The Dominican Republic's Minister of Tourism, David Collado, made his second visit to Canada in just the past six months, meeting in Toronto last week with tour operators, airlines, agents and partners.
Collado reiterated the importance of the Canadian market for the Dominican Republic, and described how the government is working to support Canadian partners. In addition, he presented recent statistics quantifying the Caribbean country's recovery and growth.
According to Collado, "the Dominican Republic is a favourite sun destination for Canadians. We had nearly 1,700 flights from Canada the first ten months of the year. A large source of traffic comes out of Ontario with a 97 per cent increase this year over 2021. Canadian customer satisfaction remains very high with 9 out of 10 exit polls showing guests would return in future. Hotels and excellent beaches were the elements most often cited in customer satisfaction surveys.”
Punta Cana remains the favorite destination with current reservations up 20 per cent over pre-pandemic bookings. “We have just confirmed 500 additional flights into Punta Cana this winter. It is one of the most popular sun destinations out of Canada and we want to ensure that agents have inventory to sell,” added Collado.
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The Minister acknowledged that while inflation has increased the cost of travel, only 7 per cent of Canadians said they would cancel travel plans. They will, however, be seeking economical options. “We are well positioned to cater to a price sensitive market because our packages offer excellent value. We have a high level of service, competitive pricing, and a reputation for safety and service. This all combines to make us highly competitive heading into the winter season.”
Given the importance of Canadian tourists, the Dominican Republic puts emphasis on proactively promoting the destination and working closely with airlines, tour operators, and agents to ensure they have the tools needed to promote the country.
“Canadians have always had a special affinity for our country and we are delighted to see such a robust response for this winter. We are grateful for your support and look forward to welcoming you to the sun soon,” Collado added.
To learn more, visit the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism’s official website
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