Gloria Guevara Manzo highlights tourism growth in the Dominican Republic
Gloria Guevara Manzo, president, and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), highlighted the growth achieved by the tourism sector in the Dominican Republic.
The tourism expert spoke at the second Asonahores Tourism Investment Forum, held in Santo Domingo, the capital and financial center of the Caribbean country.
She highlighted the role played by the tourism sector in the national economy and showed the data from 2018.
- The first quarter of 2018 saw a growth of 7.7 percent, one of the highest recorded.
- 4.6 % increase in 2017, exceeding the 1.7 percent growth for the Caribbean.
- The Dominican Republic accounted for 21 percent of all trips to the Caribbean with 6,187,542 million tourists.
- A hotel occupancy rate of 77 percent in 2017.
- Highest occupancy rates by destination: Punta Cana – Bávaro (82.8%); Romana – Bayahíbe (82%); Boca Chica – Juan Dolio (71.4%).
- Fifteen thousand new rooms and 6,000 existing rooms remodeled in 2018.
- Cruise arrivals increased by 37 percent in 2017 compared to 2016, representing more than 1.2 million visitors, which exceeded the forecast by 200,000.
Guevara Manzo noted that the WTTC is taking action to reduce the impact on tourism, such as taking into account the factors of climate change and overcrowding in destinations.
Gloria Guevara Manzo speech
During her speech, Guevara Manzo pointed out that one in five new jobs that were created in 2017 are related to the industry, hence the importance of this commercial activity, which results in direct, indirect and induced benefits.
In this sense, she said that tourism creates a great diversity of job opportunities for everyone and everywhere. “Is an industry that moves in an agile way and the world there are always people who want to travel, so always more jobs will be needed.”
Here are the six best quotes from Gloria Guevara Manzo at the second Asonahores Tourism Investment Forum, a business platform that presents the vision of the public and private sectors for the development of the tourism industry as an investment destination:
1- Tourism is the sector of hope, the sector that generates jobs.
2- Tourism is bigger than agriculture, manufacturing, and other sectors.
3- There is a great opportunity to transform the way we travel so we can minimize the time at airports.
4- Around 16% of employment in the Dominican Republic comes from the tourism sector.”
5- At WTTC we are working on improving sustainable growth. Countries that are not prepared for the reception of so many tourists suffer from “Turismofobia,” cases such as Venice, Amsterdam, and Barcelona. Thus we need to achieve favorable conditions for tourists and residents.
6- Public-private alliances offer great potential for the Dominican Republic.
Un placer estar en hermosa #RepublicaDominicana en el importante evento de #Asanohores2018 ! Muchas gracias por la invitación para compartir la visión global y el potencial de viajes y turismo @WTTC felicidades por la labor que están haciendo ! pic.twitter.com/DTfXKnbqiC
— Gloria Guevara Manzo (@GGuevaraM) November 28, 2018
Tweet: A pleasure to be in the beautiful Dominican Republic at the Asonahores 2018 event! Thank you very much for the invitation to share the global vision and the potential for travel and tourism. WTTC congratulations on the work you are doing!
At the second edition of the forum named as the “Development of Tourism through the Stock Market, Asonahores aimed to create a value proposition that allows a healthy exchange and presentation of industry issues, promoting a dialogue on perspectives and local investment in this sector using the tools offered by the stock market.
The meeting held two panels: “The Stock Market as an Instrument for the Growth of Dominican Tourism“; and “Success Story Presentation: Project Financing Club Med Miches 5 Trident Resort.”
Businesspeople, government authorities, and professionals linked to the tourism, financial, and stock market sector attended the tourism event.
Who is Gloria Guevara Manzo
From the World Travel and Tourism Council:
Gloria began her professional career in 1989 at NCR Corporation working in Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa regions.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Anahuac University and a Master of Business Administration from Kellogg School of Business, at Northwestern University.
Since 1995, she has worked for the travel industry, starting at the Sabre Travel Network and Sabre Holdings, and was later CEO of JV Sabre Mexico, reporting to the board of directors from Aeromexico, Mexicana, and Sabre.
Guevara has been recognized as one of the most influential women in Mexico by CNN and Expansion.
In March 2010, the by then President of Mexico Felipe Calderon appointed her as Minister of Tourism and given the full responsibility of the Mexican Tourism Board.
Under her leadership, the “National Agreement for Tourism” in Mexico was created and signed on 28 February 2011.
In August 2017, Gloria Guevara Manzo was appointed as president and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council.
She has been Special Advisor on Government Affairs to Harvard University, and part of the Future for Travel, Tourism, and Aviation Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum.
Below are the highlights of the annual WTTC Global Summit 2018, which took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, bringing together Heads of Government, CEOs, and Tourism Policymakers to debate the biggest challenges for the industry.