominican tourism offer continues its process of continuous improvement by presenting its leadership in the Caribbean region, and it is no longer an illusion to reach the goal of 10 million tourists, said the president of the Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic, in a speech full of optimism with which he inaugurated the marketing fair of the Dominican tourism product, Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange, DATE, in its twenty-third edition…
In the framework of the twenty-third edition of DATE, the most important tourism promotion fair in the Caribbean, David Llibre stated that “today we are not only sun and beach, but we are gradually becoming known as a reference in health tourism, shopping tourism, business tourism, adventure tourism and sports tourism, among others”.
The most important thing, he said, is that together with the enthusiasm caused by new investments, and “the presence of new recognized international brands, the Dominican Republic has managed to place itself in a privileged situation, which we can summarize by saying that, despite the crisis, today we are receiving more international flights, more tourists, more investments and more projects underway or in the planning phase”.
The tourism boom, said David Libre, includes various initiatives, among which he cited the “interesting tourism project in Cabo Rojo, Pedernales, with a focus on sustainable development and an encounter with nature, in which 8 major hotel chains are already participating, where the first 2 hotels are already being built, and the supporting infrastructure.
MICHES, BARAHONA, PUERTO PLATA
On the North Coast, he said “another interesting project is being developed, Punta Bergantín, 20 minutes from the center of the city of Puerto Plata, which includes hotels, tourist housing areas, golf course, film studios, and a project for academics, and the modern creatives that today we call digital nomads”.
In addition, he explained, “the booming development of Miches is underway, the new destination in the eastern region of the country with a fabulous beach, one hour from Punta Cana airport, where 3 hotels are already operating and 4 other hotels are being developed, which will add more than 2,000 rooms.
The Government, highlighted Llibre, is improving the road network, the furniture and the urban infrastructure in the provinces called to improve their tourism or create a new offer, and he mentioned Puerto Plata, Barahona, Pedernales and the municipality of Miches. There are also plans for a new highway that will connect in 30 minutes the northern coast with the central region of the country, known as the Cibao Valley, where Santiago, our second city, the tobacco capital and an important cultural center, is located.
In the province of Samaná, he informed, establishments are being expanded and renovated and new hotels are being built, while in the city of Santa Bárbara de Samaná the urban infrastructure is being improved, a modern cruise port is being built and plans are being made to convert the old commercial port into a second tourist port; and we are in the process of becoming the cruise hub of the Caribbean, since we will add three new tourist ports to the 5 that are already operating.
The president of ASONAHORES cited the animation caused in the city of Puerto Plata by its two cruise ports, and other tourism initiatives, and that same enthusiasm is noted in La Romana and Punta Cana, where the tourism product is being strengthened with two new theme parks, the first of them the modern Katmandu in Punta Cana, which you can see first hand tomorrow Thursday, and soon will be operating the Dorado Park in Cap Cana, a water park of large dimensions.
He praised the initiative for Santo Domingo where the construction of a modern convention center by the sea, in a privileged area close to the historic center of the city, is already being planned.
TOURISM CABINET
Llibre asked the international guests to take note “of one of the processes that makes the difference and has contributed to success: Today Dominican tourism is an example of what can be achieved when the government and the private sector work together and maintain a fiscal structure adequate to the dynamics of the tourism industry”.
Our Tourism Cabinet headed by the President of the Republic Luis Abinader, and coordinated by the Minister of Tourism David Collado, is an example of what can be achieved when all those involved in the management of tourism sit at the same table and participate in the decisions.
