Dominican Republic tackled broad issues in the US

Santo Domingo.- At a Summit of the Americas in which there were absences due to exclusion and decision, the Dominican Republic maintained a broad agenda focused on issues of security, investment and balance of positive post-pandemic results in which it strengthened ties with the United States, host of the meeting, with a lack of signature in a section of the final declaration and a diplomatic disagreement with Haiti.

“We applaud the participation of the Pdte. of the Dom. Rep., @luisabinader, along with heads of state from various countries in the region at the #IXCumbreDeLasAméricas, led by Pte. of the USA, Joe Biden and the vice-president. of the USA, Kamala Harris”, the Embassy of the United States in the Dominican Republic published on its official Twitter account last Friday, the day the Dominican president addressed the plenary session of the Summit, held in Los Angeles.

In his speech, Luis Abinader presented the achievements in the fight against drug trafficking and corruption, institutionality, and economic recovery after the most critical stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He raised however the need for support in the face of the crisis generated for the war between Russia and Ukraine, in addition to the repeated call for the international community to attend to the situation in Haiti.

Dominican Republic: Leader in golf courses

The best golfers, in both branches, have participated in the highest levels of tournaments of this modality in the various golf courses and have praised the facilities of the DR

The Dominican Republic, today, is the main bastion for the construction of the best golf courses in Latin America and the Caribbean, which has filled the country’s golfing family with pride.

In recent decades, majestic golf courses have been built in different regions of the country, which have been in charge by the most famous developers in the business. The Dominican Republic is the leading destination, without question, for golf in the tropics.

Relevant data
At least seven of the country’s golf courses have appeared on more than one occasion in the Top 50 of Golf Week magazine in the Caribbean and Mexico, including Punta Espada in the Top 10, Los Corales, where the PGA was held Tour 2018, and Teeth of the Dog, in Casa de Campo.

From La Romana to Punta Cana, Juan Dolio, and Puerto Plata, the Dominican golf courses have 86 holes with ocean views and 39 on the shore.

These courses offer the possibility of enjoying a tee time by the sea, or along with leafy inland courses.

Designers love the DR

Love for golfDesigned by the most acclaimed golf course architects, including Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Sr., Gary Player, Tom Fazio, Nick Price and Greg Norman, they have put all their ingenuity and great finesse have built world-class golf courses.

Dominican Republic megaproject smacks of room glut

Santo Domingo.- The tender opened this week to contract the soil studies to build nine hotels in Cabo Rojo, Pedernales, includes analyzes to determine the feasibility of buildings of up to six levels, as opposed to the traditional four maximum in the destination Bávaro -Punta Cana.

The specifications indicate that the proponent must carry out geotechnical studies and pavement design for the construction of seven lots of nine hotels from one to six levels, with between 300 and 750 rooms each.

In the first batch alone, three hotels with 500 rooms each are planned to be built in an area of 709,131 square meters.

The deadlines for the maximum execution time and delivery of the final report for the lots range from 90 to 165 days.

Red Air increases its operations between Santo Domingo and Miami: it will offer three daily flights

Starting July 25

 

Red Air reported that it will operate three daily flights on the Santo Domingo – Miami route as of July 25, having a total of 21 weekly flights to the aforementioned city of the sun.

Astrid Pérez, commercial manager of Red Air, said that the new operation will be flight L53993 that will depart from Las Américas International Airport ( AILA ) at 5:00 in the afternoon to arrive in Miami at 7:30 at night.

“When making a comparison of the data on the number of passengers who flew from Santo Domingo to Miami, in the first quarter of 2022 and 2021, there has been an increase of 78%. If we take into account the nationalities, the Dominican has a 57.4% relevance of the total amount, followed by the American,” she added.

He explained that “its shareholders, a group of businessmen with extensive experience in the civil aviation and airport services sector, are committed to the aeronautical sector, its development and contribution to the economy and, above all, to the creation of value as a country brand.”

