Caribbean Corridor will be constructed by a Dominican-Panamanian consortium

Rafael Sabonge, the minister of public works, and President of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo, gave the Transeq-Estrella Consortium the go-ahead to start building the Caribbean Corridor, which will cost 91 million dollars. The Quebrada Ancha-Maria Chiquita highway, which is 28 kilometers long and will modernize the local road network, will be designed, built, and funded as part of the project.

President Cortizo declared, “We are adding a new road structure to improve land connectivity in the province of Colón with the delivery of the order to proceed for the construction of the Caribbean Corridor Project. The head of the Executive Power emphasized that new opportunities for internal tourism are created with road network optimization, which benefits the most vulnerable population and is always done with the intention of achieving the social development of the nation.

According to President Cortizo, the project will be completed two years after the delivery of the go-ahead order. “This is yet another project undertaken by our administration as part of the government’s economic recovery strategy, always with a view to promoting the welfare and advancement of all Panamanians.”

Elizabeth de León, the first Dominican to lead the US Department of Housing

Elizabeth de León is the second Dominican to serve as the head of a US federal agency and the first to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Economic Development. De León proudly speaks of his roots as he assumes a new role, now nationally, from Washington, D.C .After a successful career as a lawyer in New York City, where she had the opportunity to be the first Latina and Dominican to be Secretary of Labor, Attorney General, Senior Advisor to the President of the City Council, and Assistant Commissioner of the Department of Small Business.

The Dominican woman enthusiastically describes her trips to Salcedo, the Dominican Republic, the location of her parents’ births, as well as the stories her mother told her about the field and having to wash in river stones.

Elizabeth was born in the Bronx and recalls having to move to Upper Manhattan and stay with family when she was three years old because of a fire in her building.

5,822 cruisers travel to Puerto Plata on the largest ship that docks in the DR

With the arrival of the Allure of the Seas, which is owned by the Royal Caribbean shipping company and is regarded as one of the largest cruise ships in the world, Puerto Plata, which has a tourist terminal at Taino Bay, becomes the first location in the nation to receive the largest cruise ship that visits the Dominican Republic. The performance of “Allure of the Seas” will have a significant economic impact on the nation and will inspire confidence in the cruise industry, according to Jean Luis Rodriguez, director of the Dominican Port Authority (Apordom), positioning the Dominican Republic to achieve its goal of becoming the Caribbean Cruise Hub.

“Based on the fact that each cruise passenger spends about 100 dollars per capita on land, we would be talking about an economic spill in Puerto Plata of more than half a million dollars.” “This fills us with pride to see in Taino Bay a dream come true, not only for those who descend from the cruise ships but also for the people of Puerto Plata, whose quality of life has been impacted by the arrival of more and more cruise passengers,” said the head of Apordom. On his side, Harold Sanders, manager of Taino Bay, affirmed that these 5,822 cruise passengers are the largest amount they have received since the opening of the terminal and that with the arrival of “Allure of the Seas,” the port is placed within the threshold with the capacity to receive this type of vessel.

“92% of the people on the ship got to know Puerto Plata, and that speaks of an achievement for Taino Bay and for the province that receives an important economic spill.” “Of the 5,370 passengers who got off, 1,612 went on a tour, 696 took taxis to different parts of the city, and the rest, 3,162, distributed themselves, walked to the historic center, and visited the port, leaving on average a little more than half a million dollars only in one day for Puerto Plata,”  assured Sanders.

The Tourism Law needs to be changed immediately in the Dominican Republic

The current version of the Tourism Law (541) restricts the establishment of small businesses to provide the various services that tourists need, which limits the sector’s social impact on the communities. This limits the development of emerging tourist destinations. This statement has been made by Elizabeth Tovar, vice president of the organization, and Rafael Nazario, executive director of the Tourism and Productive Cluster of the Province of Barahona (CTPPB). They argued that because Law 541 was passed in 1969 and the tourism industry has changed significantly since then, its revision is urgent and must take place immediately.

