SANTO DOMINGO.– The goal of reaching 10 million tourists is no longer an illusion, declared David Llibre, president of the Dominican Republic Hotel and Tourism Association (ASONAHORES), last night at the inauguration of the XXIII Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange, DATE 2023, at the Dreams Flora Resort & Spa hotel in Bávaro-Punta Cana.
At the event, led by the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, the head of the country's hoteliers stated that the Dominican tourism offer continues its process of improvement and presents an optimistic outlook.
"Today, we are not just sun and beach, but little by little we are becoming known as a benchmark in health tourism, shopping tourism, business tourism, adventure tourism and sports tourism, among others," Llibre argued.
He said that new investments and the presence of new, internationally recognized brands have allowed the Dominican Republic to achieve a privileged position.
"We can summarize by saying that, despite the crisis, today we receive more international flights, more tourists, more investments and more projects underway or in the planning phase," he commented.
When referring to the various initiatives, he mentioned the tourism project in Cabo Rojo, Pedernales, in the south of the country, which he assured has a focus on sustainable development and encounter with nature, in which eight important hotel chains are already participating, where the first two hotels and the support infrastructure are already being built.
Regarding the north coast, he stated that "another interesting project is being developed, Punta Bergantín, 20 minutes from the center of Puerto Plata, which includes hotels, tourist housing areas, a golf course, film studios, and a project for academics, and the modern creatives that today we call digital nomads.".
He added that "the booming development of Miches is underway, the new destination in the eastern region of the country with a fabulous beach one hour from the Punta Cana airport, where three hotels are already operating and four more hotels are being developed, which will add more than two thousand rooms.".
Llibre highlighted that the government is improving the road network, street furniture and urban infrastructure in the provinces called to improve their tourism or create a new offering and cited Puerto Plata, Barahona, Pedernales and the municipality of Miches.
"A new highway is also planned that will connect the North coast with the central region of the country, known as the Cibao Valley, where Santiago, the second largest city, the tobacco capital and an important cultural center, is located, in 30 minutes," he reported.
He mentioned that in Punta Cana the tourism product is being strengthened with two new theme parks, the first of them being the modern Katmandu in Punta Cana and soon the Dorado Park will be operating in Cap Cana, a large water park.
He praised the initiative for Santo Domingo, where the construction of a modern convention center by the sea is already being planned, in a prime area near the city's historic center.
