The United States lowers its travel alert for the Dominican Republic to level three

Santo Domingo, DR
The U.S. government reported that it lowered the alert level for travel to the Dominican Republic from level 4 to level 3, citing that the country has “a high level” of coronavirus.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a level 3 Travel Health Advisory for the Dominican Republic due to COVID-19, indicating a high level of COVID-19 in the country,” read part of the statement.

The document also urged U.S. citizens to reconsider the idea of moving to Dominican territory.

However, should they decide to proceed with their travel plans, they recommend consulting the U.S. embassy website, following CDC guidance; being aware of their surroundings; not physically resisting any attempt of robbery, and not showing signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.

Decrease

At the end of last January, the U.S. State Department issued a level 4 travel alert to the Dominican Republic due to the “incidence of coronavirus and citizen insecurity.”

Regarding the latter, they highlighted that crimes committed in the country are violent, such as armed robbery, homicides, and sexual assaults.

They also highlighted “the wide availability of weapons, the use, and trade of illicit drugs and a weak criminal justice system contribute to the high level of crime on a broader scale.”

Arajet will take off in May with Costa Rica, Colombia and Jamaica as the first destinations

It expects to transport about 7 million passengers a year

Arajet will begin operations in May from the Las Américas International Airport ( AILA ), with flights to Costa Rica, Colombia, Jamaica, and other Caribbean islands, with the plane named Pico Duarte. Starting in June, more aircraft will be incorporated and opening new destinations on the continent, and it is expected that flights to the United States will begin in the second half of the year.

Its directors indicated this at the launch of the new Dominican airline in an act at the AILA led by the president, Luis Abinader, where the president waved the Dominican flag from the plane and symbolically received the airline’s first air ticket.

The president affirmed that Arajet would be able to count on the support of the Dominican government since, through the new national airline, it will be possible to encourage new markets and multiply the arrival of tourists to the country, as well as the importance of Dominicans residing abroad they can come to see their relatives with low prices.

In this sense, Víctor Pacheco Méndez, president of the board of directors of Arajet, thanked the president for his support and that of the other authorities. “Without such support, it would be impossible to materialize the dream of having a national airline in the Dominican Republic that manages to connect the Dominican diaspora with the country with flights at low prices.”

Over the next five years, the airline will generate more than 4,000 jobs directly and about 40,000 indirectly and expects to transport about 7 million passengers a year, with a total of 43 air routes, of which 24 new ones are projected. routes that are not currently served in the market.

To meet that goal, Arajet and the Boeing Companyannounced that the new airline had ordered 20 737 MAX aircraft, specifically the high-capacity 737-8-200 model, to expand affordable travel options in the Americas. The airline also has options to purchase an additional 15 737 MAX jets that, along with existing lease agreements, could bring the airline’s new fuel-efficient fleet to 40 aircraft.

“Being allies of Boeing and hand in hand with investors such as Griffin and Bain Capital, gives us the guarantee of operational success that we need to be able to provide Dominicans with flights at affordable prices that connect the country with the main destinations of the American continent,” said Pacheco Méndez.

Meanwhile, Landon Loomis, vice president of Latin America and the Caribbean of The Boeing Company, said that “the 737 MAX is a perfect fit for Arajet, and it is an honor to welcome this new and exciting operator to the Boeing family.”

“Flying a dedicated fleet of 737 MAXs will allow Arajet to save on fuel, maintenance and operations costs, and pass those savings on to its customers,” he added.

On his side, the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, highlighted the extraordinary impact that Arajet will have to benefit tourism in the country.

Dominican Republic authorities had scrambled to save cruise ship(Update)

Port Authority director Jean Luis Rodriguez said the ship was docked for inspection.

Puerto Plata.- The Norwegian Escape cruise ship that had remained stranded last night in the bay of Puerto Plata, with nearly 5,000 people between passengers and crew, set sail without incident around midnight.

