Dominican Republic improves travel and tourism rating

Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic improved its travel and business rating in 2021, compared to 2019, its rating in the Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI), of the World Economic Forum.

It has advanced in key indicators such a business environment, priority for tourism, health, international openness, competitiveness and security, accumulating a general score of 3.8 out of 7, to move from position 72 to 69 in a list of 117 countries.

In the business environment indicator, the Dominican Republic rose from position 75 with 3.6 points, to position 63 with 3.8 points; in safety it fell from position 99 with 4.3 points to 84 with 4.9; and in competitiveness it fell 4 places (from 91 to 87) and increased its score from 4.3 to 4.5.

In international opening, the country improved 5 points going from position 59 to 54 and from 3.8 to 3.9 in a score where the maximum to win is 7.

Abinader talks tourism at Davos

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader arrived in Davos this Monday morning where he participated in the World Economic Forum being held in that Swiss city.

The president in a speech at the Forum discussed the Government’s actions to rethink and revitalize travel and tourism.

Along with President Abinader, Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez also participated; the Executive Director of the National Competitiveness Council, Peter Prazmowski and the country’s permanent representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO), José Sánchez.

Cap Cana is the largest luxury hotel destination in the Caribbean

Cap Cana registers a continuous growth as a luxury hotel destination in the Dominican Republic.

This was the opinion of tourism and construction businessman Fernando Hazoury, president of the Board of Directors of Cap Cana, regarding the recent announcement by Playa Hotels & Resorts of the entry of one of the most important international hotel groups, Marriott, to Sanctuary Cap Cana, with its brand The Luxury Collection.

The Luxury Collection is one of Marriott’s leading luxury brands, which comprises a collection of the world’s most iconic hotels that genuinely define their destinations.

He highlighted that since 2016 Cap Cana has given an opening to the development and growth of luxury hotels in the country since the first hotel of the AM Resorts chain, Secrets at Cap Cana was inaugurated until today, where high quality and all-inclusive proposals continue to be incorporated.

He pointed out that the North American market has a strong presence in this destination city, as is the case of the Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara, Margaritaville, and St. Regis hotels under construction, as well as the first Sports Illustrated Resort hotel in the world that will arrive in Cap Cana in the fall, which comes to complement with this great news the hotel offer of the city that also has the luxury boutique hotel Eden Roc Cap Cana, the only Relais & Chateaux in the country.

“This shows that Cap Cana, 20 years after being founded, has consolidated itself as the luxury hotel destination and as a country brand, contributing one more grain of sand to the solidification of the Dominican Republic’s leadership in the Caribbean,” said.

Confirmed: Aerolineas Argentinas will connect Punta Cana with Havana

It will use its Boeing 737 MAX 8 for this connection

They trust Link will complement their flights to Punta Cana

As arecoa.com had anticipated, Aerolineas Argentinas will return to Cuba with a stopover in Punta Cana (PUJ), starting next Monday, July 4, and will do so with its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft with a capacity for 170 passengers, as confirmed by this digital.

This newsroom had access to the airline’s final flight schedule, where it is confirmed that in addition to Mondays, the company will also operate on Thursdays and Fridays, these days it also offers links that allow travelers to return from Havana to the main tourist hub of Dominican Republic.

The new offer to the Caribbean is added to the current direct service between Punta Cana and Buenos Aires on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, an operation that Aerolineas Argentinas carries out through the Ezeiza International Airport  (EZE).

Regarding his return to Cuba, the CEO of Aerolineas Argentinas, Pablo Ceriani, had already indicated that “We have previous experience of having operated there, it is a flight highly requested by tour operators and travel agencies as there is a latent demand and we believe that It will complement the flight to Punta Cana very well. In addition, it is always great news to recover the destinations that were abandoned.”

Below is the program of the flights to Cuba of Aerolineas Argentinas.

Air traffic resumes at Puerto Plata airport

Air operations at the General Gregorio Luperón International Airport, located in the province of Puerto Plata, were resumed this Friday after ten days suspended due to runway maintenance.

