SDQ MICE 2026 projects over 1,000 business meetings in Santo Domingo

The Santo Domingo Hotel Association (AHSD) has launched the sixth edition of SDQ MICE 2026, its platform dedicated to meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions tourism, according to Arecoa. The organization's projection points to surpassing 1,000 business meetings between international buyers and local suppliers, a figure that places Santo Domingo on the Caribbean's MICE map.

There is substance here. Meetings tourism is the segment that spreads spending across the year, fills city hotels on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and drives demand for ballrooms, catering, transport and professional services. For the Dominican capital, competing with sun-and-beach destinations for the same visitor, this kind of event is the way to sell the city as a host, not just a stopover.

The takeaway is clear: the AHSD has spent six editions building a product that does not depend on high season or charter flights. What remains to be seen is whether the projected figure is met and whether the rest of the country, with Punta Cana and Santiago watching closely, follows suit with its own format.