Tourism Ministry Launches Advertising Campaign to Encourage Visits to DR

The Ministry of Tourism (SECTUR) launched a series of ad campaigns to publicize the country’s main tourism attractions among its own residents as well as potential visitors from the United States and Europe.

“It’s time for tourism to be accessible to all Dominicans, so that foreign visitors don’t come along and tell us how beautiful our country is…so that we all get involved in tours and trips as they’re known in the world of tourism, to the main destinations we have to offer,”

This promotional effort, announced by Tourism Minister, Francisco Javier García, showcases the diversity of attractions in the DR, the Caribbean region’s leading destination, such as beaches, mountains, golf, history, gastronomy, culture and, above all, the warm hospitality of the Dominican people, according to a press release from the SECTUR’s Office of Press and Communication.

The local campaign, “Tourism for Everyone,” seeks to encourage Dominicans to discover tourism attractions in their country under the slogans: “This Country is One of a Kind,” “The Country of Marvels,” and “The Best Country in the World.”

The campaign slogan being used in the United States is “The Republic of Colors,” and for Europe and the rest of the world it is “The Dominican Republic Has it All.”

At the cocktail party, held in a Santo Domingo hotel, to launch the campaigns, García Fernández explained that, on a local level, the promotional effort seeks to convince Dominicans that tourism is for everyone and that vacations to the country’s choice spots is not just reserved for foreigners or people with lots of money.

“It’s time for tourism to be accessible to all Dominicans, so that foreign visitors don’t come along and tell us how beautiful our country is…so that we all get involved in tours and trips as they’re known in the world of tourism, to the main destinations we have to offer,” he said.

He stressed, in addition, that the Ministry of Tourism will promote tours through the “Around the DR in 80 Caravans,” program which is meant to encourage domestic tourism to the various destinations around the country.

The Campaigns

Tourism for Everyone

This campaign will be publicized on all media outlets such as print, radio, television and through the Internet. It is being done by the Uniko, Advertising & Marketing Green, and directed by publicist Fernando Báez.

In addition to TV spots, jingles and the print media, the campaign is intending to run 15-minute ads outlining the main local destinations.

The Republic of Colors

For the United States, the Republic of Colors campaign was created by the BVK Agency, under the direction of Herman Echavarría and Gonzalo González.

This PR campaign, renewed for this season, was a 2008 creation then revitalized as part of the first phase of the Republic of Colors campaign.

This phase of the campaign presents the Dominican Republic not just as a vacation destination with many attractive offers but also the “in” place to be where variety and modernity respond to the aspirations of many of the target audience the ads seek to attract.

This part of the campaign is using two 30-second ads TV ads in English and Spanish to be aired on prestigious American TV networks such as CNN, E Entertainment, Fox News, TNT, ESPN, Bravo, Food Network, The Golf Channel, Sony, MSNBC, among other. They are also airing two 60-second radio spots in Spanish with the possibility of them being adapted to the programs used by the tour operators as well as print and other of the main graphic media outlets.

The Dominican Republic Has it All

This campaign, being used in the European market, is part of the new promotional and communication plan known as “It Has it All.” The marketing plan’s accompanying 3-minute video won second place among 100 contestants in the International Tourism Bolsa (ITB Berlin) as the best documentary prize for the quality of its images and music.

Using this communication tool, many of the DR’s most attractive tourism destinations can be seen. It also publishes the facts of why the DR is in the most influential position in the Caribbean region’s tourism.

This honor won at the ITB is in addition to the prize won this past June 6 at EUROAL 2009, the Tourism, Art and Culture Fair of Latin America and Europe, held in Spain’s Torrremolinos Palace of Congress and Exhibitions, where the DR won the “Golden Sun” award for the best audiovisual production for the promotion of a tourism destination.