President-elect Luis Abinader announced that he would head the Tourism cabinet. Abinader has personal experience leading hotel ventures in Puerto Plata.
Abinader named former National District mayor David Collado his Tourism Minister and former president of the National Hotel & Tourism Association (Asonahores) Joel Santos the Tourism Advisor to the Executive Branch.
The announcement of Miguel David Collado Morales for Tourism Minister comes at a time when occupancy in the local industry is at an estimated 10%, as the country begins to recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. There has been a soft reopening of hotels and resorts since 1 July 2020 with the restart of commercial flights.
Collado is a former legislator for the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) from 2010 to 2016. Collado directed the Tourism Commission of the Chamber of Deputies. He has had a media platform dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship.
Collado was recognized for appointing a professional team in his effort to reorganize the city government.
Despite high popularity ratings to continue as mayor for the National District in the 2016 municipal election, Collado announced he would not seek reelection. He would join the Abinader campaign at its end.
Collado was born on 29 September 1975 in Santo Domingo. He studied at the San Juan Bautista high school. He has a degree in Tourism Relations at Atlantic University.
The Abinader cabinet is shaping up as follows, in order of announcement of the appointments:
Ethics and corruption Office director: Milagros Ortiz Bosch
Minister of the Presidency: Lisandro Macarrulla
Foreign Relations Minister: Roberto Álvarez Gil
Education Minister: Roberto Furcal
Spokesperson for the Presidency: Milagros Germán
Governor of the Central Bank: Hector Valdez Albizu
Economy & Planning Minister: Miguel Ceara Hatton
Hacienda Minister: Jochi Vicente
Superintendent of Banks: Alejandro Fernández Whipple
National Budget director: Jose Rijo Presbot
CEI-RD director: Biviana Riveiro
Economic advisor to the President: Pedro Silverio
Legal Advisor to the President: Antoliano Peralta
Energy & Mines Minister: Antonio Almonte Reynoso
Administrative Minister of the Presidency: José Ignacio Paliza
Defense Minister: Major General Carlos Luciano Díaz Morfa
Head of the Health Cabinet: Vice President-elect Raquel Peña
Public Health Minister: Plutarco Arias
Deputy Minister for Collective Health: Ivelisse Acosta
Executive director Public Procurement Agency: Carlos Pimentel
Tourism Minister: David Collado
Public Works Minister: Deligne Ascención
22 July 2020