Carib Scope

标签： Dominican Republic

多米尼加共和国

  • DP World reports 86% survival rate in Boca Chica mangrove restoration

    DP World reports 86% survival rate in Boca Chica mangrove restoration

    A year after more than 400 mangrove seedlings were planted in the Boca Chica Reef Lagoon of the Dominican Republic as part of a collaborative coastal restoration initiative, DP World Dominican Republic and the Deep Green Foundation have announced promising early results: an 86% survival rate for the young vegetation. To track the project’s progress and reinforce local conservation efforts, the two partners recently hosted a new volunteer monitoring event, bringing together environmental advocates and technical experts to assess how the young mangroves have adapted to their new habitat.

    During the on-site evaluation, environmental technicians and leadership representatives from both organizations documented key signs of healthy growth. Beyond the high overall survival rate, the team found that 48% of the surviving seedlings have already developed distinct aerial roots – a critical morphological milestone that signals successful long-term adaptation to the coastal wetland environment. Even more encouraging are the early ecological changes already observed in the area: project biologists have confirmed the return of diverse native marine life, including mollusks, crustaceans, and juvenile fish, to the restored mangrove zone. This early recolonization confirms that the growing mangrove forest is already beginning to deliver on its core ecological purpose: providing critical shelter and feeding habitat for local coastal species.

    This on-the-ground restoration work forms a local component of DP World’s global sustainability framework, “Our World, Our Future,” a company-wide strategy centered on preserving critical natural ecosystems and minimizing the environmental footprint of global trade operations. Manuel Martínez, Chief Executive Officer of DP World Dominican Republic, emphasized that meaningful economic progress does not need to come at the cost of environmental health, arguing that the two goals can and must advance hand in hand. Tasha Gough, CEO of the Deep Green Foundation, outlined the long-term vision for the partnership: the organizations aim to plant a total of 1,000 mangrove seedlings across the Boca Chica Reef Lagoon by the end of 2026, expanding the restored habitat and amplifying its ecological benefits.

    Looking ahead, the two partners will continue regular maintenance of the site and carry out periodic technical monitoring to support the mangroves’ ongoing development. Beyond supporting marine biodiversity, the project is designed to deliver tangible coastal resilience benefits: mature mangrove forests improve sediment retention along coastlines, which in turn strengthens natural defenses against storm surges, sea level rise, and other hydrological threats facing low-lying Caribbean coastal communities.

  • Dominican Republic returns to top 10 long-haul destinations for French tour operators

    Dominican Republic returns to top 10 long-haul destinations for French tour operators

    After a two-year absence driven by market disruption, the Dominican Republic has earned its way back into the top 10 most popular long-haul destinations for French tour operators, new data from the Syndicat des entreprises du tour-operating (SETO) confirms. The Caribbean nation has recorded a 7% rise in customer volume for the ongoing fiscal year, capping a steady rebound from a sharp 2023 market downturn.

    In 2023, the Dominican Republic tumbled out of the top 10 rankings after major carriers Air France and Corsair paused direct flights to the country, pushing SETO-measured sales down by 22% year-over-year. Signs of a full recovery emerged clearly in 2025, when the destination reported a 35.1% jump in business volume and a 28% rise in customer traffic from the French market. That positive momentum carried into the 2025–2026 winter season, which delivered a 7.7% increase in business volume, followed by the most recent 7% growth in customer numbers that secured the country’s 10th place return to the rankings.

    Industry analysts and tourism leaders attribute the Dominican Republic’s steady rebound to two core factors: expanded air connectivity and targeted marketing engagement with European travel trade. The nation is currently gearing up to participate in IFTM Top Resa 2026, one of Europe’s most influential annual tourism trade exhibitions hosted in Paris, as part of its ongoing push to strengthen its footprint in the French market. Dominican Republic Tourism Minister David Collado noted that the country typically welcomes roughly 220,000 French visitors annually, and consistent participation in major trade shows like IFTM Top Resa has been key to rebuilding traveler awareness.

    Above all, expanded direct air access has been the linchpin of the recovery. Starting November 30, 2026, Air France will increase its direct service between Paris and Punta Cana to three weekly flights operated by Boeing 777 aircraft, expanding options for French travelers seeking direct access to the country’s most popular beach destination. Regional carrier Air Caraïbes already operates regular routes to three key Dominican hubs: Punta Cana, the capital city of Santo Domingo, and the coastal destination of Samaná. To further expand the country’s connectivity across Europe, ITA Airways is also set to launch a new direct route between Rome and Santo Domingo on the same date, opening up additional access for French travelers connecting through Italy.

