Colonial City District, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
More than 8.5 million visitors visited the Dominican Republic in 2022, making it the most popular tourist destination in the Caribbean. With a unique colonial history dating to Columbus in 1492, Colonial City lies at the heart of Santo Domingo, the national capital. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and popular attraction, internationally known for its pedestrian-friendly maze of streets brimming with 16th to early 20th architecture, colonial buildings turned museums, shops, hotels, and sidewalk cafes, and the National Botanical Garden.
TEI’s Jennifer Wesselhoff directed Colonial City work sessions as part of a Solimar International team aligning destination management with the values of the Santo Domingo community. Colonial City’s government and private sector stakeholders gained new insights into the power of coordinated, empowered tourism development and an improved understanding of DMO organization.
The result: participants agreed on a governance structure and procedures for the creation of a Colonial City DMO and adopted a customized Sustainable Tourism Strategy to manage their priceless cultural tourism assets. Stakeholders cited Jennifer’s sustainability experience and sensitivity for making the planning process a success.