Coronavirus: Health protocol approved to reopen tourism in the DR

The government and the Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic (ASONAHORES) announced on Wednesday the approval of the health protocol to be applied in the tourism sector and ratified the reopening of its operations from July 1.

The announcement was made after a meeting held by the ministers of Tourism, Francisco Javier García and of Public Health, Rafael Sánchez Cárdenas, with ASONAHORES representatives, led by its president, Paola Rainieri and Andrés Marranzini, Executive Vice President.

The health agreement covers all the subsectors of the tourism industry and clearly explains what to do in each case, which guarantees the well-being of national and foreign tourists, as well as employees.

“With this protocol, we ensure that those who visit us can fully enjoy our tourist centers and enjoy the greatest guarantee of health,” said Minister Francisco Javier García.

He also assured that the date of July 1 is an “invariable” date for the restart of operations in the tourism sector, under a new scheme guaranteeing the health and well-being of tourists.

The Minister of Health, Rafael Sánchez Cárdenas, affirmed that the application of the protocols guarantees a safe tourist activity in the country, after highlighting the importance of these actions, which would take effect immediately.

He indicated that the Ministry of Public Health guarantees the monitoring of these protocols, together with representatives of the tourism sector.

The president of ASONAHORES, Paola Reinieri, expressed that it has been hard work, but a great joint effort to have the norms and rules that allow operating in this new normality

Marranzini, Executive Vice President of ASONAHORES, stated that the tourism sector as a whole knows the challenges that COVID-19 represents and will be prepared to operate in this new dynamic of Covid awareness.

During the meeting, the Minister of Tourism was accompanied by Pablo Espinal, Director of the MITUR Cabinet.