Vice Admiral Ramón Gustavo Betances, commander of the Navy of the Dominican Republic, when announcing the preliminary report of the incident, indicated that the winds registered in the Atlantic coast pushed the ship out of the channel.

As a strategy, the authorities released ballast from the bow. He said they used several tugboats to tow the boat to deep waters.

Apordom: “Everything is under control”

The Dominican Port Authority appointed a commission in permanent session to deal with the case.

Punta Cana Airport leads passenger flow with 52% of travelers in February

A total of 1,176,842 tourists were transported.

The president of the Civil Aviation Board ( JAC ), José Marte Piantini, reported that the Dominican Republic has had the busiest February for the fourth time in the country’s history and that the air operations carried out that month triple the amount of the same month but from the year 2021.

“The official statistics of the JAC corresponding to the second month of the current year show that a total of one million one hundred and seventy-six thousand eight hundred and forty-two (1,176,842) passengers were transported, in nine thousand twenty-eight (9,028) air operations,” he added.

He explained that “the country has registered record numbers in the increase of transported passengers, consolidating itself as a tourist destination in the region and gradually resuming the country’s air transport.”

He added that the Punta Cana Airport is the busiest in the country for the fifth consecutive month, with 609,481 passengers transported in February 2022; this figure represents 52% of the country’s total. In addition, it is the first time since June 2019 that this airport transports more than half of the country’s passengers.

He also indicated that the Cibao and La RomanaAirports set passenger records in February, and the Las Américas Airport ( AILA ) recorded its second-best February of all time.

Cruise ships bring 11,700 tourists to Puerto Plata in two days

Puerto Plata, DR

Some seven tourist boats brought around 11,700 foreign tourists to the Amber Cove and Taíno Bay ports of Puerto Plata, according to information provided by the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur).

In addition to the number of crew members traveling onboard these ocean liners, the total number of cruise passengers in the seven touches amounted to 18,667 visitors, according to figures provided to Mitur by both tourist ports.

At the Amber Cove terminal, on Wednesday of this week, the ships Nieuw Statendam with 1,082 passengers and 843 crew members and Regal Princess with 2,632 tourists and 1,217 crew members touched in the morning hours.

That same day, Taíno Bay received the Celebrity Millennium on its shores with 950 visitors on board with 772 service members, and minutes later, the modern and welcoming Seven Seas Splendor arrived with 552 passengers 553 crew members.

The next day, three more ships arrived at both ports; the immense Carnival Magic brought 3,653 tourists and 1,232 crew members coming through Amber Cove. In contrast, the MSC Seashore brought down 1,763 foreigners, and the Norwegian Dawn brought 1,068 cruise passengers on routes from Florida and other US coastal destinations.

POP CulturalFest

For her part, the provincial director of the Ministry of Tourism in Puerto Plata, Stephanie Kfouri, said that the arrival of these tourists “has been a new hope for Puerto Plata.”

He also stated that taking advantage of the time of the Puerto Plata carnival, thousands of visitors who arrive on cruise ships have danced with joy and lived closely the culture and traditions exhibited in the first version of POP Cultural Fest.

“This cultural and artistic project is organized by the Ministry of Tourism in alliance with the Tourism Cluster of the province, with the support of the Mayor’s Office, the Governor’s Office and the Directorate of Culture, carried out in the Plaza Independencia (Central Park) of the municipality San Felipe,” read part of the statement of the entity mentioned above.

Cultural Fest POP, which continues until March 20, serves as a stage for artists, painters, cultural groups, and carnival characters from Puerto Plata to show their creations, carried out with the aim of boosting tourism and active community integration.

350 Ukrainians who were stranded in the country leave for Poland

Santo Domingo, DR

Some 350 tourists from Ukraine stranded in the country after Russia invaded that nation, traveled last night on a humanitarian flight that left the José Francisco Peña Gómez International Airport of the Americas, bound for Warsaw-Poland.

The departure of foreigners occurs as part of the concrete actions announced last Friday by the Tourism Cabinet in support of the citizens of Ukraine.

