The city of Santo Domingo could well host buyers and suppliers of the tourism industry for the 2018 Dominican Annual Travel Exchange (DATE). Roberto Henríquez, president of the Santo Domingo Association of Hotels (AHSD), when speaking during a press conference at DATE that was held in Punta Cana 3-5 May 2017, said that Santo Domingo hopes to be chosen as the host city by the National Association of Tourism & Hotels (Asonahores), the organizer of the event.
Henriquez said the host venue would be the new Ministry of Foreign Relations Convention Center located on the Malecón or seaside drive in the city. There are many nearby hotels, including the Sheraton, Jaragua and Crowne Plaza Hotels that are on the Malecón, not far from the convention center. The Hotel Embajador is also a short distance away from the possible meeting site.
Aside from showcasing new hotels in operation in the “metropolis of the Caribbean”, the organizers want to show off the renovated Colonial City of Santo Domingo, now more pedestrian friendly with wide sidewalks and 16th century buildings turned into cultural centers, hotels, restaurants and stores. The city also boasts the Polígono Central, the commercial and residential area of the city, with its many shopping, restaurants and hotel venues, including the new Embassy Suites, JW Marriot and InterContinental Real.
The AHSD lists 27 first-class hotels with the opening of the new hotels. Meanwhile, older hotels such as the Sheraton, Jaragua Renaissance, Catalonia and others have carried out major renovations.
The city is also a shopping mecca and regular host to leading artistic performers from all around the world, as well as having the largest collection of restaurants in a Caribbean city.
Henríquez highlighted that the occupancy rate of major hotels in the capital city has risen considerably. He attributes this to more meetings being held in the Santo Domingo. Henríquez would like Santo Domingo to become the country’s leading Meetings, Incentives and Convention and Events (MICE) destination, a position at present held by Punta Cana.
The Santo Domingo hosting of DATE would coincide with the new creation of the city’s Convention Bureau, to be headed by Thelma Martínez, formerly director of marketing for Asonahores, and who for years has been responsible for the organization of DATE.
As a warm-up for the 2018 DATE, AHSD is organizing Destino Capital, and as part of the event’s agenda will include the MITM Americas International Fair, from 14-17 November 2017 at the El Embajador Royal Hideaway Hotel.
“Santo Domingo is in its best moment and we want to take advantage of this,” Henríquez speaking during the DATE press conference.
9 May 2017