    Notably, the Dominican Republic’s growth comes against a broader downturn across France’s tour operating sector. SETO’s latest industry report shows that overall customer volume across member tour operators fell by 2.6% in the current period, while total business volume dropped by 1.4%. The Dominican Republic is one of just a handful of top long-haul destinations to record positive growth amid this broader contraction. Egypt leads the recovery among growing destinations with an 18.7% rise in customer volume, followed by the United Kingdom with an 18.1% increase.

    For the Dominican Republic’s tourism sector, the return to SETO’s top 10 rankings underscores a key lesson for small island nations dependent on international tourism: consistent, expanded direct air connectivity is a critical driver of attracting long-haul travelers and rebuilding market share after disruptions. The steady growth trajectory from 2025 to 2026 positions the country to continue expanding its share of the French and broader European tourism markets in coming years.

  • Port Cabo Rojo named finalist for 2026 Seatrade Cruise Award

    Port Cabo Rojo named finalist for 2026 Seatrade Cruise Award

    The global cruise industry’s prestigious 2026 Seatrade Cruise Awards, one of the sector’s most respected international honors, has named Port Cabo Rojo in Pedernales, Dominican Republic as one of three finalists for the coveted Port of the Year title.

    The Dominican terminal went head-to-head with two established European ports: the United Kingdom’s Portsmouth International Port and Norway’s Skjolden Port. Final judging and the awards ceremony took place on September 16 during the Seatrade Cruise Med industry gathering, hosted this year in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. Ultimately, Norway’s Skjolden Port claimed the top prize, with Cabo Rojo and Portsmouth International Port finishing as runners-up.

    The journey to the finals was already a significant achievement for Port Cabo Rojo. Initially, an independent panel of 15 seasoned cruise industry professionals narrowed down more than 20 initial nominees to the three finalists, selecting the Dominican port to advance to the final round. This nomination put the relatively new Pedernales terminal in the same global spotlight as long-standing, well-known European cruise ports, shining a well-deserved spotlight on the rising international profile of Pedernales and the Dominican Republic’s entire southern tourism region.

    Since launching commercial operations, Port Cabo Rojo has emerged as a cornerstone of the Dominican Republic’s strategy to grow tourism in its southwestern region. The terminal has opened Pedernales to entirely new cruise routes, dramatically boosting the destination’s visibility and accessibility across the competitive international cruise market.

    This landmark recognition comes at a time when the Dominican Republic is actively expanding its national port infrastructure and working to diversify its cruise tourism offerings beyond the country’s traditional, well-established cruise hubs. Even though Port Cabo Rojo did not take home the 2026 Port of the Year award, its selection as a finalist stands as a meaningful international validation of the terminal’s rapid development and its growing, transformative role in the Dominican Republic’s burgeoning cruise tourism sector.

  • Dominican Republic to host Dominican Week in France in October

    Dominican Republic to host Dominican Week in France in October

    Starting October 17 through 22, 2026, the Caribbean nation of the Dominican Republic will bring a landmark cross-sector event, Dominican Week in France (SD26), to the heart of Paris. This multi-focal gathering will unite senior government representatives, private business leaders, and global investment stakeholders to advance economic, commercial and cultural connections between the Dominican Republic and France. Coinciding with SIAL Paris 2026, one of the planet’s most prominent food industry trade exhibitions, SD26 is jointly developed by three host institutions: the Dominican Embassy in France, the Dominican Republic’s investment and export promotion agency ProDominicana, and the Franco-Dominican Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFD).

    SD26’s agenda is structured around three core pillars that align with the countries’ shared strategic priorities: economic and trade diplomacy, political and parliamentary exchange, and cultural diplomacy. The initiative builds directly on the momentum of recent high-level diplomatic engagement, growing out of official meetings between Dominican President Luis Abinader and French President Emmanuel Macron that set the stage for deeper bilateral cooperation.

    Three industry-specific forums will lead the economic and investment track of SD26, each targeting a high-growth segment of the Dominican economy. The opening forum, titled “Dominican Republic: Strategic Platform in the Caribbean”, will center the country’s competitive advantages in free trade zones, advanced manufacturing, cross-regional logistics, and untapped investment openings, followed by structured one-on-one business-to-business networking sessions. A second forum, the “Green Light” initiative, will turn focus to renewable energy development and climate-aligned investment opportunities, while the third panel “Digital Dominican Republic” will explore the country’s expanding tech ecosystem, covering emerging innovation, fintech development, and modern cybersecurity strategy.