These Ukrainian tourists had been stranded in the Dominican Republic for several weeks after Russia’s intervention in their country. The group left on a humanitarian flight of the airline TUI FLY.

The plane with the foreigners took off at 11:30 at night from the International Airport of the Americas, bound for Warsaw, Poland, with at least 350 residents, including women and children. The group’s departure was coordinated by the Tourism Office with tour operators and the airline by TUI FLY, with all costs covered by this company.

Last Thursday, March 3, 1,744 Ukrainian residents were still in the country, but during the period from March 4 to 6, 788 left, part of the first humanitarian flight carried out by the Air France company, last Friday, March 4. With this new TUI humanitarian flight, the final balance would be about 650 Ukrainian residents still in the country.

While 184 people have been transferred to Puerto Plata from Punta Cana and are located in 80 rooms at the Casa Marina Beach & Reef Hotel.

Uncertainty afflicts hoteliers more than the decline in Russian tourism

Punta Cana occupancy remains at 70%, according to Asoleste

Canada and South America generate great expectations

The effects of the war between Russia and Ukraineare already being felt strongly in the big economies and specifically in the tourism industry. But, for hoteliers in the Dominican Republic, the biggest concern beyond the drop in tourist arrivals from Russia and Ukraine is “what might happen.”

This is how the Association of Hotels and Tourist Projects of the East ( Asoleste ), Ernesto Veloz, understands it. The conflict between Ukraine and Russia was not expected to reach the magnitude of what has happened, causing a constant concern.

«The casualties of the European market will be felt because they are not having fun, but rather concerned about the situation of the war, like us (Dominican Republic), we are providing the greatest possible help to the Ukrainians and Russians in the country, but we continue to promote destiny,” he told Bloomberg Line.

He explained that they are working on promoting North American and South American markets since they pick up and start reservations.

«In this month that is beginning, we will see an increase in the reserves of Canada and South America. As long as the conflict doesn’t worsen and affect the rest of the world,” he added.

Veloz affirmed that despite the total cancellation of flights to the Dominican Republic from Russia and Ukraine in Punta Cana, the airport had had a minimum drop in flight arrivals the week before the conflict.

“Hotel occupancy in the Punta Cana area remains at 70%. So currently, we have nothing to resent; what we have is the fear of what may happen,» he stressed.

It is recalled that in 2021 the two countries together contributed 269,612 tourists to the country. In January 2022, 49,215 arrived from Russia and 13,749 from Ukraine, for 332,576 travelers from the two destinations in 13 months.

The number of visitors’ arrivals mentioned above will decrease as the violent events unfold, so the DR tourist authorities foresee compensation from other destinations such as Canada, Colombia, and Argentina. Although not in the same measure, these markets will supply the arrival of tourists to the Caribbean destination.

Air Century and Sky High: 17 weekly flights between Cuba and the Dominican Republic in March

The flight market between Cuba and the Dominican Republic is currently one of the most offered. Up to 17 weekly flights are available between Santo Domingo and various Cuban cities.

According to the official flight schedule released by the Cuban Airport and Airport Services Company ( ECASA ), two DR airlines: Air Century and Sky High, will operate the routes between the two nations in March.

The point of arrival on Dominican land is the Las Américas International Airport ( AILA ) in the capital Santo Domingo, while the destinations in Cuba are: Havana, Varadero, Camagüey, Santa Clara, Holguín, and Santiago de Cuba.

Flights between Cuba and DR by Air Century

• José Martí International Airport (Havana): Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday

• Juan Gualberto Gómez International Airport (Varadero): Every Monday

• Abel Santamaría International Airport (Santa Clara): Every Friday

• Ignacio Agramonte International Airport (Camagüey): Every Thursday

• Frank País International Airport (Holguín): Every Monday

• Antonio Maceo International Airport (Santiago de Cuba): Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday

Flights to Cuba from the DR operated by Sky High 

• José Martí International Airport (Havana): Monday and Friday

• Antonio Maceo International Airport (Santiago de Cuba): Tuesdays and Saturdays

• Frank País International Airport (Holguín): Thursdays and Sundays

Remember that Air Century and Sky High are low-cost airlines that minimize the price of their air tickets with luggage restrictions. The basic ticket includes a carry-on bag plus a personal item such as a handbag or a backpack. The customer must contact the service separately to add more bags in baggage in the plane’s hold.

