DATE 2020 to Help Dominican Tourism Overcome the Media Crisis

Caribbean News…
16 January 2020 6:10pm
Hard Rock Resort Casino Punta Cana

The Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic (Asonahores) announced the 21st edition of the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE), to be held from March 31st to April 3rd in Punta Cana.

This activity will be dedicated to the promotion and commercialization of the Dominican tourism offer and will take place at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana.

Andrés Marranzini, Executive Vice President of Asonahores, explained that DATE has contributed to the growth of tourism activity in the country, highlighting the importance of the joint effort with the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) and the Tourism Promotion Offices in the projection of the country's tourism product and the international promotion of the Dominican Republic to generate business agreements and to exceed the number of tourists that visit us annually.

"The objective of DATE is to generate the necessary business agreements to maintain and exceed the number of tourists that will visit us in the short term, in order to strengthen the positioning of the Dominican Republic as the main destination in the Caribbean," he added.

He also stated that since Asonahores, strategies and tactics have been developed to combat the effect of the media crisis that affected 2019. "For us, working on an edition of DATE that presents new features and contains an attractive program for the hundreds of buyers who visit us, is an integral part of these strategies," he said.

During the fair, more than 230 buyers from the main issuing markets and international press representatives will be received and will visit Santo Domingo, La Romana, Juan Dolio, among other destinations.

Sheyly Viuque, Marketing Director of Asonahores, said that the DATE edition will focus on maximizing business opportunities and facilitating exchanges between the various actors who will meet at the event. This year it is projected to offer about 180 stands in sizes 3x2mts and 2x1mts, which reflects an increase of 20% compared to 2019, in order to accommodate more supplier companies.

"For this edition, we have partnered with Target Marketing Consultants to hold the Caribbean Adventure Travel Show (CATS), with the goal of bringing 30 to 35 buyers specialized in adventure tourism. This is the first show of its kind to be held in the DR and represents Asonahores' support of the different segments and the great diversity offered by the Dominican tourism product," he said.

In addition, he indicated that for all companies participating in the fair, "Central America & Dominican Republic Innovation+Tourism Talk" will be held. This event will be hosted by Google and Trip Advisor, experts in tourism promotion and coordinated by the Federation of Chambers of Tourism of Central America (Fedecatur) and the Central America Tourism Agency (CATA).

He added that the business rounds, press conferences and workshops will begin on April 1st, culminating that night with a themed party at Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana, the first hotel in the Macao area, whose characteristics and facilities will be presented through this activity, exclusively for all those attending the DATE.

The details of DATE 2020 were offered at a cocktail party held in the Churchill Hall of the Real Intercontinental Hotel Santo Domingo, attended by: Fausto Fernandez, Deputy Minister of Tourism; Ernesto Veloz, President of the Association of Hotels and Tourist Projects of the East (Asoleste); José Natalio Redondo, President of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of the North Coast (Ashonorte), among others.

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