Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic hosted the “First Central American Strategic Forum on Sports Tourism for the Economic and Social Development of the SICA Region,” an initiative by the Central American Parliament (Parlacen) aimed at promoting sports tourism across the Caribbean.
During the forum, Resolution AP/1-355/2024 was introduced, recommending that the SICA Council of Tourism Ministers promote sports tourism as a strategic initiative for regional economic development.
Discussions centered on the challenges and benefits of sports tourism, including its impact on economic, social, and sustainable development. Key figures such as Patricia Iraldo, founder of Happy Dolphins, and Marcus Bohm, founder of the Master of the Ocean event, shared insights on the effects of sports tourism on destinations.
The forum also featured presentations on sports tourism from demand, market potential, and promotional perspectives. The role of golf as both a sport and a revenue-generating industry was discussed, with contributions from Ovidio Díaz, President of FEDECATUR, and Juan Cohen, Executive Director of the National Commission for the Promotion and Development of Golf of the Dominican Republic.