The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, during his intervention at the Asonahores 2026 Commercial Exhibition held in Punta Cana, La Altagracia Province, indicated that his participation in the event could represent one of his last as head of the institution, although he later clarified that he does not contemplate leaving the position in the short term.
“I don’t know if this will be my last commercial fair of Asonahores,” Collado stated as he concluded his speech. At the same time, after the conference, he thanked the experience accumulated during the six years he has been at the head of the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur), explaining that for him it has been an honor to be a minister.
Results of Dominican tourism in the last years
The official made a count of the results achieved by the sector in the last years, indicating that the Dominican Republic went from receiving 10.3 million visitors in 2023 to 11.2 million in 2024 and 11.7 million in 2025. For 2026, he pointed out that the country is heading towards 12.3 million visitors and assured that the results recorded between January and August maintain a positive behavior. In addition, he stated that August became the best month in the history of Dominican tourism.
Lessons from the pandemic and the war in Europe
Collado remembered that the Dominican Republic kept its tourist operations open during the COVID-19 pandemic, a decision that, according to him, allowed the country to be prepared to take advantage of the subsequent recovery of the sector. He mentioned the loss of around 600,000 tourists from Russia and Ukraine after the start of the war and the efforts made later to capture travelers from the United States, Canada, and Latin America.
Focus on emerging markets
The minister highlighted the growth of markets such as Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Mexico, stating that Argentina currently exceeds 500,000 visitors to the Dominican Republic.
Future objectives of Dominican tourism
Collado stated that the next stage of the sector should not focus solely on increasing the number of visitors, but also on making them spend more during their stay and moving towards a sustainable tourism model. In addition, he proposed the need to continue working on territorial ordering plans in tourist destinations such as Bávaro-Punta Cana, Samaná, Puerto Plata, La Romana, and Bayahíbe.
Personal and professional trajectory
The minister stated that during his six years at the head of Mitur he has made 119 presentations in the United States and other international markets to promote the Dominican Republic as a tourist destination. “At least two weeks a month I am away from my daughter, my family, and my country. And I have done it with a lot of love,” he stated.
As he concluded his intervention, Collado thanked again the opportunity to have headed the Ministry of Tourism during the last six years, words that reinforced the tone of possible farewell from his speech, although he later clarified that, for the moment, he does not plan to leave the position.
Credits: n.com.do
