SANTO DOMINGO.- Tourism minister Francisco Javier Garcia affirms that the country's lodging industry is recovering and continues being an attractive "long destination" market, for which new ad campaigns are being created world-wide. 

He said the Central European markets of Austria, Slovakia and Rumania will be covered by a promotion office in Vienna. 

"The perspective for tourism in general are evidently good," since this sector has been the least affected by the financial crisis, the official said, interviewed by newspaper El Caribe. 

He said the figures confirm that the tourist arrivals fell barely 3% in June and July, farm from January's 9%. "What means that the situation been changing favorably." 

Garcia said that as the result of the new inclusion of tourists from 45 countries, "the arrival of tourists will continue growing; our market will continue being a great attraction for the emitting markets," and cited France, Germany, England and Italy, as "continuing to occupy first place regarding long destinations." 

The United States and Canada 

As to the United State Garcia said for this date the numbers were in red at around 10%, and still the tourist market of Dominicans there is at around at 1.5% growth which in his view is good. "Because new flights to markets which are even being inaugurated which we don't have yet established, for example, the Chicago and Puerto Plata flight." 

The Tourism Minister said the Hispanic market of New Jersey -New York has grown, including Dominicans, although last year their visits from United States fell 11%, but has climbed 7% in the first half. 

In Canada's case Garcia said it's still a consistent market, with increase of around 6% in the first 6 months this year. 

DominicanToday.com, 19 August 2009
http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/tourism/2009/8/19/32966/Dominican-lodging-industry-is-recovering-Tourism-chief-says