The Sky High airline warns that “if the carry-on baggage exceeds the allowed dimensions, it will be sent to the hold of the plane as checked baggage. Applicable charges for excess luggage will be made.

It is recalled that the Dominican Republic requests a visa so that a passenger with a Cuban passport can enter its territory.

Dominican Republic could lose US$400 million due to drop in Russia and Ukraine tourism

Conflict also creates excellent uncertainty in world trade

The economic adviser to the Executive Branch, Pedro Silverio, stated that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is affecting the Dominican economy, which is affected by tourism and increases in fuel and grain prices.

He stated that last year 260,000 tourists arrived in the country from Russia and Ukraine, and everything was planned so that in 2022 the figure would double, but the outbreak of the war closed the markets, which may mean that the country stops receiving approximately US$400 million.

When interviewed by Pablo McKinney on his television program “McKinney” by Color Vision, he added that the conflict is creating great uncertainty in world trade since Russia participates in the sale of oil, gas, and finished products in Europe and the United States.

He considered that the sanctions imposed on Russia would be difficult to dismantle even after the military operation was over.

President Luis Abinader’s adviser also explained that in the face of the inflationary effects caused first by the pandemic and now by the war in Ukraine, the government is responding with a combination of monetary and fiscal policy.

“President Abinader’s commitment to macroeconomic stability is non-negotiable, and he is permanently working with his economic team. That is why the government makes decisions to protect the most vulnerable and take care of macroeconomic stability,” Silverio pointed out.

Covid numbers continue to tumble in Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo.- The Ministry of Public Health reported this Thursday 81 new cases of Covid-19 and notified two deaths.

Through bulletin #721, Public Health reported 974 active cases, with hospital occupancy at five percent.

Meanwhile, the daily positivity in the last 24 hours is 3.59 percent, while that of the last four weeks stands at 2.98 percent, and the case record is 576,301 and 571,538 patients recovered from the disease with 2,580,460 discarded.

Similarly, it establishes that to date a total of 4,374 people have died from the disease since the pandemic began, with a fatality rate of 0.76 percent and mortality per million inhabitants at 418.62.

Abinader off to Argentina for pacts, inaugural

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader will sign three agreements today with his counterpart from Argentina, Alberto Fernández, one of them regarding fuels, during his visit to two South American countries.

Abinader left the Dominican Republic yesterday for Argentina, to end up in Chile, where he will attend the inauguration of the president-elect, Gabriel Boric Font.

Before boarding the private plane that took him from San Isidro Airbase, the president revealed that in Argentina he would sign three agreements with President Alberto Fernández: one on hydrocarbons, one on health, which has to do with transplants, and one on growing grapes for wine production.

EU Ambassador praises Dominican Republic’s “generosity” to Ukrainian tourists

Before the announcement from the Dominican Government of a series of measures that guarantee lodging, food, local and international transport, and telecommunications to the Ukrainians who are stranded in the country as a result of the armed conflict that their nation is experiencing, the ambassador of the European Union in the Dominican Republic, Katja Afheldt, highlighted the generosity of the Dominican people.

“The generosity with which the Dominicans are receiving the Ukrainians who stay here, the tourists from Ukraine, seems to me to be typical of the Dominicans, who are a friendly, open and very generous people,” she said.

She also valued the statements of President Luis Abinader condemning the military invasion carried out by Vladimir Putin against Ukraine, pointing out that the Russian president’s actions show that he does not respect the identity of the Ukrainian people in all its aspects.

