Dominican Republic aims to become a global gastronomic destination

During the XX Congress of the Dominican Chapter of the Pan American Conference of Hotels, Gastronomy and Tourism (CONPEHT) held at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, entrepreneur Luis Marino López proposed that the Dominican Republic position itself as a major global gastronomic destination.

López, a founding member of the Fundación Sabores Dominicanos, emphasized that the country should transition from traditional tourism toward a solid national gastronomic brand. He noted that modern travelers seek authentic and culturally relevant experiences rather than just destinations. He suggested that the nation should leverage its existing heritage, diverse products, and ancestral recipes to create a unified narrative, similar to the cultural diplomacy models used by Peru, Spain, Mexico, and Japan.