The chief executive officer of Occidental Hotels in the Dominican Republic, Ventura Serra won the Grand Tourism Award 2004 during the Annual Tourism Awards Ceremony held last Thursday at the Hotel Melia Santo Domingo. The annual event is organized by the Ministry of Tourism.
Ventura is first vice president of the National Hotel & Restaurant Association and president of the Playa Dorada Association. He is recognized for his organization of DATE 2004 that relaunched Puerto Plata as a destination based on its community and complementary attractions.
Others receiving awards were Luis Vidal (Tour Operator of the year), Andres Fernandez (travel agent of the year), Maria Viera (Customs inspector of the year), Juan Polanco (Migration inspector), Navy Captain Samuel Jimenez Lorenzo (tourism police); Carolina Medina (tour guide); Maria Jose Berbel Rodriguez (hotelier of the year); Ricardo and Eduardo Brea (restauranteurs of the year), Oscar Orbe (chef of the eyear), Hugo Martin Acosta (bartender of the year), Arelis Pena Brito (tourism reporter of the year), American Airlines (Cibao, Puerto Plata and Las Americas airports), Corsair (La Romana), USA 3000 (Punta Cana) received awards for most passengers transported.