David Collado, Minister of Tourism, signed 39 agreements with various companies on Wednesday to ensure the Dominican Republic continues to rise as a top tourist destination. It is expected that this agreement will bring 2.5 million tourists from the United States, Canada, and Latin America to the country this year.
“The Ministry of Tourism signed 39 agreements, including those with major Canadian tour operators, Avianca, luxury tourism companies, and companies from the United States… this activity, which we put together in three weeks, was a resounding success,” said the head of the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR).
Collado assured that “with this meeting we guarantee the Dominican Republic's summer and we are already thinking about next winter, a season that is also covered by the agreements signed at this event,” he commented.
The agreements were signed during the country's first Trade Show, held in Miami. Some of the deals involve airlines that carry the most passengers worldwide, such as Avianca and Air Canada.
Avianca transports 250,000 tourists a year to the Dominican Republic, while Canada is the second largest source of tourists.
“740 meetings were held between the private sector of the United States, Canada and Latin America, with the private sector of the Dominican Republic,” said Collado, who indicated that 690 tour operators and travel agencies participated in the event.
He explained that strategies like these are what keep the Dominican Republic one step ahead.
The agreements
Among the companies with which agreements were signed are Voyage en Direct, which is the largest independent travel agency network in Quebec; Tower Travel of Argentina; Voyage Gendron, which specializes in cruises and sports tourism trips such as golf and skiing.
Also with Travel Savers, which is located in more than 35 countries and manages some 3,000 travel agencies; Modern Vacations, located in Houston, Texas; Travel Planners International, one of the most important in the entire United States.
Of Canadian origin, the minister highlighted the agreements signed with Air Transat and Sunwing Airlines, as well as others, which will bring almost one million tourists to the country.
With the United States, he highlighted the agreements reached with ALG Vacation, which will bring a minimum of 400,000 tourists to the country, as well as the travel agency Expedia, which “moved nearly one million people to Dominican territory last year.”.
On the other hand, when referring to the diversity of tourism, he emphasized the agreements signed with Luxury, Signature Travel and Virtuoso, companies dedicated to luxury tourism.
The Dominican Republic's "Trade Show" ended yesterday afternoon in Miami, and according to Minister Collado, it is the first time a country has held an event of this magnitude in the United States.
"All the major players in tourism in the United States and Canada were present here today, the large companies that drive tourism worldwide," Collado said.
