Minister Collado calls on the UNWTO tourism ministers to seek a joint solution to the Sargassum issue

Punta Cana, La Altagracia . -The Minister of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, David Collado, made a fervent call to the members of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), who are meeting in the country, to unite to seek a joint solution to common issues like the sargassum that affects a large part of the Caribbean.

“The solution to the sargassum problem cannot be individual,” said Collado in his opening remarks at the 118th meeting of the UNWTO executive council, which began this Wednesday in the touristic eastern region of the country and will last until tomorrow Thursday.

He said that solutions should be sought to the issues that affect the region at a general level, referring to sargassum.

“And organizations like this one should help small countries to find solutions when we don’t have them,” said Collado.

Minister Collado also thanked the UNWTO for choosing the Dominican Republic to hold its 118th meeting, for the first time in history.

He understands that this is recognition of the success story that the tourism industry has had in recent years, making it a leader in the region.

He indicated that tourism is not a luxury for the Dominican Republic, but something essential due to the impact it has on the economy, which represents more than 25 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

In opening the meeting, the Secretary General of the UNWTO, Zurab Pololikashvili, highlighted the achievements made by the country in terms of tourism, especially its rapid recovery.

He said that the Dominican Republic has become a world reference for tourism.

“Mr. Minister David Collado, without you and your team it would have been impossible to organize this summit, the most important for our organization and for tourism.”

Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez highlighted the importance for the country of the meeting of the UNWTO executive committee, which is being held for the first time in the Dominican Republic.

“We hope that this forum is especially conducive to promoting responsible, local, sustainable and universally accessible tourism,” said the Dominican Foreign Minister.

At the UNWTO meeting, Minister Collado was accompanied by the Dominican ambassador to that body, Aníbal de Castro and the Vice Minister of Tourism, Carlos Peguero, among other officials.

19 ministers from 38 nations present, including the 35 member countries and 3 observers, as well as some 200 delegates, participate in this 118th meeting of the UNWTO, which takes place in Punta Cana, from last Tuesday to Thursday, where the industry leaders globally.

The Dominican entered the Executive Committee of the UNWTO, after more than a decade, thanks to the work of this government and the results in the recovery of tourism.

Communications Directorate