The spokesman for Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (Aerodom), concessionaire of the administration of that terminal and five other airports, Luis José López, reported that air operations were resumed with the arrival of the first Jet Blue flight from New York.

The reception ceremony for the first flight was headed by the General Director of Aerodom, Dr. Monika Infante, and the company’s General Manager for the North Zone, Mr. Carlos Rodoli Conde, who said that the work concluded with the projected success.

They explained that the work to refurbish the runway had been planned for several months as part of the commitment that Aerodom has with the Dominican State to maintain the air terminals it manages in optimal conditions.

“As we had announced, that on May 20, air operations at the Gregorio Luperón airport would return to normal once the runway refurbishment work was completed,” said Mónika Infante and Carlos Rodoli.

They said that with the reconditioning, they seek to extend its useful life and offer better conditions for landing aircraft arriving from various places abroad and domestic flights.

“From today, May 20, we will keep the national and international flight schedules intact,” they said.

The reopening of national and international flights through the Gregorio Luperón Airport was also attended by the central government and municipal authorities of Puerto Plata.

The Dominican Republic’s excellent moment in tourism

Tourism is filling the Dominican Republic with good news in 2022. The success of the country’s participation in FITUR, the prominent role played in the main world cruise congress held in Miami at the end of April, and the recent recognition granted by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and received by President Luis Abinader and Minister David Collado in Santo Domingo are milestones that boost the Dominican destination as the place we look to for a vacation.

Statistics from the Ministry of Tourism indicate that, in the first four months of 2022, 2.2 million tourists have arrived in the country by air and almost 320,000 on cruise ships. Taking into account the Omicron times in which we have lived most of that time and the restrictions that this has brought with it, as well as the negative effect of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, both countries being of importance for the sector in the country, the figure could be valued as very positive. If this rhythm continues, and without new difficulties affecting it, one could think of 2022 in which the barrier of 5 million tourists would be surpassed again, this time by far, and, in that way, follow the path towards the record figure of almost 6.5 million that was received in 2019.

Another aspect linked to the sector is investment. Since the reopening of the economy began in the summer of 2020, the government of the Dominican Republic was clear that the recovery should be accompanied by growth in housing availability. According to data offered by Asonahores at the end of last year, in 2021, there were new investments in the sector for more than US$550 million. A year earlier, in the middle of the pandemic, they were even almost double, according to what was stated in a Bloomberg article that I was able to read a little less than two months ago. In the same article, the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, was mentioned to indicate that the plan is to achieve US$8 billion more in investments in the sector over the next three years. Undoubtedly, the efforts being made in the Miches area, but above all, the grand plan for Pedernales of the current government, successfully presented in the framework of FITUR in January, should be a key piece for these pretensions be fulfilled.

There is no doubt that the sector’s recovery as an engine of the national economy continues its upward trend, largely due to the country’s efforts to position itself in its issuing markets. First, it was necessary to tell them that the Dominican Republic is a safe place to vacation, and this has been done. It was necessary to show that the sector is consolidated and has more potential to grow, proving to be so. Finally, we had to sit down with the airlines to enable more routes and more flights, and connections were increased: 48 new routes, according to the Civil Aviation Board (JAC) reports.

And that is something that we must not only continue to do but multiply, both attract more tourists and generate those investments that allow the intentions of Minister Collado to be fulfilled. Punta Cana, Bavaro, Cap Cana, La Romana, Puerto Plata, Samana, and Las Terrenas… are destinations that are already working almost at total capacity. Sun and beach continue to be the asset that drives this very dynamic and hopeful moment that Dominican tourism is experiencing. But the pandemic has also served to put head to the need to work on plans to promote a real diversity so that the “it has it all” of the brand is completed with “I enjoyed it all”: the mountain sports and agrotourism in Constanza and Jarabacoa, the smell of cocoa from the farms of San Francisco, the art and culture of Santiago de los Caballeros, capital of a Cibao from which are exported, my Dominican friends tell me, the best cigars in the world, the hiking of spectacular natural landscapes of the national parks and, of course, the history of the Primada de America: the Colonial City. In addition to the merengue and bachata of a country that has also become, over the years, the gastronomic capital of the region by investing time and money in its culinary offerings.