    Beyond these thematic forums, the event packs a full schedule of commercial engagement activities: tailored B2B matching sessions, a targeted buyer-exporter partnership program for the food and agriculture sector, and a dedicated ProDominicana exhibition pavilion within the SIAL Paris 2026 venue. These components are designed to give Dominican exporters a high-visibility space to showcase their goods to European buyers and forge new long-term commercial partnerships. On the political and diplomatic side, the agenda includes an official working visit to the French National Assembly and collaborative policy working sessions hosted at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) headquarters in Paris.

    The cultural track of SD26 will bring Dominican art and creative talent to Paris’ cultural landscape. A major new exhibition, “The Dominican Worlds of José Castillo”, will open at the Maison de l’Amérique Latine, and event organizers will formally launch the Dominican Republic X International Arts City Artist Residency Program to support cross-cultural creative exchange between the two nations.

    Overall, SD26 is positioned as a transformative platform to expand Dominican exports, increase foreign direct investment inflows from France, and broaden bilateral business ties, while growing the country’s profile and market access across the European Union.

  • Dominican Republic faces extreme heat with temperatures above 37°C

    Dominican Republic faces extreme heat with temperatures above 37°C

    The Dominican Republic is bracing for an extended stretch of record-breaking intense heat, with official forecasts predicting temperatures and combined heat indexes will climb above 37°C across much of the country through September 22, the Dominican Institute of Meteorology (Indomet) has confirmed. The extreme heat event, classified as ranging from severe to exceptional intensity, will hit the nation’s northwestern region hardest, where the mercury is projected to hold above 37°C for no fewer than three consecutive days.

    Meteorologists have linked this extreme heat event to a combination of overlapping climatic factors: the Dominican Republic’s annual warm seasonal peak, a mass of unusually dry and stable atmospheric conditions, and an incoming plume of Saharan dust that is expected to settle over the region over the weekend. This confluence of conditions has amplified temperatures beyond typical seasonal averages, creating a dangerous public heat risk.

    Data from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s September 16–22 heat risk map aligns with Indomet’s assessments, marking the northwestern Dominican Republic as an area of significant extreme heat risk. Other major regions, including the central, eastern, and southeastern parts of the country, are forecast to face moderate to severe heat hazards through the end of the period. In these areas, temperatures and combined heat indexes will range between 33°C and 37°C, levels that are sufficient to trigger dangerous heat stress for vulnerable populations.

    In response to the looming hazard, Indomet has issued urgent public guidance urging heightened precautions, particularly for people at higher risk of heat-related illness: pregnant people, young children, older adults, and individuals living with chronic underlying health conditions. The institute has outlined clear, actionable steps for residents to stay safe during the heatwave, including maintaining consistent water intake to stay hydrated, wearing lightweight, loose-fitting garments in light, sun-reflective colors, avoiding unprotected exposure to direct sunlight between the peak heat hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., and taking proactive steps to keep companion pets cool and protected from high temperatures. National authorities have additionally advised all residents to curtail extended outdoor activities during the hottest hours of the day to reduce the risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke as the extreme conditions persist.

  • Dominican Republic hosts 12th Ibero-American Meeting of Museums in Santo Domingo

    Dominican Republic hosts 12th Ibero-American Meeting of Museums in Santo Domingo

    SANTO DOMINGO – Leading cultural heritage experts, museum administrators, and cultural policy specialists from across the Ibero-American region have gathered in the Dominican Republic for the 12th edition of the Ibero-American Meeting of Museums (EIM), a landmark event dedicated to unpacking the most pressing challenges and untapped opportunities that will define the future of cultural institutions and heritage preservation.

    Hosted jointly by the intergovernmental Ibermuseums Program and the General Directorate of Museums under the Dominican Ministry of Culture, the three-day summit runs from September 14 to 16 in the capital city of Santo Domingo, anchored by the unifying theme “Shared Heritage, Common Futures.” The official opening ceremony was held at the city’s Indotel Digital Culture Center, drawing dozens of senior representatives from regional cultural cooperation bodies to kick off the cross-border dialogue.

