PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic (May 20, 2026) — Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence, the industry’s trusted bridge between cruise lines and destinations, has completed specialized training for Dominican Republic tour operator Xploratur to support the launch of “Xploratur Access,” a new division of accessible excursions designed for the cruise market.
The training session, titled “Excellence for All: Diversity and Inclusion in the Visitor Experience,” was held in Puerto Plata on April 30. Conducted by Aquila’s expert team, the session focused on equipping tour guides, drivers and office staff with the skills necessary to deliver high-quality inclusive experiences that meet the evolving expectations of today’s travelers.
“We applaud Xploratur for taking meaningful steps to develop accessible tourism experiences and for investing in its team to ensure excellence at every touchpoint,” said Ambra Attus, Director of Impact, Development, and Growth at Aquila. “This initiative reflects a clear commitment to raising service standards and advancing a more inclusive tourism landscape, strengthening the destination’s competitiveness on the global stage.”
The partnership highlights Aquila’s “people-first” philosophy, which maintains that infrastructure and marketing are only as strong as the people who bring destinations to life. During the hands-on session, participants utilized Aquila’s field-tested strategies to navigate real-world scenarios, covering topics such as:
- Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in tourism
- Effective communication with diverse visitors
- Real-time service adaptation and handling operational situations through an inclusive approach
By integrating these best practices, Xploratur draws inspiration from Aquila’s Living Lab approach to support ongoing enhancements to the guest experience.
“The development of accessible products allows us to offer a value proposition aligned with the expectations of cruise lines,” said Katty Valdez, Managing Director of Xploratur. “Along the way, we’ve learned that inclusion is not only about having the right equipment, but about how we make people feel in every interaction. Investing in our people is key.”
As the exclusive training partner of FCCA (Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association), Aquila continues to leverage over 35 years of real-world cruise operations experience to empower communities and elevate the global standing of destinations.