The promotion must continue, and the diversity of the offer must grow. Above all, to attract new tourists, new investments, and more spending in each destination visited. Visibility continues to be a strong point of promotion. Suppose we add a good investment in strategy and tactics to increase the convertibility of those interested in coming but remain in a simple “seen,” without buying their air ticket. In that case, the almost 8.5% that tourism contributes to the national GDP according to the Central Bank -in the Bloomberg article, I read that the Ministry estimates that the real impact is around 30% for the ancillary services in which it has an impact- will grow and, with it, also the economy of the country in Latin America and the Caribbean that had one of the five best performances in 2021, with a growth of 12.3%. The Dominican Republic is going through an excellent moment in tourism, and the pace cannot and should not stop.

First Dominican airline with a WhatsApp sales channel

The RED Air company is the first Dominican airline to launch a sales channel through WhatsApp. The digital commerce platform Vtech will be in charge of offering this service to channel reservations, purchase tickets, and general information queries.

The platform quickly solves the most complex B2C and B2B scenarios and combines commerce, marketplace, and who in one place, responding to customers’ needs with a connected ecosystem.

“More and more customers are making their inquiries and purchases and channeling their reservations through digital channels. We are looking for this platform to facilitate this process and simplify it,” explains Astrid Pérez, Commercial Manager of RED Air.

The number enabled for this service is +1 (829) 213-1979; in the introduction phase, this channel will be available from Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, both in the United States and in the Dominican Republic.

“We seek to break down digital and physical barriers to offer seamless omnichannel experiences that help our potential customers want to meet us.”

The Dominican airline RED Air has two daily flights between Santo Domingo and Miami. With the company’s commercial expansion on July 15, it will increase one additional flight to Miami. It will come soon. In addition, incorporate regular short-haul flights to Costa Rica, Colombia, and Panama.

About RED Air

Dominican commercial aviation company with private capital, established in 2010, offers commercial and charter flight services, committed to quality standards, safety, and process efficiency with an Air Operator Certificate (AOC), which recognizes it internationally as a regular airline. Both by ICAO, IATA, and other multilateral organizations in the air transport sector.

With a vocation for service, it seeks to satisfy the requirements of its clients and contribute to the development of the airline industry and the Dominican economy, aligned with the central government’s policies for the sustainable development of core sectors such as air transport and tourism.

Public Works works to restore El Cangrejo bridge in Puerto Plata

The Ministry of Public Works reported this Friday that its brigades are working hard to ensure that by next week the passage of light vehicles over the Cangrejo bridge in Puerto Plata will be provisionally restored after one of its bridge support beams was broken.

The Deputy Minister of Supervision and Control, Roberto Herrer, explained that this bridge has already fulfilled its useful life because it is more than 50 years old.

Herrera also reported that by order of Minister Deligne Ascención, studies and designs are being worked on to construct a new structure. Still, while this is happening, the MOPC is working on finding a temporary solution to facilitate vehicular traffic there.

“The Cangrejo bridge is “fundamental” since it connects the entire route between Puerto Plata, Montellano, Gregorio Luperón airport, Sosúa, among other towns on the north coast, which is why we are enabling an alternate route through the Los Pérez sector that connects Montellano and Sosúa and surrounding areas.

Meanwhile, work is being done on expanding a speed bump on the road that has been arranged to divert vehicles to facilitate more fluid and faster traffic so that users are not affected.

He said that the MOPC aspires to be able to go through this alternate route next Tuesday, not as smoothly as desired, but it is the most expeditious solution at the moment.

It is recalled that the El Cangrejos bridge suspended traffic due to a displacement of a support beam that allowed a column to break, which represents a danger for those who travel along that road.

Since the weakening of the structure, teams from the Ministry of Public Works have been working to prepare the road while a solution to the bridge’s situation is sought.