    Against a backdrop of rapid global change, the conference frames collective cultural heritage as both an ongoing shared construction and a living connection to collective memory, while guiding participants through critical conversations about how museums must adapt to shifting social norms, accelerating technological innovation, and escalating environmental disruption. According to Mônica Barcelos, coordinator of the Ibermuseums Program’s Technical Unit, the summit brought together more than 80 designated participants from 18 Ibero-American countries, all convened to debate the evolving role and core responsibilities of museums in relation to the communities they serve.

    The full conference agenda is structured around three core thematic pillars, with dedicated sessions covering a wide range of pressing topics including public engagement and social ownership of heritage, expanding representation of diverse cultural identities, integration of cutting-edge emerging technologies, and building resilience against environmental threats. Two topics stand out as central priorities for this year’s gathering: the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on how museums frame and share cultural narratives, and the urgent need to protect biocultural territories as climate change amplifies environmental risks across the region.

    Beyond panel discussions and keynote addresses, the three-day meeting serves as a collaborative platform for cultural professionals and their institutions to exchange on-the-ground experiences and proven best practices. The ultimate goal of these exchanges is to strengthen regional public policy frameworks for cultural heritage and co-develop actionable strategies that empower museums to tackle emerging challenges across the social, technological, and environmental spheres.

    Founded in 2007, the Ibermuseums Program is an intergovernmental cooperation initiative focused explicitly on advancing the museum sector across Ibero-America. Its core mission centers on strengthening national public policies for cultural institutions, building professional capacity among heritage workers, and advancing protections for at-risk museum collections and heritage sites. Today, the program connects 22 member countries and supports a vast regional network that includes more than 10,000 museums and cultural institutions across the region.

  • Constitutional Court rules against two-year driver’s license renewal for people over 75

    Constitutional Court rules against two-year driver’s license renewal for people over 75

    In a landmark ruling that reaffirms protections against age-based discrimination, the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic has invalidated a controversial regulation forcing drivers aged 75 and older to renew their operating permits every two years, half the standard four-year validity period applied to younger motorists.

    The contested policy, first introduced via executive Decree 330-26, violated two core constitutional principles: the fundamental right to equality under the law, and the targeted legal protections guaranteed to senior citizens, the court ruled. The decision formally annuls the modified provision in national driver license regulations, removing the age-linked distinction entirely.

    In its written judgment, the court emphasized that using chronological age as a basis to restrict or condition the exercise of a legal right qualifies as a form of age discrimination unless the state can present clear, compelling legal justification for the distinction. Beyond questions of equal treatment, the justices also noted that any regulation creating this type of differentiated legal status must be enacted through formal legislation approved by the national Congress, not implemented unilaterally via executive order. The court found that the national government failed to meet either requirement: no sufficient evidence was provided to prove the shorter renewal mandate was necessary for public safety, and the policy was never codified through proper legislative process.

    Existing national law — Law 63-17 on Mobility, Land Transport, Transit and Road Safety — already mandates routine medical and technical evaluations for all drivers seeking to renew their licenses, and the statute never includes any provision setting different renewal timelines based on age. The court’s ruling concluded that road safety goals are already fully addressed through these existing universal assessment requirements, making the automatic imposition of a shorter validity period for older drivers unnecessary and unjustified.

    The policy rollback traces back to an earlier 2019 regulation, Decree 6-19, which first implemented the two-year renewal cycle for all drivers aged 65 and older. When the government issued the updated Decree 330-26 in May 2026, it only adjusted the age threshold to 75 while retaining the shortened renewal requirement. With the latest court decision, all age-based differentiation in driver license validity has been eliminated. Moving forward, all licensed drivers in the Dominican Republic, regardless of their age, will enjoy the standard four-year validity period for their permits, provided they continue to meet the mandatory medical and technical evaluation requirements during each renewal cycle.

  • Dominican Republic moves to develop dry ports along Haiti border

    Dominican Republic moves to develop dry ports along Haiti border

    In a significant step to boost cross-border trade and unlock economic potential along its northern Caribbean frontier, the Dominican Republic has formally launched coordinated planning for the development of a network of dry ports along its entire shared border with Haiti. The project, which has been elevated to a matter of supreme national interest via a recent presidential decree, brought top government officials and private sector leaders together for their inaugural high-level coordination meeting earlier this month, chaired by the country’s Foreign Minister Víctor “Ito” Bisonó.

    The overarching goals of the initiative extend far beyond just constructing new infrastructure. Proponents say the network of inland dry ports will modernize outdated border logistics systems, sharpen the Dominican Republic’s competitive edge in regional trade, and catalyze long-overdue economic growth in underdeveloped border communities. Additional core objectives include simplifying cross-border trade procedures, tightening customs compliance, strengthening overall border security, and attracting new domestic and foreign investment to the frontier region.

