ASHONORTE Presents Tourism Awareness Campaign “SONRÍE! ERES PUERTO PLATA!”

ASHONORTE Presents Tourism Awareness Campaign “SONRÍE! ERES PUERTO PLATA!”
Puerto Plata, February 17, 2014

On Thursday, February 13th the Asociación de Hoteles, Restaurantes y Empresas Turísticas del Norte (ASHONORTE – Association of Northern Hotels, Restaurants, and Tourism Management) introduced the Campaign “Sonríe! Eres Puerto Plata!”, an initiative to raise community awareness about the importance of treating well those persons visiting this province.

The program, which began in 2013 with discussion meetings that took place in schools to educate young students about topics related to tourism, was born from the need to promote a positive and responsible attitude among citizens, to raise the image of the destination, and, together with the efforts and investments of the public and private sector, to strengthen Puerto Plata as a friendly and hospitable destination.

Luis Liriano, President of ASHONORTE, explained that “the objective is to promote a tourism culture among the residents of Puerto Plata, because at some point we all relate to visitors, either by direct activity or casual circumstances. We use the slogan “Sonríe! Eres Puerto Plata!” because a smile is the essential symbol of hospitality and also to satisfy our visitors; the phrase also reflects a sense of pride and of belonging to the destination”.

This activity seeks to rally the community around tourism and to generate a “network” of hosts, to ensure quality tourist services and an excellent tourist attention.

Meanwhile, Ambra Attus, Executive Director of the Association and project coordinator, reported that “as of next week the campaign volunteers will tour the city, handing out stickers, pins, and fliers with information about the importance of providing a warm welcome to tourists. We will also resume the meetings in schools and companies with the collaboration of students of the Tourism and Hotel Administration major at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), the Technological University of Santiago (UTESA), and the Organization and Method University (O & M) in Puerto Plata; as well as a team of volunteers.

Additionally, a competition will take place on the occasion of celebrating the World Tourism Day (on Saturday, September 27th) among those who publish in the ASHONORTE social networks a photo of their smile with a phrase that invites hospitality at one of the many tourist attractions of Puerto Plata.
Johanny Alvarez, representative of the Ministry of Tourism, stressed the importance of this initiative, which in addition to other events being undertaken by MITUR, such as the improvements in tourism infrastructure throughout the province and the public awareness campaign that is underway, will certainly achieve the consolidation of Puerto Plata as a quality tourist destination.

The launching of the initiative took place in the auditorium of the Atlantic Regional Center (CURA – UASD) and was attended by various representatives of the tourism sector, members of the press, representatives of partner institutions, and a large number of residents of Puerto Plata who received with joy the news about the campaign.