The Dominican Republic Consolidates its Position as Leading Destination of Long Distance Travel in Belgium

The main tour operators who move the largest flow of visitors to the Dominican Republic are Tui, which is Jetair in Belgium,, ….

Fersobe explained that, even though 2009 ended with a drop of five thousand visitors less than 2008, tour operators have already reported a rise in travel to the Caribbean destination, and a successful closing to the 2010 winter and summer seasons. The information was released by the Office of Press and Communications of the Tourism Ministry (SECTUR).

The main tour operators who move the largest flow of visitors to the Dominican Republic are Tui, which is Jetair in Belgium, with a special high-end line, VIP Selection; Thomas Cook, that holds Neckermann and Pegasus, two high-end lines; and smaller tour operators like Travel World and Enjoy Paradise, that sell the highest-end vacations.

Fersobe made these declarations at the opening of the tourism fair Salon de Vancances, in the Belgian capital Brussels. Participation this year in the fair is an estimated 105,000 visitors, many of whom have crowded the Dominican stand in search of the leading vacation destination in the in the Caribbean region.

“For tour operators in Belgium, Dominican Republic is the number one long distance destination, above Thailand and the USA. We are the place most visited by Belgians and have 25,000 more visitors than Cancun, for example, which is our leading Caribbean competitor in Mexico,” she said.

Fersobe said that, under instructions from Tourism Minister Francisco Javier García, the OPT has undertaken a large promotion and publicity campaign for 2010. It is a well-known vacation spot for Belgians and Dutch, who have repeated their sojourns in this Caribbean nation more than once.

“2010 promises to be a year when we will see an increase of Belgian visitors, because we have had a good showing for the winter, that ends in February/March, as well as in summer reservations, which tour operators tell me have climbed higher than the levels registered in 2009,” she said.

Fersobe added that this year, the OPT in Belgium has focused on the golf niche, because there are a considerable number of golfers in that country as well as Holland that they hope to attract to the Dominican Republic.

“We have been working on the golf angle because, above all in Holland, there are a considerable number of golfers we hope to attract and we have the golf courses to offer them.”

To this end, she explained, they have begun to organize a press trip specialized in golf and spas, “because the press here is very influential in the destination decisions vacationers make.”

Director of OPT in Belgium, Samanda Fersobe (center), with personnel of the office and dancers to animate the participation of Dominican destinations in the tourism fair Salon de Vancances, in the Belgian capital Brussels.

Director of Tourism Promotion Office in Belgium, Samanda Fersobe