The profiles of both candidates highlight the growing importance of tourism in national life beyond economics. The fact that both a former minister with long experience and a current minister are considering a run for the presidency shows that this sector provides a strategic platform: media visibility, institutional connections, and a discourse centered on development, sustainability, infrastructure, and investment. Tourists, investors, and employers therefore become key audiences, as the challenges of tourism—such as improving services, protecting the environment, strengthening international promotion, and diversifying destinations—are also key government priorities that extend beyond the tourism agenda itself.
Furthermore, García has made it clear that his ambitions go beyond internal PLD politics and are aimed at competing head-to-head with the nation’s main parties. He argues that an early nomination would give the PLD a strategic advantage to position itself strongly against the PRM and Fuerza del Pueblo. Collado, for his part, operates from the vantage point of his current ministerial role, with institutional tools and international exposure that could provide an edge in terms of visibility. However, this also means he will be measured against the tangible results of his policies in tourism, infrastructure, and regional development.
This political focus on tourism as an electoral platform reflects a broader trend: powerful productive sectors—tourism, energy, agribusiness, infrastructure—are increasingly essential foundations for projecting leadership and credibility. In the Dominican Republic, where tourism represents a significant share of GDP, generates employment, and drives foreign exchange earnings, ministers or former ministers of tourism hold both technical expertise and symbolic capital that can be politically leveraged.
Therefore, the 2028 elections go beyond a simple change of leadership: they outline a scenario in which candidates must demonstrate both technical competence and strategic vision, rather than relying solely on political rhetoric. The race is already underway, even though the vote is still years away. García’s challenge will be to consolidate his leadership within the PLD, while Collado’s task will be to turn the successes of his ministerial tenure into broad public support. For voters, what is at stake is not only who will govern but also what kind of country will be built around tourism and what model of development will prevail: one that integrates economic growth with sustainability, social inclusion, and international reach.
This emerging landscape signals not just a contest between personalities but also between projects: those who see tourism as an isolated sectoral policy and those who view it as a driving force for comprehensive economic, social, and environmental transformation in the Dominican Republic.
