Tourism leaders have a positive assessment of the management of President Luis Abinader in relation to this sector of the economy. They coincide in highlighting as a great achievement the coordination with the private actors of the industry and the creation of the Tourism Cabinet, headed by the president and coordinated by the minister David Collado, whose work also receives praise.
FRANK RAINIERI
Past President of ASONAHORES
From the initial moments of his administration, President Luis Abinader has shown a great understanding of the role that tourism has and its positive influence on all other sectors of the economy. His support, his knowledge of the sector, policies, and management style, have been decisive for the rapid recovery process experienced by tourism. His management of the pandemic – a vital issue to gain the confidence of the markets – and the measures adopted for tourism were recognized as an example by the World Tourism Organization. All this has also been possible due to the coordinated work of the Presidency, the Ministry of Tourism and the private sector. Minister David Collado has done a very good job acting quickly when situations arise and consulting; he has earned the trust of private actors. It is important to recognize that the Tourism Cabinet as a coordinating body has worked.
ENRIQUE DE MARCHENA
Past President of ASONAHORES
I think that the minister, with his youthful and unorthodox management style, has had notable successes. It is clear that he has done a great job of integrating the public sector with the private sector and that the coordination of the Tourism Cabinet has been part of it. Also maintaining close ties with national and foreign investors, especially with Spanish ones, has been important. His management of his sector in these times of COVID-19 has been proactive. The effort to diversify, and if you like, improve the statistics of the tourism sector together with the Central Bank of the country, and that they are made public in a timely manner, is a relevant effort. I think that in his case, the best is yet to come, and I predict success for him.
CESAR JOSE DE LOS SANTOS
President of the Puerto Plata Tourism Cluster
The president of the Puerto Plata Destination Tourism Cluster, César José de Los Santos, praised as positive the efforts made by the government and the Ministry of Tourism in its first year.
De Los Santos highlighted the vaccination efforts and the effective application of sanitary measures and operating protocols in the country’s tourist properties, as well as the new investments and the continuation of ongoing initiatives in terms of infrastructure.
He considered the coordination of the public sector with tourist associations and with the main hotel chains and tour operators with an impact in the country as very positive, as well as the effective effort to communicate the initiatives that the country has been implementing.
He understands that the actions of all the actors of the national tourism sector, definitely strengthen the position of the Dominican Republic as the main destination in the Caribbean and advocated for the continuation of the spirit of integration and collaboration of all sectors for the benefit of the country.
ERNESTO VELOZ
President of the Eastern Hotel Association
The evaluation of the first year of President Luis Abinader for the tourism sector can be summed up in a few words: Much has been done in such a short time and in the midst of the crisis in the world economy and tourism. They are facts: We are recognized as a successful country in handling the pandemic. The World Tourism Organization cites us as an example of how to handle tourism with the pandemic. Despite the closure of many markets, in July we achieved 62% of the international tourist arrivals registered in the same month before the pandemic (2019). We have a Tourism Cabinet headed by President Abinader and coordinated by the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, which aligns all public entities related to tourism, and with private participation. President Abinader – and so does Minister David Collado – permanently listens and consults the private tourism sector. Minister Collado assumes with interest the solution of the problems that arise. We have a government of work, dialogue, consultation, and attention to the tourism sector. Perfection does not exist, but this sum of attitudes and actions is a lot.
LUIS LOPEZ
Past President of ASONAHORES
The first year of the government of President Luis Abinader has had great achievements. Being the rapid search for vaccine options to protect the Dominican population, plus the measures taken in the health sector to control the COVID-19 pandemic and allowing the process of economic opening of the country.
Regarding the tourism sector, it is necessary to highlight the immense work carried out by the president in conjunction with the team made up of his minister David Collado, and the entire ministry team, creating conditions to face the pandemic and initiating a safe reopening plan, through At the same time, it summons all the main actors of the public administration to join the Tourism Cabinet, as well as the participation of the private sector.
The necessary actions were taken from this cabinet, achieving in a very short time the reopening of hotels and the gradual incorporation of markets through an aggressive campaign at the local level and, to the extent that other governments have allowed air connections, with all the other markets.
Its work plan by destinations has allowed us to see its fruits today in Samaná, Punta Cana and Puerto Plata with necessary infrastructure works, which together with the inter-institutional effort and the coordination of the Ministry of Tourism have been able to conclude works that have been paralyzed for many years. years, mentioning the Las Terrenas treatment plant, the Gurabo-Santiago highway, the great stop to name a few.
No less important has been the implementation of the marketing committee for making strategic decisions, as well as managing the advertising budget. In technical areas, we must highlight the digitization of the permit and license processing processes, as well as a web page with all the national statistics that serve as the basis for a more in-depth and current study of the behavior of our tourism.
Source:
Resumen Turismo
