Alert in paradise: the warmth of tourist staff “has decreased”

The Dominican Republic has always been characterized by its friendly treatment of tourists, one of the qualities that most captivates visitors; however, the cordiality of those working in the tourism sector seems to be fading, to the detriment of the country’s main economic industry.

The alarm was raised by the president of the Association of Hotels and Tourism Projects of the East (Asoleste), Ernesto Veloz, who stated that “we don’t know what has happened, but the warmth we have always had has diminished. We are working on it, trying to constantly raise awareness among our staff, with more training.”

“Basically, the reality is that this cordiality has changed after the pandemic. After we reintegrated, we have noticed this situation,” he said.

On the other hand, the executive told arecoa.com that “the quality of service and customer care are among the main challenges currently facing the hotel industry in the area, given the warmth and hospitality that has traditionally characterized the country.”

“Added to this challenge is the maintenance of the facilities and some services which, in certain establishments, are not at their best. The furniture and other elements of the infrastructure require constant attention to maintain quality standards, especially with the appearance of new hotels that raise the level of competition within the destination,” he said.

He reported that “another aspect mentioned relates to specific situations that can affect the guest experience, such as deficiencies in food services, power outages, or difficulties with the water supply. In these cases, the situations are investigated, and an effort is made to offer a solution to the guests.”

Veloz also added that social media has taken on a significant role in managing guest complaints and claims, noting that some complaints can be used by customers to request compensation or benefits.

In light of this, he emphasized that cases presenting real situations are addressed and subjected to the corresponding processes.

The sector also highlighted the supervisory work of the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur), the entity responsible for verifying compliance with the conditions and standards established for hotel activity and for applying sanctions when irregularities are detected.