Dominican Republic Government and Check Safety First to Improve Hygiene Standards for Vacationers; Ministry of Tourism sponsors initiative to improve hygiene standards throughout 100 hotels, restaurants and excursions.

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- The Government of the Dominican Republic re-enforced its commitment to boost tourism by signing an agreement with travel health and safety experts Check Safety First (www.checksafetyfirst.com).

Check Safety First will work with the Ministry of Tourism to improve standards of hygiene across 100 small businesses including hotels, restaurants and excursions. Those involved will work toward achieving the Cristal Mark, Check Safety First's hygiene program developed in accordance with standards from the World Health Organization.

The participating venues will be given detailed, ongoing advice on the areas they must each address to remain compliant with the Cristal Mark, and will be subjected to ad-hoc inspections to ensure that standards are maintained at all times. To promote their success, the Ministry of Tourism will present establishments with a plaque and encourage them to proactively market their achievements to make tourists aware of the high standards of hygiene in place.

"The Dominican Republic has worked hard in recent years to overcome the poor reputation it developed for hygiene during the 1990s," commented Steve Tate, CEO at Check Safety First. "Many larger hotels and chains have responded by implementing comprehensive programs of hygiene management and we hope that this new Government initiative will allow other businesses to demonstrate their commitment and help to reverse this prevailing misconception."

About Check Safety First

Check Safety First is one of the world's leading independent food safety experts, offering hygiene training, ongoing assessment and appraisals to holiday resorts throughout the World in accordance with the Cristal Mark, a standard developed in accordance with the World Health Organization's guidelines and the benchmark for food safety since its launch in 1997.

The company's web site www.CheckSafetyFirst.com is the first site to provide the traveling public with access to a database of venues that have obtained the Cristal Mark for their efforts in food safety.

Check Safety First is a member of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's 'Know Before You Go' campaign.

Check Safety First's global network is headquartered at Manor House, Bank Street, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, NP16 5EL, UK. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Additional locations are in Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean.