ADTS agrees with Spaincares to enhance medical travel DR-Spain
The Dominican Health Tourism Association -ADTS- and its counterpart in Spaincares signed a collaboration agreement to enhance Iberoamerican medical travel.
At the country’s stand at the International Tourism Fair -FITUR 2019- in Madrid, Dr. Alejandro Cambiaso and David Medina, president of ADTS and Spaincares, respectively, signed a document that expands the reach of medical travel to the Dominican Republic, now from Europe, and for the Dominican to seek another medical option in Spain if needed.
For the first time, the Dominican Health Tourism Association attended a FITUR event, which arrived at its 39th edition, as part of the delegation invited by the Minister of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, Francisco Javier Garcia.
David Medina considered it an important agreement to promote the exchange of knowledge, the flow of bilateral medical travelers, and best practices.
He listed some facts industry facts about Spain.
Around 100,000 foreign patients travel to the European country every year in search of treatments related to:
- Ophthalmology
- Oncology
- Cardiac surgery
- Plastic and aesthetic surgery
- Fertility treatments and assisted fertilization.
Medina noted that Spain is the sixth medical travel destination in Europe and the eighth in the world, an experience that they intend to share with the Dominican Republic.
Spaincares offers a global service from the patient’s home until their return and follow-ups. They provide health services in hospitals, spas, or centers of dependency, as well as solutions for accommodation and other complementary tourism activities, aimed at covering all the needs of patients during their trip.
Medical travel as a strategy to diversify the tourism offer
“Tourism and health are natural allies that together strengthen innovation, competitiveness and represent new opportunities for sustainable development,” said Dr. Cambiaso after inking, alongside Edmundo Aja, president of HODELPA, and Carlos Abella, general director of Spain Cares, who served as witnesses.
Cambiaso assured that “the exchange will not only improve the links of collaboration between the two entities but also to consolidate the efforts of the Dominican Republic to position itself as one of the first destinations for medical travel in America.”
The Minister of Tourism, Francisco Javier Garcia, welcomed this initiative while emphasizing the importance of the “diversification of the tourism portfolio and the need to continue supporting public-private partnerships to increase investment, job creation and the development of the sector.”
Garcia said that the agreement represents an important boost for Dominican medical travel, which has been scaling in the international rankings and consolidated as a leader in the Caribbean region.
The Dominican Health Tourism Association is a non-profit entity that promotes the Dominican Republic as an ideal place for medical travel and wellness because of:
- Its high-quality medical, dental and wellness services
- Cost-effectiveness
- Hospitality conditions
- Attractive geographic position
- Climate
ADTS favors best practices in the health sector, the security of care, and promoting health centers and specialists with the necessary guarantees, accreditations, and certifications.
FITUR 2019
The Dominican Republic, a leader in Caribbean tourism and pioneers in Latin America, participates for the first time as Partner Country in the 39th FITUR International Tourism Fair 2019, held from January 23rd to the 28th.
The event brought together entrepreneurs, hotel executives, national banking representatives, tour operators, travel agents, officials of the Ministry of Tourism, journalists, and directors of entities of the tourist sector of the country, and representatives from the tourist clusters of Samana, Puerto Plata, La Romana.
“President Danilo Medina is convinced that tourism has to be the locomotive of the country. The goal is to reach 10 million visitors by 2022. But not only 10 million tourists. 10 million who come with anxiety and leave with nostalgia,” said Marcia Isa Nadal, Vice-minister of Tourism and responsible for opening the first Viceministry of Tourism Quality, and in charge of creating its first manual of integral management of the entity.
Isa Nadal explains that attracting foreign investment is first due. “We will encourage investment for 15 years, for the purchase of land, construction, and the provision of hotels.”
The Vice-minister recalled that tourism means 20% of the national economy. “We offer security to the investor, which is very important”.
She also stated that there is a large opportunity for the development of medical travel and said that they are interested in the Dominican Republic to become a reference in this type of tourism in the Caribbean.