Simon Suarez, President of Asonahores (Dominican Republic)

Simon Suarez has spent over four decades working in the travel industry, so he is recognized as one of the leaders in this field within the Caribbean region. Mr. Suarez is the President of the Hotel and Tourism Association in the Dominican Republic (Asonahores), an institution that has played a leading role in the growth of the Dominican tourism. During one of the sessions of DATE 2015, Caribbean News Digital sat down with Mr. Suarez, who aired his views on the steps taken by Asonahores to cope with the fall of the Russian tourism and the impact for the Dominican Republic of the new opening between Cuba and the United States.

This is the second Fair with such an important MICE presence in the Dominican Republic. Does the government support the MICE segment, just like other Caribbean countries do?

The support level we are presently given by the public sector is no match for the situation in Panama and Mexico, where the Government offers direct incentives to MICE visitors. We’re way behind in this market gaining process, since we’re still focused on selling our product to MICE wholesale buyers. The tourism public sector has supported us in terms of promotion and advertising, as well as bringing a group of specialized buyers to attend DATE.
 
What is Asonahores doing to fill the space left by nearly a hundred thousand tourists you’ve lost from the Russian market?

We’re targeting new markets and strengthening the traditional ones. First of all, the overall South American market is going 20.7 percent up in the first quarter of the year. We’re also counting on the expansion of the North American market, which in the first quarter grew 16.8 percent. These are the two main elements. It’s important to underline that the British market, for instance, is back in the game and it has gone 34 percent up in the first three-month period.

How is the Spanish market doing?

It’s the second European market that has been reactivated and it has grown 28.6 percent in the first quarter.

As for the Russian markets, how many tourists are not going to come this year?

We’re talking about a 63.9 percent loss over the first three months of the year. Nearly 45 thousand in only three months, which would account for over 90 thousand that are not coming this year.

There are other 90,000 left, more or less. But the luxury market stands.

The Russian luxury market is still active.

Will the Russians keep on playing the leading role in terms of real estate buying and long-stay residence?     

It’s very likely. We haven’t seen the same fall. The only matter that makes us worry is the fact that the decrease of tourism demand has brought about lower plane seats availability. So, while the arrival of Russian visitors has gone 63 percent down, the number of plane seat from Russia has been decreased in 60 percent. This is also going to affect us.
 
Just a few months ago people thought that the opening of Cuba to the US market could have a negative impact on you. Is that so?

We haven’t felt that impact to date. I believe that emergence of the tourism activity in Cuba is still taking the first steps. It’s going to give us the opportunity to reposition our products in the United States beyond the east coast, where we’re present at the moment.