Dominican Republic to Open Tourism Promotion Office in Dubai

The Ministry of Tourism announced that it would open a tourism promotion office in Dubai and that the office will work with several of the surrounding countries in a bid to encourage tourism and business investments in the Dominican Republic.

“They’ve already visited the country for a week and made a tour by air and by land to the major investment areas they will be promoting in Dubai,”

Francisco Javier García Fernández indicated that there are already investors interested in the Dominican Republic who are looking to put money into developing the southern part of the country, an area he referred to as blessed by God given its diversity of natural resources.

Presiding over an activity with people from various fields in Barahona, García Fernández said the Tourism Ministry offered a company from Dubai the necessary facilities to attract investors from his country and others nearby who would be interested in investing in the DR.

“They’ve already visited the country for a week and made a tour by air and by land to the major investment areas they will be promoting in Dubai,” he said. 

He explained that technicians from Dubai and Washington drew up a development plan for the DR and that it will be on display in the new Dominican tourism office once opened in Dubai. The idea is to motivate business investment from Dubai in the DR. 

“In this proposal, we have asked them to prioritize the southern region of the country in an effort to put into effect the master plan which involves directing investment toward the south of the country,” he said.

The Potential of the South

García Fernández stressed that the southern region has diverse natural potential which has endowed it with charming landscapes unlike anything else in the country’s east, north or northeast.

“The potential of this zone is extraordinary. When someone visits this area, it is enough that they just see how beautiful it is with their own eyes. However, it is necessary to assume the development commitment for the area. This is something that all of us must do,” he explained.

He added that “we are going to assume this [commitment] and when I say that it is to let you all know that I have spoken with President Leonel Fernández and I want you also to know we are going to follow up day after day on what we have begun here.”

He said the promise is to convert the south of the country into a new tourism zone, something that cannot be stopped.

“We must begin in Barahona and for that we need to take a decision. Here is the tourism potential the Dominican Republic needs to complement what the country already has in tourism terms. We have to be clear on one thing, this issue has to be seriously tackled,” he said.

He added that Barahona has the most diversity that a tourist with an adventurous spirit could want; a tourist who leaves home to have new experiences. “Here there is an extraordinary diversity which no other region in the country possesses.”

The Meeting

García Fernández met on Friday morning with the main organizations, public and private as well as international and national social groups specifically to announce the government’s intention, through the Tourism Ministry (SECTUR), to support the development of the Southern part of the country as a tourism zone. 

The meeting was held in the Costa Larimar Hotel and was attended by Hedí Mateo Vásquez, governor of the province, Haydee Kuret de Rainieri, President of Asonahores;  congress people Ruddy Méndez and  Roberto Feliz; Iris Matos, President of the Capital Building of the Municipal Town Hall of Barahona, in addition to SECTUR officials.

At the meeting, García Fernández received the Strategic Development Plan for Barahona, designed by the Japanese Agency of International Development (JICA) from Michio Ohashi and Julio Cesar Ozorio.
 

JICA Technicians Julio Cesar Ozorio and Michio Ohashi give the Strategic Development Plan for Barahona to Francisco Javier García.

Mateo Vásquez, Governor of Barahona; Francisco Javier García, Tourism Minister; José Santana, deputy tourism minister for the Southern region and Haydee Kuret de Rainieri, President of Asonahores. .

Tourism Minister Francisco Javier García talks about SECTUR’s plans for the Southern region of the country.