They believed that a gap in the law and regulations was to blame for the hotels’ lack of classification. They emphasized that despite attempts to change the tourism law, such changes are not possible without first consulting the relevant parties. Nazario emphasized that “Law 541 is a barrier to the growth of emerging tourist destinations.” He clarified that the classification of businesses that provide tourist services, including not only transportation or tour operations but also other businesses that provide services to tourists, is not contemplated by the law. Additionally, he added that “there is no guarantee that a tourist will be taken to a place without risk of being poisoned” because “small restaurants do not have real supervision to ensure that what they are offering is fulfilled.” 

Tovar stated that tourism laws make it challenging for developing locations to grow, citing the fact that only a sizable transport company with six vehicles is allowed to enter and a number of other conditions must be met in order to develop Barahona or Pedernales, which are extremely costly for any emerging location. She believed that the law placed severe limitations on how tourists could be transported. The National Institute of Transit and Land Transport (Intrant) now oversees transportation, but with the same flaws. According to the newspaper Hoy, she claimed that the predicament leads to the existence of a sizable number of unauthorized tour operators who offer services without the necessary licenses.

The President presents 100 solar-powered eco-houses to underprivileged families in Azua.

The Eco-Habitat Angel Dario Ramirez housing project for social inclusion, which consists of 100 houses and will benefit the same number of families living in conditions of extreme poverty in this province, was officially launched by President Luis Abinader in the El Barro Arriba Municipal District of the Azua de Compostela Municipality. Minister Neney Cabrera, in charge of the Directorate of Strategic and Special Projects of the Presidency (Propeep), which oversaw the eco-housing project, was present as the head of state cut the ribbon.

The police station and areas for social and recreational activities will make this community safe and respectable, the president noted during the delivery ceremony. Abinader emphasized the significance of the project, with which the government ensures that it enhances and elevates the standard of living for the 100 beneficiary families, who reside in modest homes and endure extreme destitution.

He insisted that the initiative is a component of his social inclusion program in support of Dominicans who require the most support and assistance from the government. According to the president, these homes are also being constructed in other provinces of the nation with the intention of fostering an environmentally friendly way of life. He also acknowledged Propeep and Minister Cabrera’s efforts in building the houses, which he believed should serve as a model for other communities where they will be built.

After promising that his administration would continue to work for the good of all Dominicans, Abinader said, “I congratulate all the beneficiaries of these houses, which is an act of justice and where families can live with more peace of mind and a better quality of life.”

Puerto Plata shines in cruises with the largest ship that touches the DR

Another triumph for Puerto Plata in the cruise business. According to Jean Rodriguez, executive director of the Dominican Port Authority (Apordom), this time its new Taino Bay terminal will make history by receiving on Monday the largest cruise ship that arrives in the Dominican territory. The Apordom’s owner claims that the ship, whose company is unknown, cost close to $1.55 billion and arrived in the Dominican Republic “because as a Cruise Hub country we generate trust in the industry internationally. For this reason, this port terminal guarantees the growth and dynamism of the economy of the entire north and of the country.”

The oasis-type cruise ship, which has a length of 360 meters and an elevation of 72 meters above the sea, as well as a sizable open area of tropical vegetation, terraces, and shops, has the capacity to carry more than nine thousand people, including passengers and crew. According to the note, “The Dominican Republic’s tourism authorities view this cruise port as a crucial component of the initiatives for the relaunch of Puerto Plata as one of the country’s important destinations, and they project that in the next two years there will be more terminals that can receive vessels of this type.”

The Taino Bay terminal offers tour sales services for the city’s tourist attractions, leisure facilities, dining establishments, retail stores, and other services. In addition, there are warehouses, service areas in each area, and locations for waste disposal.

Airports Department inaugurates heliport in Barahona

Barahona. – The Airports Department (DA) inaugurated this Friday and left in operation the Barahona Heliport, in an act headed by the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, in which it was announced to the country the implementation of the National Network of Heliports project.

“This ambitious project consists of building or remodeling heliports in regional and specialized hospitals, as well as in road networks and the main centers of interest nationwide, to attend emergency situations, rescue, and support tourism,” said Victor Pichardo, director of the DA, in his speech.

Pichardo pointed out that the National Heliport Network represents one of the institution’s main goals, with a view to supporting the expansion of tourism and commercial and emergency operations carried out by the government throughout the country, especially in the southern region.

