SANTO DOMINGO.- On August 21st of this year, Nice Dominicana will hold the first Cruise Season 2024 Forum, a pioneering initiative that seeks to evaluate and analyze the impact of the cruise industry in Puerto Plata and its surroundings, anticipating the start of the 2024-2025 season.
The event, organized by journalist Leonardo Medrano, represents an excellent opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities that the cruise industry presents for the region.
Medrano emphasized the importance of this forum as a space to promote sustainability and maximize economic and social benefits in different sectors of the community.
The event will take place at the Iberostar Costa Dorada hotel and will be attended by prominent figures from the tourism and business sectors. María José Berbel, Iberostar's Director of Operations, will deliver the welcoming remarks.
A press release highlights that the forum will be divided into two main sessions. The first part will focus on the economic impact of cruise tourism in the Northern Zone of the Dominican Republic.
Among the panelists are Mileyka Brugal, president of the Puerto Plata Free Zone Corporation and the Chamber of Commerce and Production; Zobeida de Musa, director of Go Caribic; Ninoska Núñez, director of Camel Safari Exploring; Cesar José de los Santos, president of the Playa Dorada Hotel Association; Carlos Rodoli, director of the Northern Zone Cluster, Dominican Airports by Vinci; and Michell Musa, director of Turissimo.
These experts will offer valuable insights into how cruise tourism has transformed the local economy, highlighting both the benefits and the challenges faced by businesses and communities in the region.
Challenges and opportunities in the cruise industry
The second part of the forum will address the challenges and opportunities facing the cruise industry in the current context. Participants will include Darik Garteiz, director of Taino Bay Port; Sharon Mei, director of Amber Cove Port; Félix Aracena Vargas, ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Colombia; Ginette Bournigal, senator for the province of Puerto Plata; and Edgar Lantigua, a journalist specializing in tourism, according to the press release.
The debate will focus on the need to adapt infrastructure and services to meet the growing demands of tourists, as well as on strategies to ensure a sustainable and balanced development of the industry.
The event will be attended by local authorities, including the governor, members of parliament, mayors and councilors of the province, as well as representatives of the local tourism value chain, such as taxi drivers, tour guides, tour operators, gift shop owners, restaurants and other businesses linked to the region's attractions.
With this initiative, Puerto Plata once again positions itself as a leading destination in the Caribbean, committed to excellence and innovation in the tourism industry.