It is recalled that as a new Dominican airline, the company has competitive quality parameters. For this reason, in tourist class, in addition to an 8-kilo cabin suitcase, it allows the passenger a hold baggage of 32.

“We want to achieve objectives in phases, but focusing on the human quality of a close staff, close and above all, with a vocation to serve. A total of 97 collaborators between crew and administrative and operational personnel to meet the needs of the passenger.” Pérez pointed out.

RED Air’s main markets are the United States, Central America, the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe. The growth plan has started in Miami with two daily frequencies, with four own aircraft models Mcdonell Douglas Series (MD-82 and 83).

In a second phase, operations are planned to cities in Central and South America, as well as to cities with high traffic of Dominican nationals such as South Florida. In a third phase, long-range flights are planned to cities in the Southern Cone as well as to Europe.

According to the growth phases of the company, the acquisition of medium-range aircraft (B-737-400, 700 and 800) and long-range aircraft (B-767, Air Bus 330) is planned. The path is solid and safe when done slowly. The important thing is that we have all recovered, the illusion of flying again.

Dominican 1.2K coastline beckons boating tourism

Santo Domingo.- Over the years, more people are inclined to do tourism aboard boats to enjoy the adventure of traveling in the waters of the Caribbean Sea.

The Dominican Republic, with some 1,288 kilometers of coastline, and its adjacent islands, rivers and reservoirs, is a recreational paradise for nautical tourism, but it requires investment and promotion to exploit this tourism branch.

The country does not have a tourist history of nautical life, however, its coasts occupy a “privileged” place within the Caribbean archipelago and, being part of the Greater Antilles, it enjoys an extensive geography endowed with beautiful landscapes that favor it to position itself as country brand in that tourist region.

For the Dominican-Italian Chamber of Commerce (CCDI), which has a delegation of experts in nautical matters, the country has made significant contributions to the Dominican economy with the creation of quality jobs and the traffic of tourists who make Stop at Dominican hotels to get to know the country

Hodelpa builds new tourist residential project in Playa Dorada


 The hotel chain expands its offer in Puerto Plata.

 Launch package combined with Ocean World water park

The Hodelpa Hotels chain presented its new tourist real estate project, “Xanadú Resort & Residences by Hodelpa,” which will be apartments and duplexes integrated into nature and the environment, located in Playa Dorada in Puerto Plata, on the beachfront.

Jessica Aja offered the information marketing director of the Hodelpa chain, who explained that the Xanadú Resort & Residences by Hodelpa project will be ready by March 2023.

He highlighted the facilities of the project, where the different types of apartments stand out, and “their proximity to airports, theme parks, city center and cruise port,” according to a statement from the chain.

The project will have unique features within a complex such as four main pools and seven private pools in exclusive buildings, more than 300 meters of beach, bar, gardens, café, gym, and event hall, among other facilities, he said.

Jessica Aja also highlighted the novelties and promotions that the Emotions by Hodelpa Puerto Plata brand would have in the Playa Dorada complex, which will offer three days and two nights, combining these offers with an experience in the Ocean World water park.

The board offered the information during a breakfast for travel agents and tour operators at the last Expoturismo 2022 fair, the main activity to promote travel and tourism in the country’s northern region, held at the Convention Center of the Hodelpa Gran Almirante hotel.

During the activity, the preferential rates for the summer were presented, and the facilities that guests will have in rooms, especially in the “Deluxe Family,” with its various capacities now available for summer 2022.

Dominican Republic among few to grow in 2022: World Bank

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic is one of the few countries in Latin America and the Caribbean for which the World Bank did not change -nor did it decrease, as it did for almost two dozen nations- its growth projection for this 2022, in its most recent “World Economic Outlook” report.

The multilateral organization maintains the country’s growth projection at 5.0% for this 2022 and also for next year, as indicated in a similar report published in January of this year.

However, it projects a drop of -0.4% for the Haitian economy in 2022, of which it did not indicate any growth in its report in January.

