The Dominican Republic is a destination that has always stood out when it comes to tourism, and once again proved its ability to manage crises and welcome travelers during the global health crisis.
Although overall travel sales remain in freefall, according to the Orchestra barometer for Echo Touristique, the Dominican Republic stands out as the number two destination in terms of sales in January 2021.
Let’s meet Mercedes Castillo, Director of the Office for the Promotion of Dominican Republic Tourism in France.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and the mission of the Office pour la Promotion du Tourisme de la République Dominicaine en France?

The exact title of our entity is Office pour la Promotion du Tourisme (OPT) – between representation and office, the country has 30 OPTs worldwide.
I’ve had the pleasure of running OPT France since 2003.
For me, the happy coincidence with my job is that I’ve been to every region of the country (due to my father’s professional obligations), and so have a thorough knowledge of the diversity and possibilities of the Dominican product, which is a real plus when it comes to making decisions in terms of communications.

How has the Dominican Republic managed and continues to manage the Covid-19 crisis?

In 2020, the destination was one of the first to close its borders (air, sea and land) from March to July 2020.
A number of ministries (Health, Presidency of the Republic, Ministry of the Exterior, Civil Aviation, etc.) have put in place a 4-phase strategic plan.
During the last phase, in July, the Ministry of Tourism, working hand in hand with the Hotel Association, called on Bureau Veritas International to develop a joint health strategy (training hotel staff, adapting facilities, developing a health charter, etc.).
As a result, tourism has reopened in complete safety.
The Dominican Republic wants to welcome tourists and protect its airport and hotel staff, as well as travellers.
This is a priority for our destination.
Furthermore, since August 16, 2020, a new government has been running the country.
We are fortunate that the new authorities, who come from the tourism industry, understand the sector and are reacting accordingly.
Mr. Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic, is himself a hotelier, and Mr. David Collado, Minister of Tourism, is a former mayor of Santo Domingo, for which he has done a great deal.

Since July¹, travelers have been able to visit the Dominican Republic without restrictions.
What measures has the destination taken?

To date, no testing is required to enter the Dominican Republic.
In addition to applying the sanitary protocols developed by Bureau Veritas for the country, curfews have been in place since the start of the pandemic.
The Dominican Republic has never instituted containment.
The country has never been short of surgical or fabric masks (sewing is very much part of Dominican culture) and, as in France, the government has set up a social support program for the most disadvantaged who are forced to telework or are unemployed.
More recently, in response to health measures taken by the sending countries (USA, Canada, Europe), the government has made an effort to bring testing closer to the hotels, and today, travellers can carry out their PCR test directly at the medical dispensary of most hotel-clubs, so that they can return home.
What’s more, until March 31, 2021, every traveler arriving by plane and staying in a hotel has a medical insurance policy underwritten by the Dominican State that covers all types of medical emergencies, including those caused by possible Covid-19 contamination.

You were the first foreign destination to communicate and organize a physical event on site with over 50 journalists on the occasion of the AJT Annual General Meeting.
Can you tell us more about this trip and your efforts in terms of communication?

Coordinating a mega press trip is always a major challenge.
But for us, the opportunity was unique in these Covid times.
We were able to show that it was still possible to travel while respecting barrier-free gestures, and this helped convey a message of hope.
Over 4 days, we managed to organize the General Assembly of theAssociation of Tourism Journalists, and we were able to show the 55 journalists present our destination and all the sanitary measures taken on site.
Despite the curfew still in force in the Dominican Republic, the group was able to discover different regions of our destination.
From Santo Domingo, our capital and the cradle of Dominican Republic history, via the city of Santiago, renowned for its premium cigars, and Bani in the south-west, with its vineyards and salt marshes, to Bayahibe and Punta Cana.
A complete program and a fine operation of which we are proud.

What message would you like to get across to tour operators and travel agencies?
And to travelers?

We were among the first to fully reopen to tourism in July 2020, adhering to strict sanitary protocols, and with hotels open well below capacity.
This allows guests to enjoy the common areas of the resorts in complete peace of mind and safety.

The final word?

We invite you to stay informed at www.godominicanrepublic.dom and www.DrTravelCenter.com.
And come and visit our beautiful country as soon as you can!