CERCLE DIPLOMATIQUE - issue 03/2017

LE MONDE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
| INTERVIEW
“The unique geographical position
of the Dominican Republic offers a
preferential market access to more
than 900 million consumers.“
Ein guter Platz, Konzentration, mentale Stärke und gute
Technik – oder sich ganz einfach treiben lassen.
Lourdes Victoria-Kruse, the Ambassador of the
Dominican Republic, during the interview with Cercle
Diplomatique at the Embassy in Vienna‘s 4 th district.
access to more than 900 million consumers
around the world, through the free trade
agreements with 48 countries, including
the European Union. These factors, combined
with economic stability, made the
Dominican Republic, for the third consecutive
year, the economy of greater growth
in Latin America, with a rate of increase in
the GDP of 6.6 per cent in 2016, as well as
the regions lowest rate of inflation of only
1.7 per cent in 2016. All these aspects, combined
with a competitive and skilled workforce,
made us the largest recipient of direct
foreign investment in the Caribbean.
Which areas would you point out?
The main opportunities that the Dominican
market can offer to Austrian companies
are in the areas of renewable energy,
collection and recycling of solid waste and
sewage treatments, among others. Energy
is one of the areas that presents greater opportunities
for obtaining investment. This
sector has the advantages offered by Law
57-07 on incentives to the development of
renewable energy sources. Other priority
sectors for investment in the Dominican
Republic are agribusiness, call centers,
clothing and textiles, manufacture of footwear,
medical and pharmaceuticals devices,
information technology and software
development, mining, telecommunications
and last but not least tourism.
What are the efforts of the Dominican Republic to
improve and expand its tourism industry?
The Dominican Republic last year has
reached a record of nearly 6 million tourists,
an increase of over 380,000 additional
visitors and a growth of 6.4 per cent in arrivals,
consolidating us as leader of the most
attractive destinations in the Caribbean
region. In April 2017, we have registered 15
per cent more of international visitors in
relation to the same period last year. And
in terms of accommodation, last year the
country recorded an offer of 75,205 rooms.
These results are consistent with the medium-term
Presidential goal to receive 10
million visitors in the year 2022.
Apart from famous all-inclusive hotels, small
luxury hotels and natural beauties, which
additional touristic offers would you highlight?
Recently, our Ministry of Tourism developed
an advertising strategy based mainly
on the following segments of markets:
Golf, Adventure and Nature, meaning ecotourism.
The Dominican Republic has
more than 30 golf courses and has been recognised
as golf destination of the Caribbean
for consecutive years. In addition, the
country provides the opportunity to visit
one of the largest sanctuaries in the world
of humpback whales located in the Samaná
Bay. The capital Santo Domingo was the
first city of the New World, with the first
cathedral, the first university and the first
road in America. Since 1990, the Colonial
City of Santo Domingo has been inscribed
on the World Heritage List of UNESCO,
where visitors can enjoy our history and
culture, such as our traditional music merengue,
which is declared as Intangible Cul-
tural Heritage of Humanity, the carnival
and explore the capital of the gastronomy
of the Caribbean 2017. In 2016 alone, the
Dominican Republic participated in 176
international and regional fairs maintaining
this image of the country. But my personal
opinion is that the most important
attraction are our people. In this sense, the
country‘s socio-political and economic stability
should also be highlighted.
What about Austrian tourists?
Regarding Austria, we participate on a
regular basis in the Ferien Messe Wien and
the ReiseSalon Wien to attract more visitors.
In addition, for some years, there is a
direct flight from Vienna to Punta Cana
every week during the winter time as a result
of the cooperation between Condor
Airlines and tour operators. Also, it is important
to highlight new connections with
Eurowings, Air Berlin and Azur Air. From
January to June 2017, the arrival of tourists
from Austria increased more than 31 per
cent. The trend is that more tourists from
Germany, Switzerland and Austria have visited
the Dominican Republic, many of
them in a recurrent basis.
What is your vision of how the Dominican
Republic will develop in the coming years?
I see my country as one of the most prominent
of the Latin America and the Caribbean
region, having a leading role in the
political and economic arena. The projection
of the country is currently based on a
National Strategy of Development 2030,
whose four major pillars are related to the
demand of a social and democratic State of
Law, a society based on equal rights and
conditions. a sustainable economy, inclusive
and competitive, and to achieve an environmentally
sustainable society of production
and consumption. Currently, there is a
project to develop a dual education system
between the private sector of Austria and
Instituto de Formación Técnica Profesional,
which is being canalised through this
Embassy. For that reason, the Dominican
Republic is destined to grow.
PHOTOS: RALPH MANFREDA
DOMINIKANISCHE REPUBLIK
ein Traum
46 Cercle Diplomatique 3/2017
Tourist Board Dominikanische Republik
Hochstrasse, 54 . D-60313 Frankfurt/Main
Tel.: +49 69 91397878 . Fax: +49 69283430
germany@godominicanrepublic.com
www.godominicanrepublic.com/rd
Tourist Board