Tourism Ministry Sketches Strategy for 2010 Foreign Promotion

The Minister of Tourism (SECTUR) met with the directors from the Offices of Tourism Promotion (OPT) with whom he discussed and defined their plans and strategies to be carried out in 2010 with the goal of increasing the number of foreign visitors to the Dominican Republic.

Francisco Javier García instó a los directores de las OPT en el exterior a trabajar de manera puntual con los principales actores de los mercados turísticos, para lograr mantener a República Dominicana como destino líder de la región del Caribe, informa la Dirección de Prensa de Sectur.

In speaking to OPT directors working abroad, Francisco Javier García stressed the importance of working closely with the main actors in the tourism market in an effort to make the Dominican Republic the leading destination in the Caribbean region, according to the Press Office of SECTUR.

The Minister added that the coming year will see an increase in the international tourism promotion budget and that these promotions will be geared toward markets in Canada, the United States, Europe and South America.

Attending the meeting were OPT representatives from country offices in Venezuela, Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Montreal, Toronto, Miami, New York, Chicago, Puerto Rico, Germany, France, England, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, Russian, the Czech Republic and Sweden.

In addition, the Minister’s personal assistant, José Gabriel Rodríguez was present along with others including Deputy Ministers for International Promotion and the South Central, Magaly Toribio and Fausto Fernández, respectively. Also present were the Directors of Promotion Isabel Vásquez; Publicity, Carlos Daniel Rubio; Public Relations, Giselle Díaz; E-Marketing, Evelyn Paiewonski; and Press and Communications, Rossanna Figueroa.

Mr. García Fernández stressed that tourism in the Dominican Republic is well-positioned and that 2010 represents a great opportunity for the country. He based his projections on the fact that tourism contributed fully $4.2 billion dollars to the national economy and is headed to do the same for 2009.

He said that as an incentive to the Latin American markets, which have maintained a constant rate of growth, meetings will be held next year with the main actors in tourism areas from Argentina, Chile and Colombia. He noted that his offices in Europe will be working closely with the Italian market.

As such, OPT directors from South America, the United States, Canada and Europe recapped their 2009 activities in addition to discussing what actions they will be undertaking in 2010.

Tourism Minister, Francisco Javier García, speaking with OPT directors who work abroad. Beside him is Magaly Toribio, José Gabriel Rodríguez and Isabel Vásquez.

Susana Rosa, Director of the OPT Office in Montreal, Canada, speaking about her office’s plans for 2010.

Lucien Echavarría, OPT New York Director, discussing year-end results for 2009 and plans for 2010.