“We had thought that war was something that was not going to be repeated on our continent, but today we know that this is not the case because of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. I have been very impressed by President Abinader’s unequivocal statement rejecting the aggression, the war, completely useless, it is not justified by anything,” Afheldt said.

It is recalled that the Tourism Cabinet established concrete actions, in the short term, to manage the situation of Ukrainian residents who were tourists in the Dominican Republic at the time of the start of the armed conflict in said country.

In that sense, they located available rooms in Puerto Plata, where hotels will be applying a solidarity rate for 15 days to residents of Ukraine who are visiting the Dominican Republic, in the period from January 1 to March 2022, according to National Awakening.

The said rate would cover food and lodging expenses, which the Dominican Government will cover through the Ministry of Tourism ( Mitur ).

Expert predicts inflation will reach 13%

Santo Domingo, DR
In 2021, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the Dominican Republic reached its highest level since 2008, at 8.50%, and everything seems to indicate that this year it will surpass double digits.

According to estimates by economist Antonio Ciriaco Cruz, director of the School of Economics of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), by the end of 2022, inflation could be between 12% and 13%.

The expert makes these projections considering that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine will continue for at least four months.

The economist said that although it is difficult to make accurate predictions in a world full of uncertainty, this situation directly affects the Dominican Republic. He commented that this would undoubtedly alter the macroeconomic framework of the country.

He said that it would probably be necessary to make a complementary budget because, in the current one, the oil barrel is contemplated at US$62. In this sense, he explained that if, in the best-case scenario, the average price of oil is at US$90, the oil bill would increase by some US$2.4 billion in addition to the US$4 billion paid last year.

“The bill could reach US$7 billion. It is a difficult situation for countries like the Dominican Republic, which is a net importer of oil,” said the expert.

Russia-Ukraine clash stuns Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo.- The Russia-Ukraine conflict has a direct and immediate impact on the trade and tourism sectors in the Dominican Republic.

In the case of tourism, if the situation continues, the Caribbean country would stop receiving 22,467 tourists each month from Russia and Ukraine.

According to an analysis by the Export and Investment Center of the Dominican Republic (ProDominicana), shared at the request of Diario Libre, the country would lose US$33.7 million per month for tourism from those countries and, if the conflict extends for six months, it would be US$202.2 million.

Likewise, it estimates that the Dominican Republic would stop receiving US$1.12 million per day and in one week it would stop receiving US$8.02 million.

ProDominicana explains that, taking the results of 2021 as a pattern, it is observed that visits from Russia were 183,700 tourists and from Ukraine 85,912 visitors. In general, the visitors from the two nations were 269,612 tourists.

“We have considered an average expenditure of US$150 per tourist per night and an average stay of 10 nights for each tourist. With these values, it is estimated that the income generated by tourism from those countries for the year 2021 was US$404.4 million. 68.1% would be from Russia with US$275.5 million while 31.9% would be from Ukraine with US$128.85 million.”

Dominican Republic would stop receiving more than 50,000 Russian tourists monthly

Santo Domingo, DR

The Dominican Republic is heading for a loss of about 10% in tourist arrivals due to the tensions between Russia and Ukraine that have led to armed clashes.

According to the National Association of Hotels and Tourism (Asonahores) president, Rafael Blanco Tejera, Russia, provided some 50,000 tourists per month. 

Given the perceived drop in demand in this market due to the interruption of Russian flights, Blanco Tejera explained that public-private efforts are focused on supplying other needs.

In this sense, he maintained that efforts are “redoubled” to monopolize the Canadian market and that of Latin America and the rest of Europe to reduce the negative impact on tourism.

Punta Cana: 282 Ukrainian tourists leave on the first humanitarian flight

Prior to this flight, the number of Ukrainians stranded in the DR was estimated at 3,000

The first humanitarian flight for the transfer of Ukrainian tourists stranded in vacation areas of the Dominican Republic before the Russian invasion, departed on the night of Friday the 4th from the Punta Cana International Airport, with 282 Ukrainians on board.

