The Dominican Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (Adavit) called on the population to avoid becoming victims of fraud by illegal Travel agencies.
“We want to inform you that in the Dominican Republic Travel agencies must obtain a Tourism permit to operate, which is granted by the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) to legally constituted companies, with their taxes up to date,” said the president of the entity, Ana Santelises de Latour.
The permit number, known as RUT, must be visible on the Travel agencies’ websites and social networks. It can be verified on the website rnt.mitur.gob.do, where you can search by the name of the agency or by the RUT. This permit must be renewed every four years, ensuring that the agency is always regulated and trustworthy.
Likewise, Adavit ensures that Travel agency staff must have a Travel agent card. The requirement is essential because not all industries require a permit to operate, but Travel agencies do, since they are regulated by the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur).
Santelises maintains that unfortunately many clients fall for scams because they buy services from unauthorized persons who pose as Travel agencies and in this regard he emphasizes the importance of verifying that the person or company they are dealing with belongs to or is a legally constituted agency with permission from Mitur.
On the other hand, the president of Adavit emphasized that Travel agencies are intermediaries of tourism, providing services such as booking airline tickets, Hotel rooms, cruises, among others, whose prices are set by the airlines, hotels and cruises, not by the agencies.
“If you find offers that seem too good to be true, you should be careful as they may be signs of fraud. Travel agencies cannot offer disproportionate discounts without this indicating possible financial problems or attempts at fraud,” warns Santelises.
Ensures that all Adavit members carry their permits and are reliable and professional agencies.
“To become a member, you need a recommendation from other members or from providers who have already worked with the agency in its seriousness and legality,” he said.
The organization invites clients to search for agencies with which they plan to do business and services on the website adavit.net, where they will find a list of certified Travel agencies.
It also encourages agencies interested in becoming part of this association to join together to work towards quality professionalization.
Finally, Adavit urges you to always verify that the agency you plan to Travel with is duly constituted and trustworthy.
