Tourism Minister meets with U.S. Transportation Secretary to discuss aviation progress

Washington.– David Collado, the Minister of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, recently met with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to discuss advancements in Dominican aviation, including the newly enacted Aviation Law.

Secretary Buttigieg commended the Dominican Republic, President Luis Abinader, and Minister Collado for their swift progress in aviation. He also praised the Dominican technical team for addressing all FAA audit observations, securing the country’s permanence in Category 1 status, with the recent approval of the aviation law being a critical step.

President Abinader had appointed a commission to oversee these efforts, led by Minister Collado, businessman Manuel Estrella, and Civil Aviation Director Héctor Porcella. This commission was instrumental in finalizing the open skies agreement between the Dominican Republic and the United States, a negotiation that had been pending for over two decades.

Minister Collado’s visit to Secretary Buttigieg’s office in Washington, D.C., was accompanied by a national delegation, including Civil Aviation Director Héctor Porcella and Vice Minister of Tourism Patricia Mejía, among others.