Bogota Colombia. – Dominican tourism remains unstoppable and this was shown with Puerto Plata in the Anato 2024 Tourist Showcase in Colombia by presenting the charms of this great beach destination, captivating the public with a great bachata show, winning awards and recognitions, and strengthening ties with hundreds of travel agents and tour operators in a dynamic roadshow led by its Minister of Tourism, David Collado.
Puerto Plata, the first tourist destination to be developed in the Dominican Republic, was at the Anato 2024 fair for the first time with a delegation of more than 80 businessmen, personalities, authorities, tourism leaders, and media delegates from the country. Preview (opens in a new tab)
La Novia del Atlántico organized its exhibition from a modern stand with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and there it presented its natural and cultural resources and the hotel offering that is growing and promoted with the new Punta Bergatin project.
Its attractive beaches from Cabarete to Sosúa, Playa Dorada, Cofresí, Playa Encuentro, Long Beach to El Castillo beach in La Isabela. Natural spaces for extreme adventures such as Los 27 Charcos de Damajagua or the Cable Car in Loma Isabel de Torres, the San Felipe Fortress, the Amber Museum, or the dolphinarium options.
When opening the fair and launching the Dominican Republic stand, Minister David Collado highlighted the importance of Colombia in the sustained growth that tourism in the Dominican Republic has had, pointing out the great opportunities that Puerto Plata has to take advantage of this market, which is the third most important for the country, with the arrival of 300 thousand tourists per year, growing by 20% in 2023, compared to 2022.
Puerto Plata Always Real!
Under the motto “Puerto Plata, Always Real!”, in a vibrant and dynamic way, the Puerto Plata delegation, represented by Birgitt Heinsen, presented the diverse and unique attractions that make the North Coast an ideal option for the Colombian market, continue contributing to the growth of Dominican tourism.
“We appreciate this opportunity that Minister David Collado has opened to us, in the midst of one of the best moments we have experienced in Puerto Plata, with an important renewal in our tourism proposal. The main cruise destination in the country, innovative complementary proposals, renovations in the hotel plant and the incorporation of mega projects such as Punta Bergantin, put us in the spotlight as one of the best proposals to visit in the Caribbean,” indicated the president of the Cluster.
“We are very motivated with the alliance achieved between Mitur, Asonahores, Arajet, and our institutions in Puerto Plata. As a result of it, we come here looking for new agreements and air connections for the destination, and we are sure that we will return with excellent news for our entire sector,” he stated.
The presence of Puerto Plata as a guest destination motivated the participation of a large delegation, which traveled to the Colombian capital on a special Arajet flight, which connected Puerto Plata with Bogotá for the first time.
Among them, the mayor of the San Felipe municipality, Diomedes García, Manuel Sànchez Silverio, mayor of Maimón, the regional director of Norte del Mitur, Carlos Atahualpa Paulino, the councilors Jeremías Ureña and Anulfo Ferreras, Carlos Rodolí and Grecia Gómez, stand out for the Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Companies of the North (ASHONORTE), César José de los Santos, and Manuel Finke, of the Association of Hotels and Commercial Establishments of Playa Dorada, Mileyka Brugal, of the Chamber of Commerce and Free Trade Zone of Puerto Plata.
Also the businessmen José Natalio Redondo, Roberto Casoni, Pablo T. Brugal, Schembri Sant, Camilo Brugal, Carlos Medrano, Luis Manuel Pérez, Francisco Gómez, Luis Caraballo, Juan Yamil Musa, Juanqueisy Henríquez, Roger and Solange Mariotti, Luis Mata, and Edward del Valle, among others.
Also present were the Sales and Marketing representatives of Blue Bay, Ocean World, VH Hotels and Resorts, Manureva Tours, Amhsa Marina, Natura Cabana, and Green Land Bubble Glamping, Freedom Builders Global Group SRL, The Ocean Club Costa Norte, and a commission of the municipal mayor's office.
Bachata in Puerto Plata, a cultural tourism experience
The presentation of the Dominican tourism destination Puerto Plata at Anato 2024 in Bogotá, Colombia, went beyond photos and videos with immersive resources to show what people can experience on vacation if they choose these lands; it also involved a live exhibition of bachata with an artistic spectacle that left no doubt about the reasons why this rhythm has the global impact it achieves.
At this time, musical rhythm is an attraction for artists of the stature of Marc Anhony, Chayanne, Luis Fonsi, Camilo, Maluma, Rosario, Sebastián Yatra, Natty Natacha, Karol G, Bad Bunny, among others.
Outside of the Aventura phenomenon and the later soloist Romeo Santos, American artists such as Leslie Grace, Becky G took on this rhythm.
David Collado face to face with travel agents and tour operators
Taking advantage of the Anato 2024 Tourism Showcase, the Dominican Minister of Tourism, David Collado, held a meeting with more than 500 travel agents and tour operators.
The roadshow allowed us to strengthen the relationship with tourism agents in the Colombian market, one of the five main destinations that send tourists to the Dominican Republic.
According to data from the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, in recent years the arrival of Colombian tourists to the Dominican Republic has been increasing, to the point of representing 4.5% of the total foreign tourists who entered in 2023 and reaching 306 thousand Colombians. .
“We are heading towards 350 thousand Colombians by the year 2024, 306 thousand arrived, the goal is 350 thousand and of those 350 thousand the difference will be sought by Puerto Plata as well,” said Collado.
He said that, among the government entity's plans to achieve the goal, is to strengthen the tourist police to maintain traveler safety, in addition to improving infrastructure issues with the construction of Punta Bergantín and projects in Miches and Pedernales.
On her side at the meeting, Miguelina Ruiz, director of the Tourism Promotion Office of the Ministry of Tourism in Colombia, assured that those who visit Puerto Plata will be seduced by the unparalleled beauty of its beaches, highlighting that this destination has a diverse offer that It adapts to the needs of visitors ranging from cultural, ecological, sports, religious, and adventure tourism.
Recognitions
During the meeting, the Dominican Republic received recognition from the Global Vacations Group and Price Travel as the most visited destination in 2023.
At the event, which was attended by hotel businessmen and travel agents from Puerto Plata, the province to which the Dominican Republic stand at the Anato fair is dedicated, Collado received recognition from TripAdvisor Travelers Choice Awards: Best of the Best, to Playa Bávaro as one of the best beaches in the world in 2024.
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