U.S. Treasurer and WTTC President recognize the DR’s potential for tourism due to its natural resources
Former US Treasurer Rosario Marín and the executive president of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Julia Simpson, recognize the Dominican Republic’s potential to attract tourists who after the pandemic are looking for a greater connection with nature.
Marín and Simpson were interviewed separately during the WTTC’s Sustainability and Investment Summit, held in San Juan, which focused on the sector’s commitment to preserving the planet, its biodiversity and reducing climate change.
Marín spoke about the resilience of the sector in the face of the economic impact of the pandemic and, secondly, about the growth prospects of the industry, which attracts some 26 million tourists in the region, in addition to the investment projection for the next ten years, which would generate some 100 million jobs.
Marín likes the Dominican Republic’s gastronomy and care for natural resources, which attracts tourists who saved money during the pandemic and now have the need to travel, especially to Latin America.
“I have been to the Dominican Republic, I love it, it fascinated me, I loved its patron saint, the Virgin of Higüey (Our Lady of Altagracia). It is an enchanting island”.
He thanked the effort made by the Dominicans to preserve their natural resources.
“Well I think they have a lot to offer, they have a lot to give, I think they are working hard to promote tourism. I believe that we will all benefit from visiting the Dominican Republic and I thank you very much for the effort you are making to protect the island, to protect all the natural wealth that you have,” he praised.
“I loved that mofongo and I certainly loved the seviches, oh a delicious thing,” he said after speaking on stage before dozens of industry leaders where he showed his optimism in the recovery of the sector. He also spoke about his experience in the work he led to make California a greener and more sustainable region.
Julia Simpson on Dominican Republic and LA
Simpson says that the Dominican Republic is doing the job of preserving the environment because it understands that is what it has to offer to tourists or those looking to connect with nature.
She points out that it is throughout the region that the dynamism of that sector is coming back.
“It is coming back, it is coming back because people are looking for nature and also in Europe and the United States, for example, they have money, they have their savings, they have not been able to spend or enjoy traveling. So they are so eager to get out and come to Latin America.”
While referring to the preservation of the environment in Quisqueya, the world leader of the private sector in tourism and travel emphasizes that “yes, it is doing the job, right, right, what happens in your country, which is very important, is that you recognize that you have to protect nature, because it is your product, not that I want to justify the word product with nature, but it is what you have to offer, then people are looking for that. Also connecting with communities and getting to know other communities.”
The executive president of the WTTCT highlighted, in the presentation of the event, that the Caribbean is the birthplace of international tourism and has grown to welcome 26 million people a year.
He indicated that the region relies heavily on its international visitors, and that the pandemic and the closure of the border across the world has had a very strong impact on the economy of this area.
Prior to 2019 travel and tourism in the Caribbean had grown for 8 consecutive years and represented 14% of the total economy, worth 61.5 billion dollars and creating 15% of jobs.
With the covid lost 50% of the value of that sector, but as good news showed the report of the WTTC financial projection for the Carie, which could have for the next 10 years a growth of 6.7% each year and that will be higher than the GDP of the entire Caribbean”.
