Víctor Moneo: “Dominican Republic has managed to combine health prevention with openness of tourism”

THE DIRECTOR OF IBERIA EXPLAINED THAT AS A RESULT OF THIS, THE AIRLINE HAS INCREASED ITS FLIGHTS TO THE COUNTRY

“The President and the Minister have had very good vision.”

Víctor Moneo, director of LATAM Sales and Institutional Agreements of Iberia, said that the Dominican Government had done one “thing well, much better than other countries” since it has been able to combine health precautions with openness to tourism properly.

“In the pandemic period we made repatriation flights only and in July this was one of the first destinations we started operating. Here there is also a medical guarantee,” he added.

He explained that as a result of this (due to the security provided by the country), Iberia had increased the offer in a significant way to DR since, from November, the airline’s operations will be increased to 13 weekly flights.

“Before the pandemic we had seven. We are optimistic and it is an important bet. The limitation of all airlines are airplanes and pilots, and you have to have them accommodated and yet we believe that this country has gone quite well,” he said.

The executive also referred to the rd, after the security it projects for tourism and travel, will be the partner country in Fitur 2022. “It has not been a reckless bet, it has been a very good bet and I feel that we are accompanying them on this path.”

“We believe in the trade fair world. Fitur was the last tourism fair before Covid and the first to be held in a pandemic. I think this year will be very successful and the fact that the Dominican Republic is the partner country has been excellent. President Abinader and Minister David Collado have had a very good vision in pursuing the recovery of tourism,” he said.

Moneo also indicated that the passenger has changed after the pandemic, and “there was a first stage with a lot of fear. People thought that getting on a plane was a risk and that leaving home too. We have invested a lot of time in creating a communication that would clarify that flying is not dangerous.”

“Onboard, there is a phrase that says that “the probability of contagion in an airplane is the same as in an operating room. In an airplane, there are all the sanitary measures, with filters that are constantly renewing the air, all the security measures, masks, the cleanliness of the plane, and the statistics accredit them. So that passenger who first entered with fear realized that the sanitary measures we had on board were serious and robust,” he emphasized.