Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1546515
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, the 1,402- room Barceló Bávaro Palace and the 1,042-room Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa & Casino. Historical and cultural attractions include the Colonial Zone and the National Museum and Geography in the capital city of Santa Domingo and the National Museum of History and Geography and the Altos de Chavón Regional Archaeological Museum in La Romana. Puerto Plata, a city on the Atlantic north coast that's best known for its beaches, is also the site of one of the DR's most unique museums. Among the Amber Museum's exhibits showcasing gemstones embedded with flowers and animal fossils is a one encasing a mosquito that was used as a prop in the film Jurassic Park. ATTRACTING AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO THE REGION Of course, it's not just the activities, attractions and accommodations that make a travel destination appealing. It also matters that visitors feel wel- come in that place, and several Caribbean destinations are making a concerted effort to extend a special invitation to African-American meeting, incen- tive and leisure travelers. Two years ago the Jamaica Information Services reported a significant increase in Black American visitors to the island as a result of several target- ed marketing initiatives, including social media cam- paigns and community engagement. The JIS News article cited the view of Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett that cultural ties, including those between Jamaica and African- Americans with family roots there, have helped to drive this trend. Jamaica tourism officials have also worked with African-American influencers to pro- mote the island and partnered with local hospitality businesses to design tourism packages that appeal to the interests of Black travelers from the States. Visit Barbados has drawn upon a historical con- nection between that island and one particular U.S. city in the South as an inspiration for its marketing to African-Americans. There was a time when about half of all enslaved Black people arriving in Charleston, South Carolina, came by way of Bridgetown, Barbados. The story of that ancestral link has become part of Barbados' marketing mes- sage. Specific initiatives, as noted in Fodor's Travel, have included press trips for Black influencers and publications; events like FABA Fest, a Juneteenth weekend event gathering HBCU alums on the island; and heritage tours like the one featuring Bridgetown's Freedom Park. In 2026, tourism marketers looking to draw more young Black U.S. travelers to the region received lots of welcome exposure when African-American YouTube influencer Speed (a.k.a. Darren Jason Watkins Jr.) live-streamed visits to 15 Caribbean destinations. Several government and tourism offices, including in the Bahamas, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Trinidad & Tobago, facili- tated the trips and broadcasts to capitalize on the marketing gold that Speed's 53 million followers represent. The Caribbean Tourism Organization is also focused on expanding the region's market. While not targeting the African-American market specifi- cally, the CTO has recently made a push for more cultural tourism throughout the region and plans to develop a regional database of cultural and creative tourism resources. These kinds of programs should help planners with choosing a destination and creating an expe- rience that forges a lasting connection between the Caribbean islands and the people of the African Diaspora who visit them. If you start early and take advantage of the planning resources available through area tourism authorities, event venues, hotels and resorts, coordinating a Caribbean getaway doesn't have to be full of friction. Plenty of des- tinations are not only eager to welcome African- American visitors but also ready to help them get there and have a rewarding, unforgettable experience. One of Dominican Republic many beaches B M & T ••• September/October 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 38