Abinader gets North Region industries kudos

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader was recognized by the seven private institutions that make up “Compromiso Santiago” for promoting the economic development of Santiago and the Cibao region through a public policy plan.

This recognition highlights the president’s support in the design, formulation and transparent monitoring of projects to be implemented in coherence with the Santiago Strategic Agenda, the Regional Development Agenda, the Plan for the Relaunch of the Tobacco Industry and the Plan for the Relaunch of Free Zones, both coordinated by the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Mipymes, Víctor -Ito- Bisonó.

When presenting the recognition to the president, the businessmen from the area who were present highlighted the plans and progress in public investments launched by the government for the 2021-2025 period, which had been announced by the president at Expocibao 2021.

Dominican boom: US$34.3B for 9,026 hotel rooms

Santo Domingo.- In the next four years the tourism sector in the Dominican Republic will be receiving investments of approximately US$34.3 billion in mixed, hotel and real estate projects, contributing about 9,026 rooms to the Dominican market.

“A fundamental indicator to see investment in the future is what happens today with those who put their money in the Dominican Republic, such as hoteliers and all those who invest in some infrastructure such as water parks and other real estate investments,” said Jacqueline Mora, Technical Vice Minister of Tourism.

She said so far this year they already have nearly 2,000 rooms between real estate and hotel companies.

“Important projects such as Downtown Punta Cana, in its second stage that has already started, and with this, investment projections of some 34,3 billion dollars in the next four, five, seven years, depending on how the Downtown Punta Cana project goes.”

Palo Blanco, Puerto Plata road repair requested

Puerto Plata – The producers and locals of Palo Blanco, in the municipality of Yasica, are crying out for the authorities to fulfill their promise to asphalt the road that allows access to the community since it is impassable.

They add that due to the road’s poor condition, it is difficult for them to get the agricultural products (yautia, yucca, cacao, coffee, among others) that they grow in the area, which are sold to feed their families.

“This is a production site, what we don’t have the road enabled,” said one of the residents, who also expressed that “if the asphalt can’t be thrown away, that at least they burn it and make a good whitewash.”

“This road is useless, the vehicles have to be four by four, and when it is raining, they don’t even work. So here we live on livestock.

They indicated that if a person gets sick before getting to the nearest doctor, “they easily die.”

They said they hoped that the authorities, especially President Luis Abinader, would come to their aid.

Rainieri: “Everyone talks about the Dominican Republic as an example in tourism”

 Sees good expectations in Latin America for investment

He expressed satisfaction with hosting the first edition of the forum outside Of Spain

 

 

The founder of the Puntacana Group, Frank Rainieri, considered that “the Dominican Republic is at its best,” valuing the Government’s efforts to recover tourism after the global pandemic and the confidence it gained in the investment climate.

He said that these effects are reflected in the fact that everyone is talking and is looking at our country as an example, thanks to the joint work done by the Government and the support of entrepreneurs.

“It is useful and important what is happening, with the country, the way the pandemic was handled, the announcement by North Americans that companies must move from Asia to Latin America is a good indication,” he said.

The visionary businessman considered that in the process that is lived, it is important that the Government understands the private sector, pointing out that sometimes “there are people who do not understand that the private sector, can not go at the low speed that the Government is going,” he said.

He warned that when the issue of the war between Russia and Ukraine is removed, more interesting things will come because of what he advocated for the end of the conflict, which will bring out new benefits and advantages that can be exploited for the country.

Rainieri spoke during the opening of the V Ibero-American Congress (CEAPI), which for the first time is held outside of Spain, and which the business group is hosting at the Punta Cana Resort and Club, and which brings together 190 presidents of companies and families of leading companies fromSpain, Portugal, Venezuela, Mexico, and Latin American countries.

The tourism entrepreneur said he is grateful to God for the opportunity to serve tourism, promote jobs, and contribute from the sector to the economy and development of the country, according to Listín Diario.