He said that, in the case of the Barahona Heliport, named Luis J. Féliz (Neny) in honor of one of the DA’s collaborators born in the area, who died along with five others in the accident of October 2020, it would provide a point of aerial interconnection that will serve as a reference for the community itself, and for the development project that the State is carrying out in the Enriquillo region.

This heliport, whose cost was around 26 million pesos, is located on the city’s seawall, considered a strategic, attractive, and tourist position. It also has an aircraft parking position, which will allow simultaneous operations.

The structure, built in a space of 5,400 square meters, has a 324m2 Helipad equipped with an aeronautical lighting system that can be activated by radio frequency from the helicopters, allowing safe night operations.

It also has a terminal building with facilities, equipment such as a power plant, a sewage treatment system, a parking lot with a capacity for 10 vehicles, including a charging station for electric vehicles, and an intelligent irrigation system, among others.

In his speech, Mayor Mictor Fernández highlighted Abinader’s interest in the actions he has been developing in this province since the first day of his government mandate. Also present at the ceremony were the ministers Joel Santos, of the Presidency; José Ignacio Paliza, Administrative of the Presidency; Deligne Ascención, of Public Works, and the director of the Civil Aviation Board (JAC) and the provincial governor Dionne Maribel González.

Also present were Major General Carlos Febrillet, Commander General of the Dominican Air Force; Vice Admiral Francisco Sosa, Commander General of the Navy; and Venancio Alcántara, Director General of Migration, among others.

Tourism will remodel San Pedro de Macorís boardwalk with 260 million pesos

The San Pedro de Macoris boardwalk reconstruction project, which will cost more than 260 million pesos, received a symbolic start this Sunday from Minister of Tourism David Collado. According to a statement from the ministry, the coastal reconstruction project on the 1.8-kilometer San Pedro de Macoris boardwalk includes the construction of a linear park with a 60,000 square meter total intervention area.

Along the boardwalk, the main island, and the waterfront, landscaping work will be done. Recreational areas like squares, playgrounds, an outdoor gym, and a volleyball court will be added to this. Collado emphasized the significance of the project as a tourist destination and the advantages it will bring to nearby small and medium-sized businesses.

“We must turn our backs on the sea if we want to live. The official said, “This intervention will represent a before and after in San Pedro de Macoris.” Nine double sales modules, complete with warehouses and equipment, are part of the project.

La Isabela airport to Pedernales domestic flights will cost $50 USD

As part of the initiatives for the development of Pedernales as a new tourist destination, the General Directorate of Public-Private Partnerships (Dgapp), the Pro-Pedernales Trust, and the Civil Aviation Board (JAC) announced on Tuesday the beginning of domestic flights from the La Isabela Dr. Joaquin Balaguer airport (Santo Domingo North) to the Cabo Rojo aerodrome, near Pedernales. 

Sigmund Freund, the director of the DGAPP, announced at the opening ceremony held at the El Higüero airport that the airline Air Century, in partnership with the business REP-AIR, will begin operating the new route after winning the contract through a bid process conducted in accordance with the Pro-Pedernales Trust’s instructions. Beginning on November 15, single trips with a starting price of $50 one way and a duration of 35 minutes will be promoted. The inaugural flight will take place on November 1. “There will no longer be a six-hour drive to Pedernales,” Freund said.

The official anticipated that these domestic flights to Cabo Rojo will boost domestic tourism and draw investment to Pedernales, which is getting ready for Dominicans and visitors from other countries to enjoy the province’s natural wonders.

Guarocuya de Barahona hotel will house Infotep’s tourism academy

The old Guarocuya hotel in Barahona, where a hotel and tourism school will run in order to train the technicians that Pedernales will need for its tourism development, will be under the management of the National Institute for Professional Technical Training (Infotep). During his weekend visit to Barahona, President Luis Abinader will hand over the hotel to the Infotep authorities and launch several other projects.

The information was provided by Rafael Santos Bada, executive director of the training facility, who explained that the location will soon be transformed into a modern school that will be a part of a tourist route being established from Santo Domingo to Pedernales as part of the development of this tourist pole. The hotel will continue to run concurrently with the school, and Infotep will be in charge of the classroom.

