The Banco Popular Dominicano recently reaffirmed its support for the Dominican tourism sector through its participation in the 46th Annual Tourism Market (ITB) in Berlin. The bank hosted a dinner with the senior executive vice-president for Business, Christopher Paniagua, who told businesspeople, hoteliers, investors and Ministry of Tourism authorities that the BPD had provided US$560 million in credit to the tourism industry. He said that the BPD recognized tourism as a major provider of formal sector employment and other initiatives that move the Dominican economy. He noted that the credit portfolio extended to the tourism sector represented some 14% of the bank’s total loan operations. According to El Caribe, 190 countries were represented at the ITB this year, and the exhibition area covered 160,000 square feet.