    Addressing attendees at the opening session, Bisonó emphasized that successful delivery of the project will depend on close, sustained collaboration across the full spectrum of public institutions and private industry stakeholders, rather than a narrow focus on brick-and-mortar construction alone. To kickstart the initiative, he put forward the Comendador–Belladère cross-border corridor as an ideal pilot project, arguing that early implementation here would generate actionable insights and best practices that can be scaled to other border locations across the country.

    The inaugural coordination meeting drew senior representatives from a wide range of government entities, including the Ministries of Finance, and Industry, Commerce and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the General Directorate of Customs (DGA), the General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII), the Dominican investment promotion agency ProDominicana, the National Competitiveness Council, the Dominican Civil Aviation Institute (IDAC), the Dominican Port Authority, and the National Border Development Office. Private sector representation included leading industry groups such as the Dominican Free Zones Association (Adozona), the Logistics Association of the Dominican Republic (Asologic), the National Council of Private Enterprises (Conep), and the Association of Industrialists of the Dominican Republic (AIRD).

    During the session, participating stakeholders mapped out their respective institutional responsibilities for the project, and pinpointed cross-cutting areas that require aligned inter-agency and public-private coordination. The collaborative session laid the groundwork for a unified implementation roadmap to guide the rollout of the dry port network.

    The entire project is anchored in Decree No. 166-26, signed into law on March 16, 2026, which formally authorizes the full lifecycle development — including design, financing, construction, equipping, operation and maintenance — of dry ports at four strategic border locations: Dajabón, Elías Piña, Independencia and Pedernales. These inland logistics facilities will operate under the same regulatory frameworks as the country’s primary customs zones, with the explicit purpose of streamlining cross-border trade procedures and advancing the Dominican Republic’s long-term strategic goal of establishing itself as a leading regional logistics hub.

    Beyond the development of domestic infrastructure, the decree also mandates that the executive branch, led by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Industry, Commerce and MSMEs in coordination with the DGA, lead discussions with Haitian government authorities to identify and jointly develop strategic border crossing points that can support expanded, more efficient international trade between the two neighboring countries.

  • Dominican authorities launch Operation LM2 against cocaine trafficking network

    Dominican authorities launch Operation LM2 against cocaine trafficking network

    Authorities in the Dominican Republic have carried out a major coordinated crackdown on a transnational criminal syndicate smuggling massive volumes of cocaine to consumer markets in the United States and Europe, capping off a multi-year investigation with dozens of raids, large drug seizures and the arrest of one of the network’s top leaders.

    Officially dubbed Operation LM2, the enforcement action was a joint effort between the Dominican Public Prosecutor’s Office and the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD), mobilizing a team of 13 specialized prosecutors and more than 150 trained DNCD law enforcement agents. To cut off escape routes and prevent evidence destruction, the agency carried out simultaneous search operations across three key regions: Greater Santo Domingo, Hato Mayor, and Santiago.

    When the dust settled from the raids, investigators had seized 168 packages of contraband confirmed to be cocaine, alongside a haul of illicit assets that included luxury high-end vehicles, a heavy-duty truck, a large sum of undeclared cash, multiple illegal firearms, and reams of documentary evidence linking the assets and suspects to the trafficking operation.

    One of the most high-profile captures was José Miguel Ceballos Rosario, widely known by his alias “El Viajero”, who law enforcement officials have named as a key leader of the organized trafficking network. Investigators note that multiple other high-value suspects connected to the ring remain at large, and have issued a public call for these fugitives to turn themselves in through official legal channels to avoid further legal repercussions.

    A closer inspection of the syndicate’s operations revealed a sophisticated smuggling concealment strategy: the 168 seized cocaine packages were hidden inside 31 solid metal tubes and bars stored at a compound in Villa Vásquez, Montecristi, which investigators confirmed served as a central collection and processing hub for the network. The site also held hundreds of cardboard boxes, custom cutting and shaping tools, and other specialized materials used to package and hide the illegal drugs before shipment.

    According to official investigation briefings, the network regularly moved multi-ton quantities of cocaine to the U.S. and European markets, using two common concealment tactics to evade border inspections: hiding drugs inside shipping boxes with custom-built false bottoms, and embedding contraband within heavy metal structural components. To further launder their operations and avoid suspicion, the syndicate operated both a network of legitimate front companies and untraceable shell corporations, making drug shipments appear to be legal commercial cargo.

