ADERES sets out to strengthen Dominican gastronomy as a tourism asset

JSBy Joan SanzCurated by Joan Sanz. · July 25, 2026 · Follow on LinkedIn

Voice reading · ~2 min

The Dominican Restaurant Association (ADERES) has just wrapped its Annual Assembly with a clear message: gastronomy is not a footnote to Dominican tourism, it's a competitive asset in its own right. In the document where it defines its strategic priorities for 2026-2027, the restaurant sector highlights gains this cycle (institutional growth, membership strengthening) and lays out an ambitious agenda that touches nerves in the hotel and tourism business model.

What strikes me here is the substance: while Punta Cana, Samaná, and La Romana keep banking on all-inclusive resorts, ADERES is pointing toward a differentiated gastronomic tourism strategy. This opens an uncomfortable but necessary conversation. Dominican hotels and resorts have historically seen restaurants as a threat to food margins. Local, structured, identity-driven gastronomy could be the opposite: a magnet for travelers chasing experiences, not just beaches.

Shoring up gastronomic tourism requires three non-negotiable things. First, hotel operators must stop treating local food as competition and weave it into brand narratives. Second, MITUR must back these priorities with investment in training and quality standards. Third, the small restaurateur in Santo Domingo, La Romana, or Puerto Plata needs real tools to scale without losing identity. That's where the real money sits.

Quick questions

What is ADERES and what role does it play in Dominican tourism?

ADERES is the Dominican Restaurant Association, the industry body representing food and beverage operators. Its role is to defend sector interests and position it as a pillar of national gastronomic tourism.

What are ADERES's priorities for 2026-2027?

According to ADERES's strategic document, the focus is consolidating gastronomic tourism as a competitiveness driver, strengthening institutional membership, and advancing sector professionalization.

How does this affect hotels and resorts in the Dominican Republic?

It opens a differentiation opportunity: hotels can stop treating local restaurants as competitors and position them as brand experiences that attract higher-spending, more discerning travelers.

Why is gastronomic tourism important for Punta Cana and other destinations?

Because it diversifies offerings beyond sun and beach, attracts premium traveler segments willing to spend more, and strengthens Dominican identity as a full-spectrum destination, not just resort-based.

What can a small restaurateur do in light of this sector strategy?

Leverage the visibility gastronomic tourism gains as a priority, forge alliances with hotels and tour operators, and push ADERES and MITUR to provide access to training and financing.

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