The official stated that the Guarocuya hotel’s amenities have been destroyed and that a sizable investment—the precise sum of which he omitted—will be needed to restore them. Since the hotel is a historical landmark and will undergo renovations, Santos Badia emphasized that the investment “would be much less” than what it means to the community as a whole.

Authorities monitor Caribbean Sea system that could become a tropical depression

Authorities from the National Hurricane Center of the United States and the National Meteorology Office (Onamet) are keeping an eye on a sizable area of low pressure over the southeast Caribbean Sea, which has a chance of developing into a tropical depression this weekend or early next week. The National Hurricane Center reports in its newsletter this Friday that “a broad area of low pressure over the southeastern Caribbean Sea is producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms extending west-northwestward from the Windward Islands for several hundred miles.”

As the disturbance moves slowly westward or toward the north, it is predicted that the environment will be favorable for gradual development over the next few days, and a tropical depression is likely to form this weekend or at the start of next week over the central Caribbean Sea in the west-northwest. It suggests that through this weekend, heavy rain is possible in some areas of the Lesser Antilles, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico regardless of development.

“Chance of formation in 48 hours… low… 20% and probability of formation in 5 days… high… 70%,” according to the National Hurricane Center. “The low pressure area is expected to form over the eastern Caribbean Sea this weekend, possibly related to the southern part of an existing low pressure trough over the area,” the Onamet adds in its bulletin this Friday.

Dominican Republic has excellent loan ratings with the IDB

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which is the nation’s main source of multilateral financing, is at ease thanks to the Dominican Republic’s sound debt management and high and steady economic growth. IDB representatives Katharina Falkner Olmedo and Gilles Damais took part in the special interview of El Caribe and CDN and discussed the nation’s record of economic growth as well as the outlook for the upcoming year to highlight the positive aspects of the state. 

Falkner Olmedo responded to a question about the country’s level of debt, that the sustainability of the debt is not a nominal issue but rather a relative numerical one and that they are comforted by the fact that the country has grown by 12% last year, 5.5% thus far this year, and is expected to grow by a factor of two more than the region. The IDB would not lend to the country if the government had not been able to maintain a moderate growth rate in its public debt, which continues to be at completely acceptable levels, according to the chief of operations.

Furthermore, Damais emphasized that the international rating agencies did not downgrade the nation’s classification, indicating that they believe the macroeconomic management, including debt management, is excellent. Maintaining a manageable level of debt is crucial, in our opinion, and choosing the projects to invest in based on debt is crucial. He said, “There is no reason not to continue lending money if there are profitable projects and if the level of indebtedness is reasonable because what is invested now will generate benefits for the population that will allow you to repay the debt.”

DR’s economy is driven by tourism, according to Bank of America

The multinational investment bank, Bank of America, highlighted that the Dominican economy has maintained a favorable performance, mainly due to the dynamism of tourism. The financial entity asserts that the dynamism of tourism, which is expected to bring in more than 7 million non-resident visitors in 2022, has helped the DR’s economy maintain strong growth while offsetting the negative effects of rising global raw material prices. In that regard, they suggest that even in the event of a potential recession in the United States during the following year (2023), the Dominican economy would continue to grow among the fastest in the region.

They clarify that due to the strength of its macroeconomic fundamentals as well as its political and social stability, international analysts and investors continue to view the Dominican Republic as a desirable location for investment. The aforementioned details were provided as part of the recent annual meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in Washington.

The financial institution notes that the projections for the world economy continue to deteriorate, associated with lower growth and rising geopolitical tensions, in its report on the prospects for emerging economies, prepared after holding approximately one hundred meetings with the technical teams of the different countries.

In a similar vein, investors and the Bank of America team praised the economic policies that have been put in place and helped to control inflation while maintaining potential growth during their meeting with the Central Bank delegation.

Zemi Hotels, the newest Miches tourist destination created by Frank Elias Rainieri

The Puntacana Group’s CEO, Frank Elias Rainieri, unveiled his upcoming project in Miches, which he has dubbed Zemi Hotels, and has already generated a lot of excitement. The businessman provided information via his official Twitter account, which he published alongside the images gathered in this digital archive.