The information was confirmed by Carlos Manuel Mesa, assistant and adviser to the honorary consul of  Ukraine in the Dominican Republic, Ilona Oleksandrivna.

According to Mesa, part of the donations received for Ukrainian citizens were sent on the same flight, including canned goods, personal hygiene items, water, clothing, disposable diapers, and children’s toys.

In addition to the hotels, he said that some Ukrainians are on the farm owned by ex-player Tony -Cabeza- Fernández and, in Santo Domingo, the Association of Pastors and Evangelical Churches offered accommodation, according to Diario Libre.

Before the flight, it was estimated that some 3,000 Ukrainian citizens were vacationing in the tourist resort of Bávaro and Punta Cana, in the east of the Dominican Republic, when the war with Russia broke out.

The advisor praised the measure adopted by the Tourism Office to provide lodging in Puerto Plata to Ukrainian citizens who had already expired the 48-hour period that they had received as an extension to their original lodging in Punta Cana.

“This came as an incentive to the whole problem because they are going to receive accommodation under a humanitarian rate of US$15.00 per person and the Government is going to assume all of that and we welcome that measure and that is going to be for a period of 15 days,” Mesa said. After 15 days, Ukrainian citizens who remain in the country will be transferred to the Olympic Village as a final alternative.

“They are not going to return to their country of origin because right now the armed conflict does not allow it. They are going to countries in Europe that are receiving them, such as Poland and countries that are on the border,” he added.

North Coast animal guardian angels continue their labor of love

Dogs and Cats of the Dominican Republic is a nonprofit organization dedicated to animal welfare on the north coast.

We have spayed, and neutered thousands of animals provided outreach care and emergency medical treatment. We have rescued thousands of cats and dogs and rehomed them to the United States, Canada and some have found new homes here in the Dominican Republic.

We have a mobile clinic that enables us to deliver our services to other locations, provided we receive funds or donations for that type of campaign.

We often work with volunteers from World Vets and other organizations. Even though various prestigious businesses support our work, we still need a steady source of income to continue our efforts.

Our Sanctuary, specifically designed to hold cats and dogs, has been established in Luperon, housing approximately 100 dogs. We also have sanctuaries in Las Terrenas and also Punta Cana.

Also, our members foster many more in their own houses.

Our outreach program aids animals within poor communities, providing vitamins, deworming, and other needs. In some cases, we find animals with tumors or mutilations, and we take them to the local veterinary clinic and pay for the procedures.

Ethical Education on the Treatment of Animals Program was designed to bring appropriate education to public school children ages 8 to 14; it was started in 2018 and will continue with the support and help from donors and volunteers.

Anyone visiting the area of Cabarete, Sosua, and Sabaneta will be witness to the results of our work and other north coast animal groups.

We are looking for more companies and individuals to sponsor our educational program and mobile clinic to reach the national territory with our spay and neuter program.

We have established fundraising events that are becoming tourist destinations on their own such as our annual Tom Whitehead, Bent Putter Classic Golf Tournament, held in Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata; more information can be found on our webpage, dogsandcatsdr.com

Overpopulation of stray animals is a huge social problem that, if it is not treated or dealt with, affects the environment, public health, and the tourist industry.

Therefore we are appealing to businesses and individuals to help us with this situation. We believe that spaying and neutering with education are the answers to resolve the overpopulation problem and the resulting animal cruelty permanently.

We are looking forward to extending our work all over our country, especially in the parts where our work is little known. With your help, we can achieve this goal.

The next clinic will be next Sunday, March 13th, at The Singing Horse Foundation (near Sosua) and March 27th at The DREAM Project School in Cabarete. The clinic is for stray and locally owned animals. If someone is in need, they need to e-mail help@dcdr.org to be added to a waiting list for a clinic spot. For all animals, please designate dog or cat and male or female if possible.