Sky Cana to link Puerto Plata with Miami, Cuba and Puerto Rico

It will use its aircraft named “Go Puerto Plata,” an A320 Neo

Aerodom shows satisfaction with finalizing new flights

Sky Cana will honor the aircraft named ” Go, Puerto Plata, “an A320 Neo, by converting the Gregorio Luperón airport into a base airport after the remodeling in which it is located.

The information was made known to arecoa.com  by the CEO of the airline Frank Diaz, who also said that they would bring inspectors from Malta and Lithuania to certify the operations and convert the terminal into the base of Sky Cana.

He stated that they would be carrying out one or two daily frequencies with an average of 440 passengers per day.

He explained that “the intentions with Puerto Plata are more than a flight; is to move a part of our operations that originate in Miami. So it would be Miami-Puerto Plata, and they continue towards the Cuban destinations of Santiago, Camagüey, and Santa Clara.

Diaz explained that the airline plans to operate flights from San Juan, Puerto Rico-Puerto Plata.

“Currently, operations have not moved because the Gregorio Luperón airport is undergoing renovations and when the runway is ready, the processes and certifications to convert it into a base airport for us will begin,” he emphasized. 

Regarding the subject, the general director of Clúster Norte airports,  Carlos Rodoli, explained their interest in bringing Sky Cana’s operations to Puerto Plata because of what it means for the destination. Therefore, when it has already materialized, they are enthusiastic about the start of operations of the airline on June 1st.

“Finally, they could start operating, since it would be in May, but they decided to move it to June 1st, 2022 so as not to have to stop due to the issue of closing the runway due to remodeling,” he said.

He stated that “it is good news for the destination despite the fact that there are many connecting or transit flights, but there are many passengers who can stay in Puerto Plata.”

Rodoli indicated that from the company, headed by Frank Diaz, they are people who bet on destiny, so there is very good intention and very good vibes with the operation.

In addition, he said that the airline is planning other destinations that are not served from Puerto Plata.

The Dominican Republic will not charge Itbis for purchases by foreign tourists in the country

Applies to purchases of products over US$100

The initiative strengthens the competitiveness of the DR as a tourist destination.

The Senate of the Republic approved in the first reading last Tuesday, May 17, the bill on the refund of the Tax on the Transfer of Industrialized Goods and Services ( Itbis ) to foreign tourists, proposed by the senator for the province of El Seibo and vice president of the Senate, Santiago José Zorrilla.

The bill provides for the return of the Itbis to non-resident tourists in the country who make purchases of domestic or imported goods and establishes sanctions for those who falsify information to benefit from the regulations.

Likewise, it clarifies that the Itbis will be returned to tourists who make purchases of nationally produced or imported goods greater than 100 dollars.

For the approval of the initiative, in its study work, the Senate’s Permanent Commission on Finance listened to officials’ opinions from the Ministry of Finance and the General Directorate of Internal Taxes ( DGII ) on the bill.

Expedia: demand for travel to the Dominican Republic increases by 40%

Freddy Domínguez, Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean at Expedia Group, revealed that search demand for the region has increased across the board and shows a rebound in the market for the second quarter of the year.

During the first three months of 2022, searches for travel to the Dominican Republic grew 40% compared to the previous year for stays in the summer, with almost all the demand coming from international travelers, according to data from Expedia Group. Meanwhile, the year-on-year comparison of Caribbean searches shows a rebound in the second quarter with +150% growth in Punta Cana (+150%), followed by Cancun with +45%.

The United States continues to be the primary market (80%) seeking to travel to the Caribbean nation. At the same time, there is an increasing demand from other countries, especially Canada, due to the reduction in travel restrictions. The majority of these travelers (90%) are looking for 4-5 star accommodation, the same trend observed in 2021. In general, the average stay remains at seven nights.

During the presentation, Domínguez pointed out that today, people value travel and personal time more than ever, while flexible travel is considered the highest priority. Expedia Group’s Traveler Value Index study, conducted in November 2021 among 5,500 adults in eight countries, also showed that travelers focus on “wellness travel.”

