Dominican Republic sees ‘perfect strategic alliance’ with Guyana’s tourism sector

With a record-breaking 11 million tourists last year, the Dominican Republic (DR) is eager to collaborate with Guyana to promote tourism between the two countries and share its hospitality and tourism successes with its Guyanese counterparts.

DR officials are currently in discussions with the Guyanese government and other tourism stakeholders to explore ways to strengthen ties within the sector.

According to Lili Foo, Trade Specialist at the DR Embassy in Guyana and representative of the DR-based Sky High airline, there has been a noticeable increase in Guyanese visitors to the Dominican Republic since the launch of Sky High flights last year.

Speaking with Ignite News on the sidelines of the recently launched Air Dash corporate flight service, Foo noted that while the number of Guyanese travellers to the DR has grown, “there is still more work to be done to encourage even greater travel between the two countries.”

To this end, DR officials are actively engaging with several government agencies, including the Ministry of Tourism, the Guyana Tourism Authority, and the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana, to promote and enhance tourism partnerships.

Foo highlighted the Dominican Republic’s global reputation as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean, ranking among the top 10 Latin American countries in terms of tourism revenue.

Partnering with the DR, she said, “would be a perfect strategic alliance for Guyana in the tourism sector”.

Sky High Aviation Services, launched last year, offers direct flights between Guyana and the Dominican Republic in less than two and a half hours.

The airline also operates direct flights from Havana, Cuba, to Georgetown, as well as from Havana and Santo Domingo (DR) to Georgetown.

Sky High currently serves 14 Caribbean countries, offering daily flights to Miami along with weekly chartered flights.

During the sod-turning ceremony for the construction of the new branded Pegasus Hotel last Tuesday, President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting eco and nature-based tourism.

He also revealed that he had earlier held discussions with DR President Luis Abinader, who expressed his readiness to market Guyana and the Dominican Republic as a “common destination”.

Guyana has also experienced record-breaking tourist arrivals, with over a million travellers visiting the country by November 2024.

Sky High Aviation Services is expected to play a pivotal role in strengthening air connectivity between Guyana and the Dominican Republic, further boosting tourism and economic ties between the two nations.