The CEO of Meliá Hotels International, Gabriel Escarrer, has highlighted the good moment the Dominican tourism industry is experiencing after a 2023 of absolute record in visitor arrivals, an achievement he attributed to the joint work of the public and private sectors.
Speech by Gabriel Escarrer
Below arecoa.com shares Gabriel Escarrer’s speech at the opening ceremony of the DATE tourism fair:
It is a pleasure and an honor for me to welcome you to this inauguration of a new edition – the 24th – of DATE, the Dominican Republic’s Tourism Fair, one of the most important in the Caribbean. First of all, I would like to congratulate Asonahores for the excellence and dedication with which, year after year, they organize this key event for the commercialization of the Dominican tourism product and its complementary offer, that is, key for the sustainable development of this blessed land of the RD, and for the prosperity of all those present here.
And of course, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your confidence in Meliá and in this magnificent and renovated Paradisus Palma Real as the venue for this new edition, in which, as in past editions that we also hosted, we hope to contribute to the collective success of our tourism sector, providing you all with an extraordinary experience.
Brilliant moment of tourism
A fair that takes place at a brilliant moment for our tourism in the RD, after having closed a year 2023 of absolute record, exceeding for the first time the 10 million international visitors, and revalidating the second position among the most visited destinations in the Latin America and Caribbean region according to the UN Tourism Barometer.
It is also an ideal time to reflect on the tourism model we want, in which we hope to continue growing and increasing tourist arrivals while diversifying and increasing the quality of our products and our destinations towards a model that is increasingly more qualitative, profitable and sustainable, both economically, socially and 
environmentally. I know that we all share this concern, and this responsibility.
For us, increasingly, “luxury is the destination”, and therefore, our luxury strategy is embodied in a paradigmatic way in an exceptional destination such as Punta Cana, where Meliá has maintained for decades a firm commitment and a portfolio of extraordinary hotels for all customer segments:
-With our Meliá Caribe Beach, (a reference for a segment as relevant as family travel, whose experience we promote through the inclusion of monthly theming) and Meliá Punta Cana Beach, a leader in a segment of growing demand such as wellness hotels, thanks to its innovative “Wellness Inclusive” concept. -Or with Paradisus Grand Cana, which after an excellent rebranding is once again a benchmark for the “Destination Inclusive” concept of our Paradisus brand, with 100% suites, a quarter of which incorporate the exclusive attribute of “Swim-up suites”.
Paradisus Palma Real
-Or, of course, with our Paradisus Palma Real, completely renovated as you will have seen, after an investment of 50 million dollars completed last year, and which has returned to the front line hosting important events such as this edition of Date, or the recent assembly of the World Tourism Organization in 2023.
In the line of positioning the Punta Cana destination as a benchmark for quality experiential tourism, Paradisus Palma Real has also hosted important gastronomic events with world-famous chefs with its program “The Epicure by Paradisus”, a gastronomic platform that seeks to position Dominican and international cuisine as a main attraction of the destination, as well as with our high-level culinary proposals with the restaurants Mascalzone, with Chef Antonia Lofaso, and Flora by Leandro Diaz, as well as presenting prestigious fashion shows with renowned Dominican couturiers such as Giannina Azar, Miguel Genao and Socrates McKinney.
A commitment that we continue to renew, with projects as important as the following:
The recent inauguration of a new photovoltaic plant at Paradisus Palma Real, consisting of 901 solar modules and 500 kWp of installed power, which allows us to offset all the energy used by the convention halls of the Meliá hotels in the destination, reiterating our firm and ambitious commitment to work for responsible and environmentally friendly tourism.
-Equally exciting for us is the current reconstruction of Paradisus Punta Cana, a resort that will rise from the ashes to become one of the best Paradisus in the world, and that following the successful model created at Paradisus Riviera Maya in Mexico, will consist of two almost twin hotels, the “Paradisus Punta Cana” and the “Paradisus White Sands” to continue delighting the most demanding visitors of our time.
RD with a brilliant present
I said at the beginning that the RD has, in terms of tourism, a brilliant present; a present that is due in good part to the beauties and extraordinary attributes of the country and its people; but that must also be attributed without a doubt, I will not tire of saying it, to a Government and a Ministry of Tourism that have done things right, before, during and after the pandemic.
This job well done, and the public-private collaboration that they have always taken care of and maintained, of which Asonahores is also an essential actor, are today reflected in consolidated destinations that continue to grow and improve, and in the emergence of new tourist poles with a great future, such as Puerto Plata, where we have just signed our first project in Punta Bergantín, together with the Puntacana Group, as well as others like Pedernales, etc., in which, thanks to the impulse of the Government, we also hope to continue contributing, with our brands and our know-how, to the Dominican tourist development.
Because this country also has a bright future in tourism, of which I can assure you that Meliá Hotels International has every intention, and every commitment, to continue to be a part, and for this, we are always looking for new projects, and new traveling companions to tackle them.
Thanks again to all of you for your attention, and I wish you all a great DATE Fair 2024!
Source: Arecoa.com
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