The Dominican Republic just picked up a trio of golds at the 2026 Travel Weekly Magellan Awards, the travel industry's long-running mark of excellence in marketing, design and hospitality. Two went to the country's tourism ministry, and one to a beachfront resort with a very famous co-owner.
The winning campaign, "Subway to Paradise," was the Ministry of Tourism's play for the New York market — a smart target, since roughly a third of all Dominicans living abroad call the city home. Through December 2025 and January 2026, subway cars were wrapped in images of Dominican landscapes under the slogan "Dominicana smiles at you." The push had a dual purpose: pitch the Caribbean destination to general New Yorkers while deepening ties with the diaspora, many of whom travel back to the island regularly or send family and friends its way. Judges rewarded it in both the Live Marketing Program category and the Tourist Destinations – Marketing – Live Events category.
The third gold went to Zel Punta Cana in the Resort/All-inclusive Hotel category. The property is the first Caribbean hotel from Zel, the lifestyle brand created by Meliá Hotels International together with tennis champion Rafael Nadal. It opened with 190 nature-inspired rooms, including suites that open straight onto a pool — a detail that tends to matter when the Caribbean is on the other side of the door.
The Magellan Awards are judged by a panel of experienced tourism professionals against criteria set by Travel Weekly, so a gold nod is a reasonable signal of quality rather than pure PR. For travellers, it's a useful shortcut: an award-winning all-inclusive in Punta Cana and a destination actively investing in wooing US visitors, with direct flights from New York and other East Coast hubs making the trip easy. If you've been circling the Dominican Republic for a winter-sun break, both the country and this particular resort are having a moment.
