David Collado, the Dominican Republic's Minister of Tourism, asserts that the Africa and Americas Tourism Summit marks the beginning of an intercontinental alliance to strengthen the tourism industry.
Punta Cana. – The Minister of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, David Collado, stated that the leadership of Dominican tourism is once again evident with the Africa and Americas UN Tourism Summit, which began this Thursday in the Caribbean nation and will continue until Saturday, October 5.
"The leadership of the Dominican Republic in the global tourism industry is undeniable, which is why we are here, for the first time in history, two continents discussing tourism, a sector that has become the backbone of our economies," said the Dominican minister in his speech during the summit's opening ceremony.
Collado expressed gratitude for the presence of all the ministers from Africa and the Americas participating in the international summit and said he was convinced that this event would be the starting point for the two continents to work hand in hand in promoting and developing tourism.
"Here, where the new world was born, begins a major project to drive a common tourism agenda, an industry that brings prosperity to nations," said Minister Collado, who is also the President of UN Tourism for the Americas.
In addition to Collado, the Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, and Louis Steven Obeegadoo, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Land Use Planning, and Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Mauritius and President of the Regional Commission for Africa (TBC), also spoke at the opening ceremony.
Throughout the three-day event, held at the Paradisus Palma Real Golf & Spa Resort, high-level meetings, presentations, and sessions will take place, where ministers, academics, experts, and industry stakeholders from both regions will discuss challenges, investment opportunities, sustainable practices, accessible tourism, innovation, culture, history, and mutual growth opportunities between the two continents.
More Information Presentations and Sessions
The activities began with a keynote address by Auxillia Mnangagwa, Patron of Tourism and First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe. This was followed by a High-Level Ministerial Dialogue on "Building Opportunities between Africa and the Americas."
This dialogue, along with scheduled bilateral meetings, aims to achieve greater tourism cooperation, promote cultural exchanges, sustainable practices, connectivity, and explore new horizons for economic and tourism growth between the two regions.
The day's events also featured a keynote address titled "Bridging Continents: Strengthening Ties between Africa and the Americas," presented by Peter Cerda, Regional Vice President of IATA. This session highlighted collaboration opportunities between the two regions and their potential to positively impact global development.
UN Ambassador for Tourism and Ethiopian chef Yohanis Hailemariam enriched the event with his talk, "Cooking Connections: The Power of Gastronomy to Unite Continents," exploring how gastronomy can serve as a bridge for cultural understanding and strengthening international ties.
To conclude the first day's activities, Vice President of the Dominican Republic, Raquel Peña, delivered an inspiring speech that emphasized the importance of cooperation and commitment to investment in key sectors for sustainable development.
This forum has not only been a space for the exchange of ideas but also an important step toward building stronger ties between Africa and the Americas.