Among the critical data of the investigation, it stands out that:

• The majority of people (81%) will frequently travel in the next six months. Short trips gain popularity (78%).

• 56% of those surveyed who usually work remotely will take a bleisure trip; that is, they will extend a work trip for leisure or vice versa.

• More than half (54%) of the participants will spend more on travel than before the pandemic.

• With 40% of travelers using loyalty points accumulated during the pandemic to help fund such trips, great deals and flexibility will continue to be top priorities.

“The impact on the industry that the pandemic has caused stops here. Expedia Group has emerged into this new world with new ways to address our industry’s most common challenges with data and technology that help our partners drive growth and efficiency,” said Dominguez.

“Meeting with travel partners in the Caribbean is key to driving our tourism recovery. We are thrilled to provide insights, inspiration and celebration at DATE 2022 and solidify our commitment to this important region,” he added.

The senior executive noted that travel companies must constantly adapt and renew themselves to remain competitive. In addition, partners must differentiate themselves from the competition in the new recovery environment and earn travelers’ loyalty. Also, he recommended making sure travelers can get a refund or credit if plans change, as flexibility remains a top priority for travelers. Likewise, offering various options and prices, introducing new offers for short trips, and integrating loyalty programs is relevant.

By sharing data and market insights with its trading partners in this critical Caribbean market, Expedia Group strengthens its support for the Dominican tourism industry by using data-driven technology to make its travel partners more effective, efficient, and resilient.

Santo Domingo and its Colonial City bet on cultural tourism

Punta Cana, DR

The Colonial City of Santo Domingo will bet on culture to strengthen its tourist offer with a series of actions that include the intervention of four museums in the area, the leading players in the tourism sector of the Dominican capital reported this Friday.

In addition to the museography work to reorganize the collections, an architectural readjustment of these museums will be carried out, housed in historical buildings that are critical pieces of the heritage of the primate city of America.

The general coordinator of the Tourist and Urban Development Program of the Colonial City, Amín Abel Santos, explained that the parts of the structures that need renovation would be rescued, and the space would be adapted to the museography with the idea of ​​introducing immersive experiences and reality virtual.

The Museum of the Ozama Fortress will be the first to be intervened, followed by the Museum of the Cathedral, the Alcázar de Colón, and the Museum of the Royal Houses. This building housed the first court of justice in America, a project in which It works together with the Ministry of Tourism, with financing from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

In addition, the rescue of the Ruins of San Francisco is planned, a project that had many conflicts in the past, “and now there is a new study process to decide what use can be given to it” and, meanwhile, “work is being done on provisional structures to stabilize the whole, since “every time there is a temporary phenomenon it deteriorates.”

Other works planned to revitalize the Colonial City of Santo Domingo will be the rehabilitation of various streets of this historic center with a Renaissance urban fabric so that they have “a pedestrian primacy,” thus improving the visitor’s experience.

The works, including the undergrounding of electricity and water services, will be carried out on five kilometers of streets and are scheduled to begin next September.

The renovation will positively affect the development of other activities and cultural attractions, such as the tours that visitors can take through a new GPS web application of the Colonial City of Santo Domingo.

This tool allows users to access audio content at various points of interest using the personalized and multilingual content management system, explained the Santo Domingo Tourism Cluster (CTSD) president, Mónika Infante.

The application “lets you know 25 attractions of the Colonial City of Santo Domingo” and that it is a free and unique service in the Dominican Republic, which has been one of the novelties that were presented during the DATE 2022 tourism fair, the main promotional event of the Dominican Republic as an international destination.

La Ceiba, the new 1,204-room hotel by Lopesan in Bávaro

The CEO of Lopesan spoke about the project in a meeting with Abinader and Collado

It will entail an investment of more than 233 million dollars

Lopesan Hotel Group plans to develop the “ La Ceiba ” hotel. Some 225 million euros (about 233.5 million dollars) will be invested as part of the second phase of the property in the Dominican Republic.

