Jacqueline Mora, the Vice Minister of Tourism, understands that one of the Dominican Republic's challenges for 2023 is to win over Generation Z, the population born between 1996 and 2012, which, according to figures provided by the official, "represents 2 million tourists and is the one that will set the trend and, therefore, the marketing and sales strategies.".
At the opening of the agenda of the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) at the Fitur International Tourism Fair, which will take place from tomorrow, January 18th, until the 22nd, Mora referred to the challenges and opportunities of the country, stating that the aforementioned population travels twice a year, unlike the older population who plan to do so once.
As part of the start of the activities, the minister, David Collado, held a meeting with more than 200 travel agencies and tour operators from Europe, airlines and European media, at the Marriott Auditorium Hotel in Madrid.
Collado highlighted that the Dominican Republic closed 2022 as one of the world's leading countries in tourism recovery compared to 2019 (the pre-pandemic year) and presented to the European audience the record results the country achieved at the end of December 2022, the first year in history that the nation surpassed 7 million tourists and 8 million total visitors, including cruise ships.
“Europe is one of the most important markets for our country, as last year we received more than 1.4 million tourists from the region. With activities like this, we aim to strengthen cooperation and partnerships with each of the travel agencies and tour operators in the region, so that we can continue growing together and reach unprecedented figures in 2023,” Collado explained during the event.
“The Dominican Republic saw an 11% increase in tourist arrivals by air compared to 2019, and a 19% increase in cruise ship arrivals, reaching an unprecedented total of 8.5 million visitors in 2022. The world faces growth challenges and high interest rates, but tourism has proven resilient, and tourists will seek destinations where they get more value for their money, such as the Dominican Republic.”.
Collado explained the importance of these records beyond the numbers. The minister indicated that every time the country improves its performance in tourism, it translates into more jobs and opportunities for families in the Dominican Republic.
“Thank you, because with every flight or every room you sell from the Dominican Republic you are helping a family, that is why it is so important for us to work hand in hand with all of you; the large, medium and small agencies, which are the strategic partners, allow us to place our country among the preferred destinations of Europeans and the world,” the minister pointed out.
This activity was supported by local and international investors and banks. The entire event was imbued with the Dominican Republic brand, and the country's beauty was masterfully showcased, confirming once again that we truly have it all.
