A historic milestone for Dominican tourism journalism has put the Caribbean nation in the global spotlight this week, as veteran industry reporter Cristina Rosario has broken barriers to become the first woman from the Dominican Republic to earn induction into the World Organization of Tourism Journalism (OMPT) Hall of Honor.
This prestigious distinction is reserved exclusively for global tourism communication professionals whose career work has advanced the cause of responsible, sustainable, and inclusive tourism through high-quality specialized media. The award was formally presented to Rosario during the 17th International Congress of Journalists and Tourism Professionals, hosted this year in Circasia, Colombia. The gathering brought together hundreds of tourism communicators, academic researchers, and industry stakeholders from across Latin America to explore evolving challenges and opportunities for tourism messaging in the fast-changing digital age.
With more than 20 years of experience covering global tourism and destination development, Rosario’s career is defined by a seamless blend of investigative journalism, strategic editorial production, and intentional destination promotion. Over the course of her decades-long professional journey, she has contributed deeply to leading industry tourism publications, produced authoritative destination guides, and led community and media initiatives designed to showcase the rich cultural heritage and stunning natural landscapes of the Dominican Republic to global audiences.
Today, Rosario holds the position of editorial director at travel outlet Travellers.com, and she also serves on the board of directors for the Dominican Association of Tourism Press (Adompretur), where she oversees all tourism and cultural portfolio initiatives for the 2025–2027 term. Her professional resume includes prior senior editorial coordination roles at iconic industry publications, including *Bohío* magazine and *La Cotica*, the Dominican Republic’s official national tourism guide.
The OMPT Hall of Honor was created to recognize journalists who have strengthened the quality and impact of global tourism communication, while upholding standards of ethical reporting and supporting the preservation of distinct cultural identities around the world. Per OMPT’s mission, the induction honor is designed to elevate professionals who leverage media platforms to build cross-cultural understanding, facilitate meaningful global exchange, and expand adoption of equitable, sustainable tourism practices.
This latest accolade adds to a long list of career distinctions for Rosario, who already holds the Dominican Republic’s top national journalism honor in the field, the Epifanio Lantigua National Tourism Journalism Award, alongside multiple previous international recognitions from OMPT’s acclaimed Pasaporte Abierto awards program.
With her induction, Rosario joins fellow Dominican tourism journalist Salvador Batista as one of the two Dominican representatives enshrined in the OMPT Hall of Honor, a milestone that is expected to raise the international profile of Dominican tourism journalism for years to come.
Rosario’s induction coincided with that of Panamanian journalist Yelina Pérez Sánchez, who was also welcomed into the 2024 cohort of the OMPT Hall of Honor for her decades of impactful contributions to the field. Pérez Sánchez has built a widely respected career advancing tourism, cultural preservation, and heritage promotion through specialized media, establishing her as one of the leading voices for tourism in Panama.