“I really feel like a server. Full of satisfaction, because when you turn thousands of people who are living decently, who have a future, who have their children, health, it does not matter that some complain, since those who don’t complain are not Dominican. But there has been a change and results in the improvement of many people and that brings satisfaction,” he said in response to his role in the sector.

Air Century will connect Santo Domingo with Colombia and Jamaica

As of August 4, it will fly to Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Kingston

Reaffirms its commitment to promoting the DR as a destination

 

 

Air Century celebrated, together with collaborators, authorities, and personalities of national life, the 30th anniversary of its foundation; in an act attended by the Vice President of the Republic, Raquel Peña, the airline announced new flights to cities in Colombia and Jamaican.

The airline announced the start of flights to Barranquilla and Cartagena in Colombia, starting on August 4. Direct services, along with Kingston, Jamaica, and seven more destinations that will soon be added to the route network, confirm Air Century’s commitment to promoting the Dominican Republic as a destination and strengthening the country’s connectivity with the Caribbean.

During his speech, the founder and CEO of the airline, Omar Chahin Lama, spoke about the company’s beginnings and thanked all the people who have been an important part of its history.

“It is an honor for me to be the captain of this ship that reaches its 30 years of uninterrupted trajectory. A dream that began more than fifty years ago, when I saw some remote-controlled planes fly over me on the school playground, giving wings to the imaginary adventures of that child, who, in 1992, would start this journey that today celebrates its first 30 years with great dedication, passion, dedication and tenacity,” he said.

“I am proud to say that in this 30-year history, our company has managed to demonstrate, not only in plans, but in fact, its ability to materialize as many projects as it has proposed, backed by national and foreign accreditations, such as those granted by the aeronautical and transportation authorities of the United States of America, Mexico, the European Union, the Caribbean islands, among others, having managed to achieve successful operations both on-demand and on a regular basis, which, thanks to the aforementioned certificates , we can replicate on a full scale to any destination in the world,” said Omar Chahin,

In addition to the honorable vice president, the event, held in the Garden Tent of the Hotel El Embajador, was attended by representatives of the Civil Aviation Board (JAC), the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), the Specialized Corps in Airport Security and Civil Aviation. (Cesac), among others.

Likewise, airline executives, family members, frequent customers, collaborators, travel agencies, special guests, and press members attended.

Tourism breaks record again in May with visitor arrivals

Almost 3 million visited the country in five months, and 561,323 in May.

 

Dominican tourism continues to strengthen its recovery process and reaches record figures with the arrival of almost three million visitors in the first five months of the year.

The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, announced this Wednesday that the arrival barrier was broken again with the visit of 561,323 tourists in May.

“That means that we registered a growth of 11 percent above May 2018, six more than in 2019, and we exceeded May last year with 44%,” said the official in his traditional monthly press conference where he disclosed the behavior results of the sector.

He stated that the recovery and growth of tourism are such that the country received the arrival of 6,459,738 non-resident visitors in the last twelve months.

In May, he reported that the historic arrival of 561,323 non-residents was reached.

“Of that arrival in the month of May, 453,371 were foreigners, which represents two percent more than in 2019 and four percent more than the same month in 2018,” Minister Collado reported.

The month of May also registered a growth in the arrival of cruise passengers, reaching the figure of 82,199, three percent more than the same month of 2019.

Detail of the arrival of tourists

71% of non-residents come from North America and the Caribbean, and 16% from Europe.

62% of the month’s visitors were 18 and 49 years old. Seen by segment, 27% of foreign tourists were adventurers, 29% were adults, 27% were families, and 17% were seniors. Six out of 10 tourists stayed in hotels.

With average stays of 9 nights, the estimated foreign exchange generation derived from tourist spending amounts to US $640 million.

60% of the influx of visitors this month entered through the Punta Cana airport, 24% through Las Américas, 13% from Santiago, 2% through Puerto Plata, and 1% through the airports of La Romana and Samaná.

