Haydee Rainieri, president of the National Hotel & Restaurant Association, has highlighted the importance of the Dominican industry working together for its rightful place in the global industry. Rainieri said that despite its success, the DR product still needed to be recognized by leading tour operators with rates similar to those offered other destinations abroad with equal qualifications. The bulk of tourism in the DR is contracted by tour operators that sell the all-inclusive resorts nationwide. Rainieri said that by working together the Dominican tourism industry was able to withstand the decline in travel caused by the global financial crisis. 2009 ended with numbers similar to those in 2008, but this was helped by the Ministry of Tourism’s major advertising campaign and hotels accepting cuts in tariffs. But Rainieri says this is not a sustainable model, and to keep providing quality and to remodel properties, prices need to be set according to product.
Speaking at the Dominican Annual Travel Exchange (DATE), Rainieri stressed that the DR is truly a destination that “has it all,” as the DR is now marketed by the Ministry of Tourism. She says the country offers property and activities for all market segments. She mentioned the times when almost all property was in medium-priced all-inclusives are changing to diversity to property in luxury all inclusive, luxury non-all inclusive, vacation homes, small hotels, and more.