TORONTO – There’s nothing like having a baseball legend shine the spotlight on a destination.
The Dominican Republic Tourism Board recently hosted ‘One night with George Bell’ in Toronto to share what’s new and exciting in the popular vacation spot.
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer and former outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays was on hand to take photos, sign baseballs and chat with guests.
Considered one of Canada’s favourite vacation destinations, the Dominican Republic recorded increased overall arrivals in the 2015 season, with over 750,888 Canadians visiting the country, and 455,845 from January through May 2016.
According to Abdallah Castillo, Head of the Dominican Republic Tourist Board, the ongoing success of the country among Canadians is no accident.
“We have learned to adapt and change with market tastes. Our government understands the significance of tourism and focuses efforts on reaching specific goals – such as new roads, new cruise facilities and new golf courses – to keep us competitive with the best destinations worldwide.”
Punta Cana remained the top destination in the DR throughout the 2015/2016 season.
It was named the #1 Destination in the Caribbean 2016 in the TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Awards.
One of the big stories coming out of the Dominican Republic is the influx of luxury hotel rooms, which allows the country to compete with the most exclusive destinations in the world. Three of these luxury resorts made the Condé Nast Traveler list of Top 40 Resorts in the Caribbean: Readers’ Choice Awards 2015.
Other developments in the destination include a new runway at Punta Cana International Airport, improvements to the marina in Samaná, and the ongoing expansion of the historic port of Santo Domingo.
“We are proud of the growth we experienced in the 2015/2016 season but we know we could not have done it without our partners. There has always been a special affinity between the people of Canada and the people of the Dominican Republic, and we look forward to working with all our partners here to keep bringing visitors from Canada to our country,” added Castillo.
