PUERTO PLATA.- American Chamber of Commerce in Dominican Republic (AMCHAMDR) president Julio Brache on Friday hailed Dominican Republic’s tourism potential and encouraged the business leaders who attended the gathering hosted by the entity to work with a strategy and jointly to promote the country as a destination.

“We have much tourism potential as a country, mostly if we know how to combine the rational and sustainable use of our natural wealth, of which Puerto Plata has in immense amounts,” Brache said.

“But these tourism development possibilities which would result in the nation’s economic, and social development, can only become realities if we train our human resources with high quality and notion of service to the client, if we work strategically and allied in the matter of promotion at the world level, if we know how to innovate in our offer, if we improve our sanitary and education level and if we undertake the road of vanguard in the matter of infrastructures,” the business leader said.

United States ambassador Raul Yzaguirre was the keynote speaker the event organized by AMCHAMDR’s Provincial Committee in the Hotel Gran Ventana Playa Dorada, who cited the Puerto Plata tourism sector’s challenges and opportunities.

The zone’s authorities, Chamber business leaders and industrialists related to tourism participated in the activity.

 Brache announced three pieces of good tourism news, starting with increased arrivals in 2011, higher hotel occupancy in Puerto Plata and a deal reached with Carnival to build a cruise ship terminal. “Making the needed efforts, our reality as a country and tourism destination is increasingly better and will benefit everyone.”