Air space

Preliminary estimates from the Ministry of Tourism suggest that the total incoming commercial flights to the Dominican Republic in May 2022 was 4,675 flights, with an occupancy of 80% on more than 200 routes, which connected us with 128 cities through 125 different airlines.

In May 2022, the occupancy rate of hotel rooms rose 68%, representing an improvement of 19 percentage points compared to May 2021.

The guests were 86% of foreign origin. There was an improvement in occupancy in most tourist areas compared to 2021, highlighting the areas of Bayahibe – La Romana and Bávaro – Punta Cana, where both areas had gains of more than 20 percentage points compared to 2021.

Other areas such as Greater Santo Domingo and Santiago had growth of less than ten percentage points. The Romana – Bayahibe area had the highest occupancy growth, with 83% occupancy in 2022 and 55% in 2021.

Sea ​​arrivals

Considering the crew and cabotage, the arrivals by sea to the Dominican Republic in May 2022 were 82,199 passengers in 32 operations through 19 cruises (from 10 different cruise lines) and 13 ferries. Maritime operations were distributed in Amber Cove (31%), Taíno Bay (25%), La Romana (3%), and the rest in Santo Domingo (40%).

2022 estimates

Reservations to travel to the Dominican Republic during the summer are 13.5% higher than those made in the same period in 2019. Likewise, reservations for the end of the year are 57.5% higher than reservations made in the same period in the year 2019.

During the full year 2022, the arrival of more than 7 million non-residents is expected, the highest value of a year in the history of Dominican tourism.

Dominican companies to build biggest power plant for US$1.7B

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Government announced the winners of the tender for a natural gas power plant to be built in Manzanillo, province of Montecristi (northwest), which will cost some US$1.7 billion.

During a press conference held in the National Palace, the Haina Investment Corporation was appointed for the construction of block 1 of the work, which consists of one of the 400-megawatt natural gas-fired plants and the terminal of natural gas.

That would be the second facility of this nature in the country, and the first in the north.

Block two, which has the second 400-megawatt natural gas plant, was assigned to the Manzanillo Energy consortium.

Dominican Republic prefers a come-all Summit

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader favors that the countries that have not been invited by the United States to the Summit of the Americas, because they have regimes considered non-democratic, can participate.

The president said that he respects the position of the United States, but noted that in the current context of openness and a global crisis, given the desire of other countries to attend the conclave to talk about what unites them and put aside what disunites, he would be happier to be present if they participate.

“We would also be more than happy to attend,” said the president. The US has said that Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua will not be invited.

Government will tender Ámbar highway and a cruise port in Samaná

Next June, the Government will launch the tenders for the construction of the Ámbar highway and the Arroyo Barril cruise port, both working for the Cibao region.

The director of Public-Private Partnerships ( DGAPP ) offered the information, Sigmund Freund, who explained that in the case of the tender for the Ámbar highway, they have already identified a modality to avoid falling into a shadow toll.

“In June we will be launching two very important tenders for the country, the first for the Ámbar highway, which is the highway that connects Santiago and Puerto Plata, for which we have finally managed to identify a modality in which it can be developed avoiding falling into what it is a shadow toll, in a subsidy from the State, that is what we have been working on in recent months,” he said.

The official indicated that the objective is “to be able to come out with a financially viable project, credible and that society supports it.”

When announcing the construction of the Ámbar highway in his inaugural speech, President Luis Abinader stated that the work would allow reaching from Santiago to Puerto Plata in just 25 minutes and from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata in two hours.

According to Diario Libre, the president explained that the road represents the relaunch of tourism on the north coast of the country.

Regarding the cruise port of Arroyo Barril, Samaná, Freund said that the area is being sought to create an entertainment zone for visitors.

“At the end of June we will be launching the tender for Arroyo Barril, which is a port in the Samaná area, for which we will be hoping for a port operator to come who can rehabilitate the area and build an entire entertainment area, of entertainment, restaurants, commercial spaces in the place,” he said.

The official explained that when the ports of Arroyo Barril and Cabo Rojo, Pedernales, are built, the Dominican Republic will have five cruise ports.

