Monday, July 2, 2012

ARTICLE - MULTI-DESTINATION TOURISM

AGREEMENTS OF MULTIDESTINATION TOURISM
(Haiti Libre) -

The XVI Annual Exhibition, "Bolsa Turística del Caribe (BTC)" (Caribbean Tourism Exchange), which was held in Santo Domingo, ended on Saturday June 30 with the conclusion of agreements for Multidestination Tourism, between Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.

Stéphanie Balmir Villedrouin, the Minister of Tourism of Haiti, and her delegation reached an agreement with the municipality of Mayagüez (Puerto Rico), in order to integrate the best travel deals to allow two or more destinations for an insignificant price difference. Under the agreement, the maritime transport company "America Cruise Ferrie" would conduct two trips per week between Mayaguez and Santo Domingo, offering tourists a two-night stay in the capital of the Dominican Republic with a two night additional stay in Cap-Haitien (north of Haiti). The trip to Cap Haitien and the return to Santo Domingo, would be by land.

The Haitian Minister of Tourism has also proposed a multi-destination plan, for tourists staying in Puerto Plata (North of Dominican Republic), to add 2 nights to their stay to a destination in Cap-Haitien.

Stéphanie Balmir Villedrouin also wanted to reassure the tourism stakeholders, and future tourists on the issue of security, by announcing that Haiti will have a tourist police constituted of ​​1,200 members to welcome, inform and protect visitors in Haiti, as is the case in many countries, including the Dominican Republic.

Questioned by the Dominican press on the issue of trade between the two nations, the Minister lamented that the Dominican beer "Presidente" is sold freely in Haiti, while the Haitian National Beer "Prestige" was not authorized for sale in the Dominican Republic... She told reporters that smuggling at the borders made loses each month, of several million dollars to Haiti, which justified the establishment of measures and regulations to eliminate illegal trade between the two countries.

No comments: