Miguelina Ortiz. Assistant to the Tourism Minister of the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is betting on strengthening its traditional markets in 2003 with a broadened offer of better quality, to show that it’s more than just a sun and beach destination and that it guarantees the visitors safety and investments on tourism. Mrs. Ortiz de Subervi details the plans in the following interview with Caribbean News Digital:

CND: How do you see this year’s World Travel Market compared to other editions, not only in the change of venue but rather the market situation that seems to have changed quite a lot lately?

A: As to the exhibition area, it’s larger than last year. We’ve got more room, we’re better shared, the place is pretty good, maybe a little bit farther, but very good. An the Dominican Republic is calling the preference shots as the top Caribbean market among the British. There’ve been very good contacts with tour operators, great perspectives for the upcoming winter and summer seasons in the Dominican Republic, and that’s something positive for us.

CND: How is the Dominican Republic going to end up this year? With positive outcomes despite all the snags in the Caribbean’s way? And what about next year’s perspectives in numbers?

A: We sported some growth in September compared to the same month the year before. Closing figures for the month of September were positive, as well as in past months seen from an across-the-board standpoint. Recovery has been slow but steady. We’re bracing for a great winter and a much better summer in 2003.

CND: What are going to be the top markets for the Dominican Republic both inside and outside Europe?

A: We intend to both keep and beef up our traditional markets. In Europe, basically Spain for the relationship not only as a premiere sender, but also because of its bulky investments in the Dominican Republic as far as hotels and complementary services are concerned. Germany, Italy, the U.K. and France have come back with some incredible numbers regardless of this year’s hardships for the whole tourist sector worldwide. France has grown by 13 percent in the Dominican Republic, and that’s shown in three new direct flights to Punta Cana opened by Air France. We hope to get a shot at some new markets like Russia, the Scandinavian countries and Switzerland as far as this side of the world is concerned.

As to America, just keep a strong hand in the U.S., a country that sends over 40 percent of all visitors traveling to the Dominican Republic every year, and also tag along with certain South American nations like Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Argentina that despite the well-known crises they’re going through, they always send some travelers.

CND: What products are succeeding the most among your offers: culture, beaches, a combination of that all? How is this evolution faring right now?

A: We want out of the sun-and-beach offer to show the world we comprise a whole more than that. That’s been the backbone of our campaign and marketing strategy this year: gain some ground as a higher-level destination. For instance, we’re a great destination for golfers. We also want to develop ecological tourism, adventure tourism and sports. Of course, the sun-and-beach offer is still a major ingredient. Absolutely.

CND: Are you weighing to implement or step up multi-destination with other countries, to make combinations?

A: Yes, we are. And we’ve already mapped out some concrete multi-destination actions at the request of the French Tourism Minister who approached us twice this year, talked to our Minister and asked us to teach them how to do (multi-destination) and show them our experience in this field. I think in the wake of a meeting scheduled for next December, in a week or so in the Dominican Republic, we could start offering French and Spanish destination tourism in coming months, especially for French travelers.

CND: Is there something else you’d like to add?

R.- Just a reminder that we continue to be the number-one destination for the safety the country offers