«The bases of the country’s tourism development are sound and the current challenge has served as a lesson for sectors that were once against us to recognize the capital importance of this industry as a source of job creation and generating foreign currency, as well as a means of showcasing everything the Dominican Republic has to offer to the world,» said lawyer and tourist expert Enrique De Marchena Kaluche.
De Marchena Kaluche words came while receiving recognition during the celebration of the 23rd Caribbean Tourism Exchange (BTC).
President of the BTC, Luis Felipe Aquino, highlighted «his great values as a human being, his professional excellence as a lawyer and his great contributions to the development of the hotel and tourism industry in the country».
De Marchena Kaluche thanked the Tourist Council´s Board of Directors for the recognition, in the presence of COTAL chairman, Guillermo Milton Schneider, and tour operators from the United States, Israel, Argentina, Venezuela and other Latin American countries.
In his speech De Marchena highlighted the efforts made by President Medina and his government over the last seven years, «who not only declared tourism the driving force of the national economy, but also set the goal of 10 million tourists to be reached in 2023.»
De Marchena Kaluche concluded by stating that «we´re fighting against the current at the moment but, like any rough sea, it will calm down». He was confident that the united efforts of the public and private sectors will allow the situation to reverse in a few months.
Source: Periódico Hoy
