While participating in a tour of ambassadors organized by the Association of Playa Dorada hotels over the weekend, British Ambassador Andy Ashcroft forecast that UK tourists to the DR should increase 15-20% this year, thereby exceeding 200,000 visitors. As reported in the Listin Diario, Ashcroft said that in 2003, some 170,000 tourists had visited the country. He spoke of a renewed interest in the UK for DR vacations. Ashcroft says that the North Coast has been a favorite destination for the British tourist and that some 100,000 British tourists arrived via the Puerto Plata international airport. ?Puerto Plata marked the start of British tourism in the country and is a tourism destination that is always attractive for British nationals,? he said when interviewed. According to him, the growth in the flow of British tourism has been achieved without much advertising, leading him to believe that with an adequate advertising campaign the number of visitors could double.