SDQ MICE returns: sixth edition boosts meetings tourism

The sixth edition of SDQ MICE is already underway and promises to give a major push to meetings tourism in the Dominican Republic. It was announced by Gina Eli, president of the Association of Hotels of Santo Domingo (AHSD), during the event's presentation. If there's one thing the MICE segment needed, it's a gathering that brings together the sector's key players, and this edition, as reported by Arecoa, aims to accelerate the recovery and professionalization of the niche.

For Santo Domingo hoteliers, MICE is a direct way to fill rooms in shoulder seasons and generate extra revenue from corporate events. That the AHSD is doubling down on this fair shows the destination understands it can't live on sun and sand alone. The capital needs to position itself as a hub for meetings, congresses and incentives, and SDQ MICE is the platform to do it.

My take: this is a real opportunity for Dominican tourism professionals, hoteliers, tour operators, MITUR officials, to jump on the meetings industry bandwagon. If they manage to attract quality international buyers and showcase the city's infrastructure, the payoff will be immediate. Hopefully this sixth edition will be the one that cements Santo Domingo as the Caribbean's MICE destination.