The Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic (ASONAHORES) and the Association of Hotels of Santo Domingo (AHSD) opened the V edition of the Ibero-American Summit on Accessible Tourism with an inclusive basketball tournament, coordinated by the Federation of Wheelchair Basketball (FEDOBASIR).
A selection of players with physical disabilities were in charge of not only showing their skills but also of carrying the message of promoting a more sustainable tourism, which promotes a social change towards inclusion in the hotel and tourist facilities, and that can impact different productive sectors of the country.
Rafael Blanco Tejera, president of Asonahores, expressed that for the entire tourism sector it is a priority to promote an inclusive culture where all people can participate on equal terms in tourism services and products, including those with disabilities and reduced mobility.
“This initiative is a further demonstration of the commitment we have as a country to the evolution of tourism. It is our conviction that anyone can enjoy all the natural wealth that the Dominican Republic has to offer, for this we must join public and private efforts to make this a reality,” said Blanco Tejera.
The inaugural ceremony was led by the Ministers of the Presidency, Joel Santos and of Tourism, David Collado, who assured that the government is taking the necessary steps to make the Dominican Republic a more inclusive and attractive country for tourists with some type of physical disability.
Minister David Collado affirmed that they have more than two years focused on the recovery of tourism in the Dominican Republic and that they have achieved historic figures, and that with this initiative of accessible tourism, they will achieve results that will also be historic.
“The time has come to think outside the box but with the heart, the purest feeling a human being can have is love, and inclusion is love. I publicly commit that in the coming years, from the Ministry of Tourism, we will make sure that all hotels in the Dominican Republic are inclusive for all human beings.” Collado assured.
Joel Santos, Minister of the Presidency, said that from the tourism point of view, the Dominican Republic is seeking to continue diversifying, and this initiative is precisely a reflection of that, which seeks to improve the tourism infrastructure for disabled access and the inclusion of all.
This fifth edition is organized by the Ministry of Tourism, ASONAHORES, the Santo Domingo Hotel Association, the Santo Domingo Tourism Cluster, ADN, CONADIS, RITURACCESS, the Dominican Association of Rehabilitation, the Association of Persons with Physical and Motor Disabilities, Red Iberoamericana de Entidades de Personas con Discapacidad, the Federación Dominicana de Baloncesto sobre Silla de Ruedas Femenina y Masculina (FEDOBASIR) and other organizations and groups of people with different types of disabilities that are represented under the umbrella of CONADIS.
The event is sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Banreservas, INICIA, Terra RD Partners, Banco Popular Dominicano, Bandex, Mapfre, Dominican Access, CEPM, CAPCANA, SKY CANA, Travegali.com, AERODOM, Cancun Accesible, CONADIS, Homewood Suites and Turenlaces.
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