“With Arroyo Barril we will already be creating the second cruise port in the northern region, after Puerto Plata, and with the entry of Cabo Rojo, La Romana and Santo Domingo there would be five cruise ports to achieve the objective that the president Abinader has launched that it is the next cruise hub in the Caribbean area,” he added.

Avianca to open more flights from Colombia and other destinations to the Dominican Republic

The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, held a meeting with Daniel Fajardo, vice president of Avianca’s Route Network, as part of his visit to Colombia, where he confirmed the participation of the Dominican Republic in the Anato fair, to be held from February 22 to 24, 2023.

“We held an important meeting with Daniel Fajardo, vice president of Avianca’s Route Network, who guaranteed us the opening of more routes from Colombia to the Dominican Republic, and from other Latin American countries to Punta Cana and Santo Domingo,” Collado indicated on his social networks.

He explained that Colombia became the third country of origin of tourists to the Dominican Republic in May.

The minister explained that he also held important meetings with Colombian tourism representatives, such as the tour operator Expertravellers, Wingo airline, Swa, and Maxitravel.

In addition, the head of Mitur announced an alliance with Lombana Ximena, Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism of Colombia.

The strategy that the country used to bring tourists in 2021

President Abinader assures that 0.7% of tourists who visited the country used the “Covid insurance” and analyzed strategies used combined with an effort to take care of health.

Davos, Switzerland

President Luis Abinader affirmed yesterday that 0.7% of the tourists who visited the country used the RD Safe Tourism Assistance Plan, with free health coverage for visitors who have been infected with Covid-19.

The president stated this during his speech at the World Economic Forum, held in Davos, Switzerland. He also explained the exhausting process of developing this system and other measures to promote tourism during the pandemic caused by the coronavirus.

“A successful strategy for the recovery of tourism, combined with a consistent effort to care for the health of the people, is the key to the recovery ofthe economy in the Dominican Republic and is the reason why the international organizations that deal with the tourism, health and the economy that present us as a country that has been successful in facing the crisis caused by the pandemic,” Abinader said when participating in the panel “Rethinking and revitalizing travel and tourism.”

“We started doing focus groups and surveys in the United States and Canada . Canada was under full lockdown, the US was starting to open up, and from those focus groups we learned that people who had been cooped up at home for many months wanted to get out, and when you show them pictures of the ocean, beach and sun, they say ‘I want to go there'”, he stated.

However, the president revealed that other data from these investigations showed that many foreigners feared getting sick with the virus in a foreign country. So, after brainstorming, they decided on an assistance plan to generate confidence in potential tourists.

He also admitted that, even though this free insurance represented a great expense for the Government, the cost would be even higher if tourism did not recover, a sector that, according to the head of state, generates 60% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). ) from the country.

“Yes, it was a cost, but it was more expensive if they (tourists) didn’t come, that was the analysis we did… but I’ll tell you something, do you know how many used it? 0.7%,” highlighted Abinader, whose intervention provoked a series of questions and interventions.

About Covid insurance

The RD Safe Tourism Plan began in mid-September 2020. It consisted of the supply of medications, assistance with hospitalization, emergency medical transportation, hotel expenses for hospitalization, flight changes due to medical emergencies, and legal aid.

Likewise, the authorities affirmed that this program impacted more than 400,000 tourists before its end in July of last year.

Abinader explained that he assumed the presidency in August 2020 with the economy and tourism paralyzed, contributing more than 20% of the Gross Domestic Product and around 20% of employment.

Participants in Economic Forum
Panelists

The panelists who accompanied President Abinader were Keir Simmons, a correspondent for NBC News; Antonio Capuano, executive director of Marriott International; Haifa Bint Mohammed Al Saud, Deputy Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia; S. Iswaran, Singapore Transport Minister and Ruzwana Bashir, Peek.com.

Policies and actions

The Economic Forum is held annually, and the participants present policies and actions to revitalize this sector.

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