Madrid, Spain. — At FITUR 2026, the Dominican Republic reinforced its commitment to health and wellness tourism as one of the Caribbean’s highest value-added growth engines during the 3rd BHD Tourism and Investment Forum, led by Steven Puig, President of Banco BHD, with the participation of Dr. Alejandro Cambiaso, President of the Dominican Association of Health Tourism (ADTS). Cambiaso presented a roadmap for the country to evolve from a “destination” into a regional platform built on trust, quality, international experience, and investment.

In his remarks, Cambiaso noted that tourism competition is changing: “The Caribbean no longer competes only on occupancy; it competes on value. And value is sustained by trust—quality, safety, international accreditation, and a consistent experience.” In this context, he highlighted health and wellness tourism as an anti-cyclical engine that reduces seasonality, encourages longer stays, and increases direct and indirect spending through integrated offerings in prevention, longevity, advanced diagnostics, dentistry, selected ambulatory surgery, and wellness programs.

The event included a special moment recognizing the management of the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, with the screening of a short video prior to his remarks, ahead of the expert panel.

Moderated by Jacqueline Mora, Technical Vice Minister of the Ministry of Tourism, the panel brought together international industry leaders:

The 3rd BHD Tourism and Investment Forum was held on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at the Beatriz Madrid Auditorium, with an institutional opening by Banco BHD led by Josefina Navarro, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Social Responsibility, and welcome remarks by Steven Puig, President of Banco BHD.

Cambiaso emphasized that the Dominican Republic’s competitive advantage lies in monetizing assets it already possesses—connectivity, tourism scale, human talent, and a growing infrastructure—through integrated products that connect hospitality + health + wellness + experiences, increasing spend per visitor and consolidating the country as a trusted, high-value hub.

For her part, ADTS Vice President Lic. Amelia Reyes Mora underscored that “the time to accelerate medical tourism and retirement tourism is now,” calling for stronger international promotion, certifications, and public–private synergies to turn leadership into sustainable results.

The Dominican Association of Health Tourism (ADTS) promotes the positioning of the Dominican Republic as a leading destination for medical and wellness tourism by advancing quality standards, public–private collaboration, international patient experience, and sustainable investment.