Among the challenges David Collado also mentioned were promoting and regulating real estate tourism and ensuring that businesses pay taxes.
Taken from Diario Libre
SANTO DOMINGO. Tourism Minister David Collado said yesterday that, despite the excellent recovery the sector has experienced in the Dominican Republic, it faces several challenges to become more competitive.
Among these challenges is the need for 30,000 new hotel rooms, in addition to renovating some of the existing ones. Also included is the need to promote and regulate real estate tourism, ensuring that businesses pay taxes.
Collado said that another major challenge the country faces is air connectivity, noting that flights to the Dominican Republic “are extremely expensive.”.
Furthermore, he indicated that his administration has shifted its approach from promoting the country by traveling with his team to different states in the United States and around the world to selling the Dominican Republic directly to tour operators and travel agencies. However, he emphasized that the issue most frequently raised with him is connectivity and airfare.
While participating in the Amchamdr Encounter, hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic, Collado explained that another challenge is to continue strengthening security in tourist areas, understanding that beach projects with security cameras must continue to be implemented.
He also believes that a business brigade should be strengthened and created within the tourist police, where officers receive salary increases and the lowest earner makes 40,000 or 50,000 pesos.
The Dominican Republic has lost almost 60,000 tourists due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine
Collado also said that the Dominican Republic has been losing 59,000 tourists per month as a result of the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
He asserted that the country has shifted its strategy towards the Canadian market and claims that they are already recovering it.
He said that in the months of January and February, 50,000 Russian tourists and 9,000 Ukrainian tourists were arriving in the Dominican Republic
"The Dominican Republic has been losing 59,000 or 60,000 tourists. We are shifting the country's strategies toward the Canadian market, which is very important for the Dominican Republic," Collado stated.
