Q & A with Rosalinda Thomas, Director of the USA Chapter in the Dominican Republic

Q & A with Rosalinda Thomas
Director of the USA Chapter in the Dominican Republic

By Jose Carlos de Santiago

Worldwide known as one of the women who has worked the hardest for the development of tourism in the Dominican Republic. Mrs. Thomas operates the golf and MICE segments, among others, and has been ITB Berlin representative for the Caribbean since the 1980s. First madam president of the Dominican Association of Travel Agencies (ADAVIT is the Spanish acronym) in 1982, and first woman to hold the same position at the Latin American Tourism Conference in 1985.

How long how you been working in the tourism world?
Since 1973. I started my Thomas Tour office with the first tourism director of the Dominican Republic, Mr. Angel Miolan.

What is currently the main product of the Dominican Republic destination?
The word tourism covers it all. We do everything.

You have relations with CTO, take part in CHTA meetings, also in Pow Wow and other major fairs like FITUR … In your opinion, what are the most important events for distributing and selling the Caribbean image in outbound markets?
I was the first one to represent the Dominican Republic in FITUR, at the beginnings of the fair. And also to Top Resa, World Travel Market, ITB Berlin… all of them are very important events. I always try to help the Caribbean and today the Caribbean is present in all those big fairs. Now that ITB and Messe Berlin are related to ITB Asia, in Singapore, a great opportunity is opening up to work with the Asian markets.

What do you think about the Russian and Eastern European markets?
I think they have made a lot of progress in the last few years. They are growing stronger every year.

The Dominican Republic is working its way up not only as a sun and beach destination, but also as one for golf, marinas and other products…
The Dominican Republic has always had the all inclusive and sun and beach products. But its potentials and capacities for golf, marinas, tennis, polo are huge… we have a lot to offer.

What could Caribbean tourism associations do to have greater impact in the European markets?
Of course, greater promotion. If you take the media with you to every event, you will have greater impact and tourism will grow quicker.