Spanish
The World Tourism Organization, now UN Tourism, recognized this Wednesday David Collado as the minister of the Americas for his visionary and transformative leadership in the sector.
This award, of an unprecedented and institutional nature, recognizes Minister Collado's outstanding work in promoting tourism as a driver of economic development, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability in the Latin American and Caribbean region.
The initiative is part of the new UN Tourism program that seeks to highlight public figures who, from their positions, promote concrete policies and actions with a significant impact on the tourism industry.
The recognition underlines Collado's innovative management, his focus on alliances
public-private partnerships and their contribution to the international positioning of the Dominican Republic as one of the most important tourist destinations on the continent.
The recognition was presented by the Executive Secretary of UN Tourism, Natalia Bayona, who valued Collado's management of the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic.
Within the framework of the International Conversation on Tourism Cooperation, the signing of a letter of intent also took place between the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic and the National Tourism Secretariat of the Republic of Paraguay (SENATUR), through which the participation of the Dominican Republic as a guest of honor country in the International Tourism Fair of Paraguay (FITPAR) 2026 is formalized.
The agreement was signed by the Minister of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, David Collado, and the Minister of Tourism of Paraguay, Angie Duarte de Melillo.
The document reaffirms the mutual commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation ties in the tourism sector.
The Dominican Republic's participation in FITPAR 2026 represents a key platform to project its tourism offer in the South American market, promote cultural and commercial exchange, and consolidate its position as a leading destination in the region.
That alliance also opens up new opportunities for the development of joint initiatives, the promotion of investments, and collaboration between public and private sectors.
Note
The Dominican Republic, in its capacity as chair of the UN Tourism Regional Commission for the Americas, organized the Conversation on the Tourism Sustainability Policy and Strategy of the Dominican Republic, with the support of UN Tourism. The event was attended by tourism ministers from the Americas, international authorities, sustainability experts, and representatives from the private and academic sectors. In addition to Collado, Morena Valdez, Minister of Tourism of El Salvador, Angie Duarte de Melillo, Minister of Tourism of Paraguay, and Mateo Estrella, Minister of Tourism of Ecuador, participated in the conservatory. Also present were Natalia Bayona, Executive Secretary of UN Tourism, Gustavo Santos, Regional Director for the Americas of UN Tourism, Jaime Miyaki, Director of Technical Cooperation of UN Tourism, and Oscar Rueda, Director of Tourism of the Latin American Development Bank (CAF) It should be noted that UN Tourism is the specialized agency of the United Nations system responsible for promoting responsible, sustainable, and accessible tourism for all. Its mission is to foster the development of tourism as a driver of economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection, supporting member countries in the formulation of public policies, institutional strengthening, and international cooperation.
