Public and private sectors give massive backing to 5th Health Tourism Congress

• Nearly 60 companies and organisations are supporting this biennial event, which aims to foster innovation, competitiveness and quality standards in the country’s health and tourism services.

Santo Domingo, May 2021. – The 5th International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress, to be held on Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 June 2021, has received significant backing from the value chain driving the health and wellness tourism sector.

Various public and private sector institutions will take part in and sponsor this biennial event, organised by the Dominican Health Tourism Association (ADTS) and the Communications and Public Relations firm AF Comunicación Estratégica.

The Ministry of Tourism, Banco Popular, Seminsa, Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago, Seguros Reservas, Banreservas, Wellmed, the Diabetes, Obesity and Specialties Medical Centre (CEMDOE), Arium Health, Humano Seguros, CapCana, Hospital General de la Plaza de la Salud, The Panamá Clinic, Global Medical Dominicana, Instituto Espaillat Cabral, Central Romana Corporation, Integra, Curatech, Ureval, Referencia, Diss, Mallén and Grupo Rescue are supporting the fifth edition of this congress.

Banco Central, Worldcare, Seguros Universal, AFP Siembra, Cedimat, Médico Express, ProDominicana, Ducto Limpio, Primera ARS, Meliá Punta Cana Beach, Amadita, Banco Lafise, Farmacia Carol, Advanced, Cemeraf and Olga M. Viñas Certified Translator have also confirmed their support.

Speaking about the support received, Dr. Alejandro Cambiaso, president of ADTS, said “health tourism has been steadily consolidating in the country, and the pandemic has shown the need to keep reinventing ourselves, moving forward and strengthening ties between the public and private sectors, encouraging investment in new projects that create jobs and technology transfer, and building closer links with the main source markets for tourists and patients“. This congress promotes best practices and encourages international accreditation and destination safety, he added.

Likewise, Amelia Reyes Mora, president of AF Comunicación Estratégica, said: “this event is a platform for multisectoral integration, innovation, networking, business development and investment opportunities, which is why it has the support of major government and business organisations seeking to strengthen this segment, showing the clear vision for the future and the great business potential of this field, which in turn contributes to relaunching the tourism sector and boosts the economy“.

The organisers highlighted the essential role of the media in communicating the event and thanked Infotur Dominicano, Listín Diario, Resumen de Salud, and the magazines Mercado, Medihealth, Contacto, Santo Domingo Times and Bohío, as well as Dominican Today, Dominican.news and the radio and TV programmes Consultando con Ana Simó and La Consulta Médica, along with great support from the press in general in spreading the word about this important initiative for the nation.

Given the prestige achieved by its previous editions, this event is also endorsed by the Ministries of Public Health and Foreign Affairs, as well as the American Chamber of Commerce (Amchamdr), the National Association of Hotels and Restaurants (Asonahores), the Dominican Institute for Quality, the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) and the Medical Tourism Association (MTA).

The organisers said the 5th International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress, to be held at El Embajador, a Royal Hideaway Hotel, in Santo Domingo, will bring together 36 national and international panellists, with the aim of fostering synergies, new business and knowledge transfer.