Tourism Minister Signs Agreement with Italian Tour Operators and Airlines

Tourism Minister Signs Agreement with Italian Tour Operators and Airlines

Dominican Tourism Minister, Francisco Javier García, signed agreements of cooperation and reinforced already existing agreements with Italy’s main tour operators and airlines with the idea of confirming and expanding the diversity of the Dominican Republic as a destination in this European nation.

García said his visit to Italy, where he participated in the 30th edition of the International Tourism Fair (BIT-2010) in Milan, is the point of departure for arranging the arrival of Italian tourists to the Dominican Republic.

Francisco Javier García held meetings with Nardo Filipetti, president of Eden Viaggi; Franco Pecci, president of the charter airline, Blue-Panorama and executive of the Alpitourworld Group with whom he signed cooperation agreements to increase the number of flights to the Dominican Republic, according to the Ministry of Tourism (SECTUR).

García said his visit to Italy, where he participated in the 30th edition of the International Tourism Fair (BIT-2010) in Milan, is the point of departure for arranging the arrival of Italian tourists to the Dominican Republic.

“We want for Italian tourists to visit us, to see the important investments the government and private sector have made in such tourism areas as Samaná, Puerto Plata, Bávaro and Punta Cana,” he said.

García Fernández said the other added value of the Dominican Republic is the designation of Santo Domingo as the American Capital of Culture for 2010. Visitors from around the world will have the opportunity to appreciate the cultural and historical value of the First City in the Americas.

“For us, Italy is extraordinarily important and we are going to treat them as such, like the great market it is. There are five European countries that contribute the largest number of visitors to the Dominican Republic and these include Italy, France, Spain, England and Germany,” he said.

He added that to be in Italy, accompanied by representatives from the private sector such as Haydée Kuret de Rainieri, president of the National Association of Hotels and Restaurants (ASONAHORES), represents a commitment to continue working hand-in-hand – public and private sector – for the Italian market to regain the importance it once had in earlier years.

García Fernández stressed that the Ministry of Tourism has already begun its special promotional plan for Italy with the goal of encouraging Italians to look to the DR when planning their vacations.

“Now what we want is for the Italians who haven’t visited us yet to come to our country and for those who were there five, six or up to ten years ago, to come back and visit us again and see the superior tourism infrastructure that we now have,” he stressed.

He reminded them of the remarks made by presidents of Spanish hotel chains last January at Madrid’s International Tourism Fair (FITUR) when they reported that the Dominican hotel infrastructure was enviable by any standards around the world.

Ramón Rivas, Francisco Javier García, Neyda García, Rafael Blanco Canto and José Gabriel Rodríguez.

Tourism Minister, Francisco Javier García, in a meeting with Franco Pecci, president of the Blue-Panorama charter airline service. With them are executives of the Italian airline.

Tourism Minister Francisco Javier García meeting with executives of the Alpitourworld Group. With them is, Neyda García, director of the Dominican Tourism Promotion Office (OPT) in Italy.

Francisco Javier García, Dominican Tourism Minister and Nardo Filipetti, president of Eden Viaggi tour operators as they sign a cooperation agreement to increase the arrival of Italian tourists to the Dominican Republic.