MIAMI.- The invitation was not only to contemplate a beach, reserve a room or choose a destination on the map. This time, the Dominican Republic wanted to connect with the memory that remains after the trip: the joy, the affection and the feeling of having experienced something difficult to forget.
With this concept, the Ministry of Tourism presented in Miami “Siente DR”, its new campaign for the United States, an initiative that seeks to promote the Caribbean country based on the emotions awakened by its people, culture, music, gastronomy and landscapes.
The launch took place on Wednesday night at the Four Seasons Hotel Miami, in Brickell, before representatives of the sector, entertainment figures and guests linked to the promotion of the destination.
In a room dominated by blue lights and images of some of the most recognized places in the Antillean nation, the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, explained that the strategy aims to go beyond conventional advertising.
“The greatest strength that our country has is its people, the feeling. They say that feeling is being alive, and feeling leads you to love, nostalgia, joy and sadness. That’s what being alive is all about,” he expressed.
Collado maintained that experiences, more than material goods, end up defining a person’s memories. Under this premise, the proposal tries to make the traveler not only identify a location, but also relate it to a significant moment.
“The only thing we take with us are our experiences, that last smile, that hug, that place where you were happy,” he said.
To illustrate the idea, he said that he recently received a message from a Colombian visitor to whom he sent an image of Casa de Campo. The response was brief, but it summed up the spirit of the promotion: “I was happy there.”
The official also reflected on the way in which social networks tend to amplify negative episodes while positive events receive less attention. Faced with this dynamic, he defended the need to recover purpose, closeness and the ability to make others feel good.
“If I really manage to touch people and make them have a pleasant moment in the course of my life, I feel good,” he said.
The selection of Miami for the premiere in the US responds to the weight of Florida within the Dominican tourism strategy. Data previously released by the ministry indicate that 627,094 residents of the state traveled to the country during 2025. The United States remains its main source market for visitors.
The emotional component was echoed by the guests who accompanied Collado during the presentation. The Venezuelan actress Gaby Espino transferred the promotional slogan to her own experience and publicly asked to return.
“When are they going to invite me back to the Dominican Republic? I die for the Dominican Republic,” he said, laughing.
Espino assured that the initiative reflects the character of a place where, as he said, foreigners find a welcome capable of making them feel part of the community.
“Dominicans are wonderful and we, even though we are of another nationality, feel at home there. I have felt alive, happy, joyful and loved in the Dominican Republic,” she added.
Former Puerto Rican Miss Universe, radio and television presenter Dayanara Torres provided another personal link. His relationship with the country began when he was around 12 years old and he took the first plane trip of his life there.
“From that day on I fell in love with its hospitality, its beauty, its people, its food and its music,” he recalled.
Torres also highlighted the geographical and cultural proximity to Puerto Rico, as well as the visits she has made accompanied by her family.
“I always feel at home. I love coming back, spending time there and we have even celebrated Christmas in the Dominican Republic. For me it is paradise,” he said.
Between references to bachata, merengue, beaches and hospitality, both guests contributed testimonies that allowed the strategy to be presented from the perspective of those who already know the destination, instead of limiting it to a list of attractions.
“Siente RD” seeks to turn these experiences into a tool to attract new travelers and maintain the interest of those who return. The bet is to associate the country with a complete human experience, not only with its hotels and coasts.
The challenge will be to translate the excitement shown during the launch into a promotion capable of competing for the attention of the American public. The region constitutes a strategic setting for this purpose due to its air connections, its cultural diversity and the presence of a large Caribbean community.
Collado closed his speech with a message of gratitude to those who support tourism activity and reiterated that the main value of his country continues to be its population.
Beyond the projected images and the music that accompanied the evening, the message was summarized in the voices of those who returned: the Dominican experience is remembered for its landscapes, but also for the way its visitors claim to have felt.