Sincerely,

Marcos Polanco

and Mark Diekmann, president/founder

Punta Cana: Among the top 10 most sought-after tourist destinations in Latin America

Forbes Central America

The opening of international borders added to a lower number of cases of COVID-19 infections. In addition, the growing desire for adventure has caused many people to reconnect with joy and entertainment during their vacations in different tourist destinations, highlighting Punta Cana.

Whether on exotic beaches, enigmatic natural areas, or beautiful colonial cities or capitals inside or outside their countries, Latin Americans want to experience new experiences.

According to Despegar, the travel platform, in 2021, the most outstanding tourist passes were: tickets for Disney and Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, followed by the New York City Pass. While in excursions he was led by Chichen Itzá, Yucatán, navigation in Isla Mujeres, Cancún; as well as the City Tour in Rio de Janeiro, the Route of the 7 Lakes in Bariloche, and the tickets to Iguazú Falls, both in Argentina.

If it refers to specific tourist destinations, in the Top 10 of the ranking prepared by this firm, the following proposals are located:

1. 1) Cancun – Mexico

2. 2) Punta Cana – Dominican Republic

3. 3) Miami-United States

4. 4) New York – United States

5. 5) Rio de Janeiro – Brazil

6. 6) Bariloche-Argentina

7. 7) Cartagena-Colombia

8. 8) San Andres – Colombia

9. 9) Salvador de Bahia – Brazil

10. 10) Florianopolis – Brazil

“Beach destinations were the most demanded by travelers,” said Alejandro Calligaris, Country Manager of Grupo Despegar Mexico, in a statement. He added that the first four places on this list reference Latin America, while the remaining six have greater weight in their own countries.

In all cases, these tourist destinations receive many international travelers, who arrive attracted by their beautiful landscapes, excellent cuisine, and captivating proposals in the destination.

The Dominican government guarantees Ukrainian accommodation, food and transport

The Government announced yesterday that it would cover the accommodation costs of Ukrainian tourists stranded in the country due to the armed conflict that their nation is undergoing with Russia.

A communication states that during a meeting of the Cabinet of Tourism, measures were taken to guarantee lodging, food, local and international transport and telecommunications to the citizens of Ukraine.

“As a result of the effort, rooms were placed in hotels in Puerto Plata, which will apply a solidarity fee for 15 days to residents in Ukraine visiting the Dominican Republic from the first of January until the end of this month,” the document states.

Tourism will cover costs.

According to the text, the cost of food and lodging will be covered in full by the Dominican Government, through the Ministry of Tourism.

It also points out that ‘tourists who are in other hotels, who for several days collaborate with their stay, will be transferred, from their current location, to the hotels identified in the Puerto Plata area, including total transportation costs.

The Government reported that after the 15 days, tourists who have not been able to leave the Dominican Republic will be transferred to the Olympic Village and other shelters, where they will have lodging and food, through the economic canteens.

As part of the measures, the communication notes, they also agreed that Ukrainians who have loved ones or other means of accommodation available abroad, the TUI airline promised to coordinate and cover the costs of humanitarian flights to make transfers to countries closer to Ukraine.

Collection Center

The Ukrainian consulate set up a collection centre to receive aid and send it on humanitarian flights.

Extension permission

The Tourism Cabinet reported that Migration will extend the validity of the tourist card for 30 days, at no cost.

Does not apply to residents

The authorities stressed that those who reside here, with a regularized status or not, do not apply and that they must follow the procedures established in the laws.

Puerto Plata Cable Car is back in service

Santo Domingo-.  The Puerto Plata Cable Car is back in service after 10 months inoperative, as a result of a failure in a pulley.

Members of the board of trustees and the general manager of the cable car, Carlos Atahualpa Paulino, received from the representative of the Colombian company Inteckno, Gustavo Mejía, the international certification that guarantees compliance with international requirements, tour operators and the general public.

“María Amelia Finke, representing the board of trustees; Senator Ginette Bournigal and Governor Claritza Rochette expressed their satisfaction at working on the reopening with the other members of the board of trustees.”