The new establishment will have 1,204 rooms, for 2,246 between the La Ceiba and Lopesan Costa Bávaro hotels.

“With the La Ceiba hotel, we concluded the development in Bávaro beach, since with it we completed the second stage of construction. Of course, you know the first one and it is the Lopesan Costa Bávaro, which has had an excellent reception by tour operators and the local public”, said the CEO of Lopesan Hotel Group, Francisco López.

In recent years, the Lopesan Group has invested over US$350 million in the country in the construction of the “Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa & Casino” hotel, which has 1,042 hotel rooms, generates 1,350 direct jobs and around three thousand indirect jobs.

The news came out during the meeting that Francisco López held with President Luis Abinader and Minister David Collado within the framework of the development of DATE 2022 to strengthen collaboration ties and, at the same time, discuss the Group’s new investments.

At the moment, it has not transpired when the construction of the new mega hotel will begin nor the estimated date for its inauguration.

Sky Cana schedules 30 flights between Cuba and Punta Cana in summer

The CEO of Sky Cana,  Frank Díaz, reported that by the summer of 2022 the airline will carry out a frequency every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for ten weeks, until completing 30 flights between Cuba and Punta Cana.

“They have asked us for frequency on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for the family reunion of Cubans who come to Punta Cana and Cuban nationals residing in the United States who come to reunite with their relatives who are unable to travel to the United States, they will use the Republic Dominican to make the reunion in the destination of the East, “he added.

He told arecoa.com that the 30 frequencies are processed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( Mirex ) through the DR Consulate in Cuba as part of the visa facilitation process to host a reunion in Punta Cana.

Although he did not mention the cost of each trip, Diaz recalled that the airline is characterized by offering an economical and adaptable solution.

It is recalled that the flights carried out by the airline are through the Dominican operator’s Sky High Aviation and Air Century, so they have the possibility of being able to offer a more significant number of destinations and also have aircraft of different sizes and passenger capacity, to be able to adapt better to the needs of each client.

Amber Highway on the road to development

Santo Domingo.- The development of the East of the country, based on the investments made in the different highways, especially the Punta Cana tourist boulevard and the Coral highway, has boosted the economy, strengthening the tourism brand and creating jobs.

“The vision of President Luis Abinader is to extrapolate this successful model to other forgotten areas, such as Puerto Plata, through the Ámbar Highway, the country’s first infrastructure PPP,“ Andres Vanderhorst told Listin Diario.

This highway, a 32.7-kilometer-long road that will connect the tourist province of Puerto Plata with the Santiago beltway in less than 25 minutes, will boost the already thriving international tourism in the “Bride of the Atlantic”, but also domestic tourism. , by connecting both cities, even surpassing the comfort and time with which Santo Domingo is currently connected to Boca Chica.

Recent information affirm that the country received 700 million dollars in April from tourism, led by the Bávaro-Punta Cana and La Romana-Bayahibe poles, followed further behind by Puerto Plata and Santiago. In a few words, this will come to improve the strategic infrastructure, it will promote the tourist poles of the north, generating thousands of direct and indirect jobs.

It is an investment of some 400 million dollars, but the return of which will mean even better numbers for tourism, in addition to trade and merchandise transport, thanks to the reduction in connection times between cities, and more expeditious access to the cruise port that is already being built in Puerto Plata.

Dominican Republic’s top tourism fair shows strength

Punta Cana.- The largest tourism fair in the Dominican Republic, (Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE 2022), was held in Punta Cana, where it brought together business leaders from various sectors, especially tourism.

This event had a pre-opening by the National Association of Hotels and Restaurants (Asonahores) at the Barceló Bávaro Palace hotel.

In the event, Rafael Blanco Tejera, president of the entity, assured that the Dominican Republic has received more than 2.2 million tourists in the first four months of the year with a projection of more than seven million by the end of 2022..

