Dominican Rep: Juan 'Papo' Bancalari, new president of Asonahores for the period 2024-2026

22-12-24

The Dominican Association of Hotels and Tourism (Asonahores) has appointed Juan 'Papo' Bancalari as its new president for the period 2024-2026. Bancalari, a recognized businessman in the vacation rental sector, assumes the leadership of the country's main tourism employers' association with the objective of strengthening the tourism industry as a national economic engine.

According to Asonahores, Bancalari will implement a work plan that will involve the different tourist poles of the country, seeking a firm and sustained growth to reach the goal of 15 million visitors. Among his priorities are the promotion of cruise tourism in key destinations such as Puerto Plata and Pedernales, as well as the regulation of real estate tourism and the complementary offer, in order to raise standards and attract tourists with greater purchasing power.

Profile of the new president

Juan Bancalari is a Commercial Administrator, graduated in 1984 from APEC University. He is the founding president of Bancalari & Asociados, SRL, a company specialized in insurance consulting since 1982. In 2006, he developed the real estate tourism project Puerto Bahía Marina & Residences and currently presides over Marina Puerto Bahía in Samaná, one of the four most important private sports marinas in the country.

He is also a partner of the Board of Directors of Bahía Capital, dedicated to the development and operation of shopping centers, and founding partner of Perpetual Energy Group, SRL, developer of Club Hípico Las Colinas in Santo Domingo.

At the institutional level, he has held positions as president of the Dominican Association of Insurance Brokers (ADOCOSE), the National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE), the Dominican Stock Exchange and the Chamber of Commerce and Production of Santo Domingo. He was also founding president of the Dominican Association of Tourism Real Estate Companies (ADETI) and has been a director of various organizations related to the tourism and business sector in the country.

With this appointment, Asonahores seeks to consolidate the growth of the Dominican tourism sector, taking advantage of Bancalari's experience and leadership to face the challenges and opportunities presented by the industry in the coming years.