The executive president of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Julia Simpson, recognized the potential that the Dominican Republic has to attract tourists who after the pandemic are looking for a greater connection with nature.
She said that the Dominican Republic is doing the job of preserving the environment because it understands that is what it has to offer tourists or those looking to connect with nature.
He indicated that it is throughout the region that the dynamism of the sector is returning.
“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,” he said.
While referring to the preservation of the environment in the DR, the world leader of the private sector in tourism and travel stressed that “yes, you are doing the job, right, right, what is happening 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 to connect with communities and meet other communities.
The WTTCT executive president pointed out that the Caribbean is the birthplace of international tourism and has grown to welcome 26 million people a year.
She indicated that the region relies heavily on its international visitors, and that the pandemic and border closures across the world have 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 accounted for 14% of the total economy, worth $61.5 billion and creates 15% of jobs. With Covid, they lost 50% of the value of that sector, but as good news, the report of the WTTC financial projection for the Caribbean showed that it could have a 6.7% growth every year for the next 10 years, and that will be higher than the GDP of the entire Caribbean”, he recalled.
Meanwhile, the former treasurer of the United States, Rosario Marín, agreed with the statements of the president of the WTTC. “I have been to the Dominican Republic, I love it, it fascinated me; it is an enchanting island”.
He thanked the effort made by the Dominicans to preserve their natural resources, according to Listín Diario.
“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.
Both executives were interviewed separately during the last WTTC Sustainability and Investment Summit, held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, which focused on the sector’s commitment to the preservation of the planet, its biodiversity and the reduction of climate change.
