Dominican Republic showcases its tourism potential to U.S. travel agencies

THE COUNTRY HOSTS FOR THE FIRST TIME THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF TRAVEL PLANNERS INTERNATIONAL

 About 80 agency owners participate in the event in Punta Cana

 Health protocols applied by this Caribbean destination stand out

The Dominican Republic is hosting, for the first time, the Travel Planners International / Tour Operator American Airlines Vacations Annual Conference, which takes place April 14-18, 2021, in the eastern region of the country.

With the participation of around 80 travel agency owners and consultants, vacation sales leaders in different cities of the United States, the event’s main objective is to learn more about the Quintana Roo destination to promote it.

The event is being held at The Grand Reserve At Paradius Palma Real by Meliá Punta Cana. They develop a comprehensive plan for promoting the Dominican Republic with the Office of Tourism Promotion (OPT) in New York.

The Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) made the presentation of the country with the purpose that the travel agents participating in the event, know better the tourist, cultural, religious, leisure, and shopping attractions, as well as the security and implementation and development of protocols provided by the authorities in the handling of the Covid-19, which is affecting the world at this time.

Amelia Rodriguez, the representative of Travel Planners International, expressed that this is the first time this event has been held in the Dominican Republic and that it was chosen, not only for its beauty but also for its health protocols and its clients to see that it is possible to travel.

“As a result of the pandemic, after a visit last December by our vice president of sales to the American Airlines Vacations summit in the Dominican Republic, we thought of a perfect place to hold this event, and that is why we chose this country,” she said.

She also indicated that the event seeks to show the agents the beauty of the country, its great attractions, the warmth and friendliness of the people, and the great diversity of tourism offerings so that they can sell more to the Dominican Republic.

Travel Planners International is an agency in Orlando, Florida, and has more than 4 thousand agents throughout the United States; it has ten years, making this event where the most valuable agents are recognized, who produce more than $500,000 a year.

Among the activities to be developed by the travel agents is the integration to the community with the program sponsored by the Meliá hotel, “Travelers with a cause,” where the guests make contributions to the local and sponsored community with the donation of objects of high need (personal hygiene, sports, recreational and clothing items), and thus connect the part of the trips with the contribution that tourism can make to the development of the municipalities.

It will be directed to children between 4 and 16 years of age of the “Foundation for a better world for homeless children” in the community of Higüey.

The Travel Planners International conference participants arrived in the country through the Punta Cana International Airport, where they were welcomed to the rhythm of merengue by the Mitur Folkloric Ballet, directed by Professor Oscar Batista.