TTC Travel Trade Caribbean

Milan.- The Dominican Tourism Deputy Minister Magaly Toribio will attend the BIT-Tourism Fair 2012 in Milan, Italy next February.
Bit 2012, the International Tourism Exchange, will take place from the 16th to the 19th February 2012 at the Fieramilano of Rho-Pero. With 28 years' service to the travel industry, Bit is the largest exhibition in the world for the Italian tourist product alongside comprehensive, pre-eminent international representation.
At Bit will be a networking business opportunities between professional operators. Bit shows the entire industry chain, from tourism to the travelers including opportunities and specific content for each target. The fair will dedicate four days to the tourism operators and will also open to the public a full week-end.
The fair areas will be dedicate to tourism products from across Italy and the other to the world, in a comprehensive overview of international tourism, and to tour operator, travel agencies, hotel chains, airlines, sea carriers, railways and services providers.
Two special areas will be dedicate to Bit Technology, the world of the technologies for tourism on and off-line, CRS.HRS and tour operators on-line and Certicibit, an event for tourism of good eating habits and of quality products, sponsored by the Ministry of Environment and by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forest Policies.
The Tourism Authority of the Dominican Republic will participate at the stand in Hall 2, booth G19-H20, with exhibitions of the Colonial Tours Viva Wyndham Resorts and Grand Resort Cap Cana. Is expected the participation of Deputy Minister Magaly Toribio for the second consecutive year.
Dominican Republic tourism industry it went well in 2011. The arrivals of foreign tourists by plane to the country from January to December 2011 have amounted to 3,702,997, compared with 3,521,110 in 2010. The data reveal an overall increase of 5.17% in comparison with the same period in 2010.
North Americans tourists’ arrivals grew by 3.64% at the same time, from 1,907,776 in 2010 to 1,977,168 in 2011. The was a strong growth of visitors from Central America and Caribbean that recorded a +11.59% to 127,101, while the South Americans tourist arrivals marks a considerable increase of +36.74% from 293,816 arrivals from the 2010 to 401,776 in 2011.Europe tourists reported a slight decrease in November 2011.
Neyda García, director of the Dominican Republic Tourism Promotion Office (OPT) said Dominican Republic will be present in BIT 2012 with the charm of its history and its ancient heritage and the notable beauties of the country,
continues the commitment in deepening ties with the industry, not only through the proven effective and always Roadshow training activities of travel agents throughout the country, but also by means of a communication campaign well targeted, which provides, on the occasion of the exhibition, trade and consumer advertising, on and off line.
"We feel very pleased with the results obtained in 2011, a success in tackling the crisis that has hit the tourism in Italy and that has affected all long haul destinations", Garcia said. "In this regard, the tourism board of the Dominican Republic has stepped up its efforts and implement initiatives aimed at travel agents and consumers" she added.
In 2012 the Dominican Republic Tourist Board plans to continue and, where possible, intensify activities to promote the destination to continue trying to reach new targets concludes Garcia. (Source: OPT)