SANTIAGO (Dominican Republic) – The tobacco and cigar industry will hold the third “Dominican Cigar Festival” from November 8 to 10, 2024 in Tamboril, the cigar capital of the world.
This three-day event brings together the entire tobacco production chain and thousands of cigar enthusiasts with a wide range of activities. The festival aims to promote tobacco culture, celebrate Dominican traditions and unite an economic sector that contributes greatly to the country’s growth and employment.
The Dominican Cigar Festival is a global exhibition for small and medium-sized tobacco and cigar producers. Held in Villa de los Samanes, the home of poet and cigar enthusiast Tomás Hernández Franco, the festival has become one of the most important annual events in the industry.
The festival is organized by the Dominican Cigar and Tobacco Association (Adocitab), which represents more than 80% of the country’s producers, and celebrates tobacco culture with the participation of various national and international companies.
Osvaldo Radames Rodríguez, president of Adsittab and CEO of Tabacalera el Artista, has been the driving force behind the festival for more than 40 years. He said the second edition was a “great success,” with full attendance and a significant increase in the visibility of the event, thanks in part to the support of President Luis Abinader Corona and his government delegation.
Rodriguez expressed his gratitude to President Abinader for his vital support of the festival, whose efforts have contributed greatly to the growth of the tobacco industry, including through the promotion of the San Juan Plan to expand the industry into the Southwest.
Dominica’s tobacco industry is the third largest exporter under the free trade zone system, accounting for 33% of the world market, and is a major supplier of cigarettes and cigars to the U.S. In recent years, the industry has generated annual revenues of over $1.3 billion and is a major employer in the free trade zone, with Tamborile boasting zero unemployment.
Following the first tournament in the summer of 2022, organisers decided that November, with favourable weather conditions, would be a suitable month to hold the event.