Dominican Republic plans to become the Caribbean’s leading aviation tourism powerhouse

The director of the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation ( IDAC ), Héctor Pórcella, stressed that the new protocol that will govern the operation of domestic flights would help make the Dominican Republic the main power of aviation tourism in the Caribbean.

“The new regulatory instrument, sponsored by President Luis Abinader and approved by the institutions with responsibility for the country’s air traffic, creates the conditions for the DR to compete advantageously for the large aviation tourism market, which annually moves between 45 thousand and 50 thousand planes throughout the Caribbean,” he declared.

He indicated that the sector institutions have created a work table and have agreed to define a protocol to encourage this vital tourist segment with high consumption power, attracting thousands of pilots from different parts of the world, especially from the United States. and Canada.

He said that to achieve said protocol, which makes it possible to eliminate the bureaucratic obstacles that hindered this activity, President Abinader played a key role as part of his commitment to “zero bureaucracy,” or at least the minimum necessary to guarantee operational security and compliance with the laws of the country.

Porcella recognized the efforts made by the director of the Airport Department, Víctor Pichardo, and the general commander of the Air Force of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Muñoz Noboa, to clear up bureaucratic difficulties and facilitate the implementation of the new protocol.

He explained that the Dominican air clubs had been involved in this task, which are the ones with the “know-how,” the knowledge of daily situations, and most of the complaints about the obstacles affecting this activity.

“It is good to remember that taking a plane, for example, at the La Isabela airport , to travel to Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, Barahona or Montecristi , is like taking a means of land transportation, only much faster and as safe as any other transportation,” he said.

He said that authorities and technicians from IDAC and other institutions in the aeronautical sector had attended international events such as the Lakeland fair and the Oshkosh fair, the largest air festival globally, to promote the country as a destination for private aviation.

JetBlue launches new flight between Boston and Puerto Plata

The Consulate General of the Dominican Republic in Boston, Massachusetts, represented by the consul general, Ramón Antonio Cruz, and the vice-consul Charge d’Affaires, Luis Gustavo Estrella, inaugurated the new Boston -Puerto Plata air route of the US airline JetBlue.

Both officials from the Dominican consular mission attended the General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport in Boston to formally open the JetBlue B6 785 flight bound for the Gregorio Luperón International Airport in Puerto Plata.

“On behalf of the government of the Dominican Republic , we thank JetBlue airlines for opening this flight to Puerto Plata, the bride of the Atlantic, because it will have a significant impact for the region at a tourist level,” said Ramón Cruz.

He also highlighted the importance of this air route for Dominicans residing in the New England region of the United States “because it allows them to enjoy yet another destination of our beautiful Quisqueya.”

On his side, Gustavo Estrella explained that it is a new route that has been achieved “through inter-institutional efforts, between the Civil Aviation Board ( JAC ) and its director, José Marte Piantini; the general secretary, Paola Pla, and thanks to the excellent business and investment climate that the management of our president Luis Abinader emits, and the efforts of this Consulate.”

He indicated that after 17 test flights, “today JetBlue officially decides to keep this important route, which will be moving an average of 1,300 passengers per month to this important destination, bringing the Dominican family and tourists closer, to boost the local economy further.”

He said that this momentous event was celebrated with great joy to the rhythm of merengue among passengers, JetBlue executives, and Consulate staff, all waving the Dominican flag.

Also present at the flight’s inauguration were Sandra Palmer, JetBlue’s General Manager of Airports Operations; Natalie Martínez, manager of Government Affairs of the airline; Raúl Cepeda, an official of the Dominican Consulate in Bosch, among others.

Dominican Republic is consolidated as the favorite long-distance destination of the French

“The tourism recovery is complete, and we are ready to continue.”

Tourism Minister David Collado stepped up his efforts to ensure that the French continue to choose the Dominican Republic as their favorite long-distance destination.

When presenting the benefits of the country at the Les Entreprises du Voyege Congress, which was held in Bávaro, from May 4 to 9, with the participation of more than 400 representatives of the French tourism industry, Minister Collado stated that the DR is an example in the recovery of tourism.

