Investment Lunch showcases more than 10 billion pesos in new medical tourism projects

• ADTS and AF Comunicación Estratégica held an Investment Lunch at which more than 10 billion pesos in new medical tourism projects were presented.

SANTO DOMINGO: – To contribute to the innovation and ventures that will shape the future of medicine and the Dominican health tourism sector, the Dominican Health Tourism Association (ADTS) and AF Comunicación Estratégica held the third Private Investment Lunch as the closing event of the “5th International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress”.

The meeting was led by the president of the Dominican Health Tourism Association, Dr. Alejandro Cambiaso, and its vice-president, Amelia Reyes Mora, who also chairs AF Comunicación Estratégica.

Attendees included Luis Espínola, executive vice-president of Corporate and Investment Banking at Banco Popular; Biviana Riveiro, executive director of ProDominicana; Jacqueline Mora, Technical Vice-Minister at the Ministry of Tourism; Rafael Blanco, president of Asonahores; Joel Santos, tourism adviser to the executive branch; and Dr. Víctor Atallah, medical adviser to the Executive Branch, among other figures from the health and tourism sectors and investors.

The Investment Lunch began with a lecture on “Outlook for the Tourism Sector and Investment Facilities in the Dominican Republic” by Juan Manuel Martín de Oliva, vice-president of Tourism Business at Banco Popular.

Martín de Oliva highlighted that tourism is a key sector for the country’s economic recovery and competitiveness, stating that it is vital to keep promoting public-private partnerships, job creation and the development of strategic niches such as health tourism and retiree tourism.

The main focus was the presentation of new projects that together represent an investment of more than 10 billion pesos and will create more than 1,500 direct jobs, a sign of confidence in the government and the future of the Dominican Republic.

The projects presented at the Investment Lunch were: Wellmed, presented by Alejandro Marranzin, director of Development at Shearly Investments; Médico Express, by Franchesco Fino; Lasmed Health Center, by its CEO Massimiliano Scerra; EMG Medical Network, presented by its CEO and founder Dr. Pedro Estrella; Cabrera Health, presented by Dr. Víctor Matos, medical director of Santo Domingo Wellness Center; and Homs Health and Wellness Center, by architect Juan Camilo Medina, director of Real Estate Development at Grupo Estrella.

According to the 2020 Medical Tourism Index, the country ranked as the number one health tourism destination in the Caribbean and number two in Latin America. Meanwhile, the “Study and Diagnosis of Health Tourism in the DR” reported that this market niche generated an economic impact of more than 13 billion pesos in 2018 and highlighted the need to create a National Health Tourism Council and introduce a quality seal.