The Dominican Republic was represented by Orfila Salazar, director of the Cruise Ship Department of the Ministry of Tourism at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention 2012 in Miami Beach, Florida. The president of Royal Caribbean, Richard D. Fain visited the Dominican stand and exchanged impressions with Salazar and the Dominican delegation. The leading industry players are attending the event, with CEOS and key officers of Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Holland and Norwegian, along with other leading lines with cruises in the Caribbean. The Dominican delegation sought to promote the Dominican Republic ports and local attractions for cruise ship passengers. Salazar highlighted the fact that the DR participates in the fairs to continue establishing new relations with the world’s large cruise companies, which results in benefits and development for the country. “The achievements of these promotions and participation in events of this kind turn into investments such as one which the US company Carnival Cruises will make of US$65 million in the Maimon cruise terminal, that will benefit the province of Puerto Plata,” she told the press.
Representing the Dominican Republic at the event were Orfila Salazar, Ministry of Tourism director of cruise industry; Wendy Justo, of the Tourism Office in Miami; Sharon Mei and Estela Nunez of the Sans Souci Port; Federico and Francisco Schad of the Port of Samana; Francisco Carreras of Frederic Schad Shipping Agents; Luis Rodriguez and Arturo Fernandez for the Port of La Romana; Jochi Mella, president of Travel Net; Bruiseida Olivero of the Cluster of Santo Domingo, and artisan Esteban Guillen, among others.
Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention gathers more than 900 exhibitors and receives an average of 5,500 professionals from 119 countries, in addition to an estimated 1,168 tour operators.
In 2010-2011 some 250 cruise ships visited the Dominican Republic, bringing around 430,000 passengers.