SANTO DOMINGO.- With the official ribbon cutting led by the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, the Dominican Republic formally inaugurated its stand at the ANATO 2026 Tourism Showcase, marking the beginning of its business agenda at the most important fair in the sector in Latin America.
The formal ceremony was attended by representatives of the Dominican public and private sectors, as well as figures linked to the regional tourism industry, in a space designed to highlight the diversity of the national offer and strengthen the country's presence in the Colombian market.
The Dominican Republic's participation in this edition of the fair, organized by the Colombian Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies, comes amid sustained growth in visitor arrivals from Colombia. According to official data from the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Tourism, 400,936 Colombian tourists visited the country in 2025, solidifying Colombia as one of the main source markets for the Caribbean destination.
During the inauguration, Collado highlighted the strategic importance of ANATO as a platform for promotion and business generation, emphasizing that the Dominican presence seeks not only to maintain the pace of growth in arrivals, but also to expand air connectivity, strengthen trade agreements and promote new tourist experiences.
The Dominican Republic's stand presents a comprehensive offering that goes beyond the traditional sun and beach model, incorporating proposals for cultural tourism, nature tourism, luxury tourism, gastronomy, and meetings. This strategy reflects the Dominican government's vision of diversification aimed at consolidating the country's position as a regional leader in tourism competitiveness.
Also participating in the official delegation is the CEO of the Banco de Reservas of the Dominican Republic, Leonardo Aguilera, who previously, during the road show held in Bogotá, highlighted the leadership of President Luis Abinader and Minister Collado as determining factors in the country's international positioning and in attracting investments linked to the tourism sector.
The inauguration marks the formal start of a series of strategic meetings with Colombian and Latin American travel agencies, tour operators, and business partners, seeking to strengthen alliances and generate new business opportunities.
ANATO brings together thousands of tourism professionals each year, making it one of the leading platforms for promoting destinations in the region. For the Dominican Republic, the event represents a key showcase to consolidate its leadership in the Caribbean and expand its presence in South America, a market that has shown increasing dynamism in recent years.
The opening day will continue with bilateral meetings, trade presentations and business rounds that will allow follow-up on the agreements initiated in the preparatory phase of the event.
With this participation, the country reaffirms its sustained international promotion strategy, focusing on diversification, connectivity and the strengthening of trade ties as pillars to maintain tourism growth.
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