This event, where the leading representatives of the French tourism market participate and carry out their business rounds, was confirmed by Minister David Collado within the framework of the IFTM Top Resa 2021 fair, to be held in the Dominican Republic.

The official highlighted the efforts made by the government to overcome the challenges of the pandemic and guarantee the safety of tourists.

“Today the recovery of tourism is complete and this paradise is ready to continue receiving all those French people who have us as their favorite long-distance destination,” he said.

He reported that in April 2022, 24,839 French people were received, 1,500 more than in 2019, in pre-pandemic, which gives a clear signal of his preference for the Dominican Republic, ranking third as the issuing market.

“We are going to continue betting on this French market, and the fact that all the travel agencies are here, working and enjoying our country, is the greatest reason they can have for recommending the country, for which we are delighted.” to be in this activity,” indicated

He said that the Dominican Republic is a reference for the industry’s recovery without a chimney, which is recognized by the World Tourism Organization ( UNWTO ).

“Really, tourism in the Dominican Republic has fully recovered. Now we just have to move forward to strengthen the growth of an industry that has a human face,” said the official.

He assured us that historically France had supported tourism in the Dominican Republic since it is the third-largest issuer of tourists.

The UNWTO recognizes the Dominican Republic as number one in recovery

Santo Domingo, DR

President Luis Abinader and the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, received recognition granted by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) that positions the Dominican Republic as the number one country in tourism recovery.

During the activity and after receiving the distinction, the head of state explained that the income received by this sector reaches almost US$6,000 million with an exact figure of US$5,700 million and added that if the tourism sector did not recover, the economy.

“When we came to the Government, we saw that the economic growth of the industrial sector was beginning to recover, the free zone sector as well, among others, but not the tourism sector, and if we did not recover that sector, we would not recover the Dominican economy,” he said, referring to the challenges that the incidence of the coronavirus imposed on the tourism sector while others were being restored. He highlighted the thousands of jobs generated by the opening of new hotels to benefit hundreds of Dominicans who did not have a job or had lost it.

He also reiterated that they were “doing the right thing.” In contrast, others criticized the measures that the government implemented to guarantee visitors’ stay, such as Covid medical insurance for tourists and tests at airports, among others.

Minister
While David Collado said that even though the current war between Russia and Ukraine has threatened the sector, thousands of foreigners continue to visit the country, directly benefiting tourism.

“Today we can say that we recovered tourism and that we made history having lost 60 days ago about 60 thousand foreigners per month with the war between Russia and Ukraine, we recovered and had the best month of April in history, we reinvented ourselves,” said Collado, who added that they will continue to overcome all the adversities that come their way.

He pointed out that since September-December of last year, Dominican tourism has broken records in the arrival of foreign vacationers. “In December, in the midst of the omicron, we had a record arrival of some 726,000 foreigners. We had the best quarter in the history of tourism in the midst of the pandemic”, he emphasized.

He said that since his management, “efforts will continue to be spared to increase the recovery of tourism, a multiplier effect of the country’s social and economic well-being.”

The Secretary-General of the UNWTO, Zurab Pololikashvili, highlighted that the Dominican tourism model stands out for achieving the most successful recovery of the industry, reaching record figures in the arrival of tourists.

Strategies
In addition, Abinader said that the current government differs from the rest of the countries in the strategies for sustainable tourism.

He also added that they had started a new stage to continue developing and exploiting this sector in the long term.

In 2021, he said, the country’s economy will grow by 12.3 percent, the highest growth in Latin America among ten nations in the world. In addition, he detailed that there are about 200,000 more employees than in the pre-Covid.

In January, some 5,000 places were filled in different hotel chains of the pope.

INCOME
$5,700 million
The head of state explained that the income received by this sector reaches almost US$6,000 million with an exact figure of US$5,700 million.

Appreciation
The president affirmed that the appreciation of the Dominican peso is mainly due to the income generated by tourism in the country.

Stability
Abinader also indicated that the decrease in debt in relation to GDP last year, which went from 69% to 62%, is due to growth and tourism.