    Operation LM2 is not an isolated bust: it grew directly out of a long-running investigation that first targeted a connected trafficking cell dismantled during earlier raids in La Vega and Monseñor Nouel. That earlier operation, carried out in 2023, resulted in the seizure of 392 cocaine slabs, three high-powered military-grade rifles, multiple vehicles, and specialized packaging machinery used to hide the drugs.

    The full investigation timeline stretches back to July 2023, when authorities first stumbled on the network’s activities during a raid on a rural farm in Jayaco. During that search, they found hundreds of pre-prepared cardboard boxes, dozens of which already had false bottoms holding hidden cocaine. Investigators also executed a search warrant on a private residence in Rincones de La Vega that the syndicate was using as a secondary drug collection center.

    That 2023 operation led to the arrest of three core members of the network: Basilio Saturria Mosquea, Danckeline De La Cruz, and José Luis Santana Vargas. All three were prosecuted by the Dominican Public Prosecutor’s Office, and ultimately sentenced to 15 years of prison each by the Collegiate Court of La Vega. The court also ordered the full confiscation of all assets connected to the group’s trafficking activities.

  • Dominican journalists examine Argentina’s growing role in tourism to Dominican Republic

    Dominican journalists examine Argentina’s growing role in tourism to Dominican Republic

    Against the backdrop of the 18th International Congress of Journalists and Tourism Professionals held in Jujuy, northern Argentina, two Dominican journalists have spotlighted a remarkable shift in Caribbean tourism: Argentina has cemented its place as one of the fastest-growing source markets for travelers to the Dominican Republic.

    Organized by the World Tourism Journalism Organization (OMPT), the annual gathering brought together more than 150 attendees spanning working journalists, tourism industry executives, communications specialists, higher education students and other sector stakeholders from across the globe. Against the event’s core theme, “When Communicating a Destination Generates Real Travel”, Dominican reporters Cristina Rosario and Salvador Batista took the stage as featured speakers to present their case study titled “How Does a Tourism Market Change? The Argentina–Dominican Republic Case”.

    Drawing on official data presented at the congress, the pair outlined the staggering expansion of Argentine visitor volumes to the Dominican Republic. From 189,211 arrivals recorded in 2019, the figure surged 138% to hit 450,501 by 2025, pushing Argentina from a mid-tier source market to third place among all international markets sending travelers to the Caribbean nation.

    While many observers attribute tourism growth solely to expanded air links, Rosario and Batista argued that improved connectivity is only one piece of the successful growth puzzle. In their analysis, expanded flight access removes practical barriers to travel, but targeted strategic communication is what keeps a top-of-mind presence for a destination among consumers planning their next vacation. The pair structured their presentation to illustrate how growth in the Argentine outbound market for Dominican travel aligned with two parallel shifts: expanded non-stop air connectivity between the two nations, and sustained, culturally resonant destination promotion that raised the Dominican Republic’s profile among Argentine travelers.

    To ground their argument in practical examples, the presenters integrated exclusive video interviews into their session. These included insights from Dominican Republic Tourism Minister David Collado on the strategic importance of the South American market, and commentary from José Gregorio Cabrera, Vice President of Communications and Public Relations at low-cost carrier Arajet, on how expanded airline operations have unlocked access for more Argentine travelers. The presentation also highlighted a high-impact Dominican tourism fronted by iconic Dominican singer Juan Luis Guerra, whose music accompanies sweeping cinematic footage of the country’s diverse beach, cultural and adventure destinations. The campaign, they noted, serves as a prime model of how audiovisual storytelling can strengthen the impact of new air links by keeping the destination top of mind for prospective visitors.

    The presentation was one of dozens of sessions at the Jujuy congress, which covered a broad range of industry topics from sustainable tourism development to cultural heritage promotion and modern destination communications strategy. Beyond the formal conference program, the Dominican delegation held a series of meetings with regional media professionals and engaged with students pursuing degrees in journalism and tourism, offering them firsthand insight into the Dominican Republic’s diverse tourism product.

    The congress received official backing from local Argentine authorities, with Jujuy’s Minister of Culture and Tourism Federico Posadas in attendance, and the provincial government officially designated the event as an initiative of regional cultural and tourism importance. Following the conclusion of the Jujuy sessions, the conference wrapped up a broader international press program organized by OMPT and its founder Miguel Ledhesma, which also included professional development and site visit activities in Buenos Aires and other sites across northern Argentina.