Dominican Promotional Workshop in Eiffel Tower

Dominican Promotional Workshop in Eiffel Tower

The Tourism Ministry (SECTUR), in coordination with the Dominican hotel industry and Air France, held its 4th Institutional Workshop in the Eiffel Tower with the idea of encouraging and promoting the flow of tourists to the Dominican Republic.

Mercedes Castillo, Director of the Tourism Promotion Office OPT)in France, said this activity, held on Monday, was meant to promote the number one destination in the Caribbean. This year’s workshop included the participation of 15 hotel companies located in the country…

Mercedes Castillo, Director of the Tourism Promotion Office OPT in France, said this activity, held on Monday, was meant to promote the number one destination in the Caribbean. This year’s workshop included the participation of 15 hotel companies located in the country as well as Air France, according to Office of Press and Communication of SECTUR.

She named some of the participating companies: Connect Services, Casa de Campo, Casa Bonita, El Caballo Tours, Ect Events and Meeting, Melia Caribbean Tropical, Barceló Hotels, Colonial Tours and Travel, Hotel Beds, Majestic Resort, Viva Wyndham Resort, Occidental Hotels and Resort, Hotel Beds, Turmaya, as well as support from the National Association of Hotels and Restaurants (ASONAHORES).

Ms. Castillo pointed out that thanks to the promotional work being done by SECTUR in the French market, alliances with the private sector and, above all, the support from ASONAHORES, the Dominican Republic has been receiving over 300,000 French tourists each year.

”The enormous job being done by ASONAHORES and the support they’ve afforded us must be acknowledged. The group has always been there to back up the Ministry of Tourism and the activities it does,” she said.

She also acknowledged, at the same time, support from Air France which recently stated that “for an airline like Air France to take an interest in a particular destination, there must be a huge credibility factor such as that of the Dominican Republic. It is based in this that we have thrown our support behind this country.”

The fourth promotional workshop was held on the second level of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Hundreds of French business people interested in the DR as a tourist destination attended the event.

This activity forms part of previous promotion actions carried out by the Dominican OPT in France as well as the International French Travel Market IFTM Top-Resa 2009 which began this Tuesday and will run until Friday.

2010: The Year of the Tourism Comeback

ASONAHORES President, Haydee Kuret de Rainieri, projects that 2010 will be the big recovery year in the tourism industry and that it will stabilize after having been shaken by the economic crisis that gripped the entire world.

“We are expecting a huge jump for the year 2011 now that, despite the crisis, the tourism industry has shown strength and stability,” she said.

Kuret de Rainieri said the Dominican Republic is among the best-positioned destinations in the Caribbean and noted that it has enjoyed a 3% growth rate despite the world economic crisis, which indicates that tourism is among the most resistant of industries.

As such, she sent a message to her fellow Dominicans: “I believe in tourism and we as a people should believe in tourism.”

She added that to maintain a solid destination with positive growth levels, it is necessary for Dominicans to take care of this industry. “We have to take care of tourism…we have to make tourists feel at home in the Dominican Republic.”

She said that it is essential to guarantee that the country is a safe destination, one with an enviable climate and, above all, a friendly place that treats tourists in a way that no other place can ever match. 

Arturo Villanueva, Executive Director of ASONAHORES and Mercedes Castillo, Director of the Tourism Promotion Office in France show part of their promotional material from the “Dominican Republic Has it All” campaign

Representatives of Casa de Campo Hotel as they offer their place to French businesspeople

Representatives of various hotel chains offer details about the benefits of vacationing in the Dominican Republic

Haydee Kuret de Rainieri, President of ASONAHORES, giving information to visitors at the workshop