According to Elias Rainieri, the hotel will have 500 rooms, entail an investment of about $150 million, and be open for business in November 2023. The entrepreneur is committed to creating a new brand and a lodging facility in Miches because he wants to provide an alluring lodging option in the aforementioned location. Since they won’t be identical to any of the business-hotel group’s existing projects, the hotel’s name and amenities are entirely unique. Elias Rainieri claimed at the time that Miches is the coastal region that will enable the nation to reach 60–70,000 hotel rooms.

“We were natural Miches advocates from the start.” We always support everything because of this. There is only one coast between Miches and Juanillo, and we need to develop it because it is the only one that will support the expansion of the East sector, he continued.

More tourists! Prediction for the best winter season in history

Punta Cana – The president of the Association of Hotels of the East, Ernesto Veloz, predicted that the coming winter season would be the best in the history of the Dominican tourism industry. He specified that publicity work has been done to attract the most significant number of tourists and that the hotel plant is in excellent condition, while the airport of Punta Cana has renovated many parts and is finalizing a terminal.

“We are totally ready for everything that may come and we have done important international work” through visits to different fairs, he said.

Reservations indicate that the winter season will be one of the best for hotels in the East, he said. He pointed out that the hotels that were affected by Hurricane Fiona will start operating next month.

Amber Cove and Taino Bay ports, booming with 20 cruise ships this month

This October 2022, 24 tourist cruises will arrive in the province of Puerto Plata through the Amber Cove and Taíno Bay terminals.

According to the official calendar of the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur), 14 of these boats are scheduled to dock in the port of Amber Cove (Maimón) and ten by Taíno Bay.

The cruise ships Scarlet Lady, Norwegian Sky, Celebrity Infinity, MSC Seashore, and Allure of the Seas will arrive at the Taino Bay terminal, which will visit Puerto Plata for the first time following Monday, October 31.

While the Amber Cove port, located in the bay of Maimón, will receive Carnival Mardi Gras, Carnival Legend, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Freedom, and Norwegian Prima, which arrived for the first time in this Atlantic city last Tuesday, 18.

The authorities of the area emphasize that the thousands of cruise passengers who arrive in Puerto Plata boost the economic activities of this destination. These tourists spend an average of $80 during their visits to small and medium-sized local businesses, according to AlMomento.

Travelers leave in the morning and return to the boats in the evening after visiting the many attractions of beaches, rivers, and historical and cultural places, in addition to receiving the hospitality of Puerto Plata.

Colombian Ultra Air plans to arrive in the DR the following year

The Dominican Republic is the target market for the Colombian low-cost airline Ultra Air’s global expansion because it experiences high demand from visitors to that South American nation. In an interview with REPORTUR.co, William Shaw, the founder and CEO of Ultra Air, said, “After a year of local operation, we could start operating globally. In this way, we are assessing the markets to determine the best foreign channels for our ultra-low-cost strategy. We anticipate beginning operations in the first part of 2019 and are considering opportunities to expand to countries such as Venezuela, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, the United States, and Mexico.

With its arrival in the Dominican Republic, Ultra Air will increase competition among Colombian airlines that have also identified the DR as a key market for growth, including Wingo, Avianca, and others. This is in addition to Arajet’s recent offensive between the two markets.

William Shaw stated in a statement on airline news that “This month we started operating new routes from Medellin to San Andrés, Barranquilla, and Monteria, with which we continue to enhance our promise to connect the country. Our Medellin-Cucuta route will be launched in December, leaving us with 17 routes and 10 national destinations in 2022. Similar to that, we are making adjustments to improve customer service at all times and make it friendlier for customers to shop on our website. We proceed to expand.

United States and open skies agreement would soon be signed

Following months of discussions, President Luis Abinader stated today that “in the future weeks we may already think about signing the agreement” of open skies with the United States. ” This arrangement is crucial because it will bring higher quality and more competitiveness to a sector that desperately needs both “the official added. The government is providing incentives to encourage the establishment of new businesses, which, he continued, “would also imply lowering the prices of (air) tickets to the United States.”

A prospective recession in Europe and the United States could have a variety of consequences on Dominican tourism, which President Abinader also examined yesterday. The president is aware that it would be important to research the percentage of these economies that are impacted and investigate the nature of the crises those economies go through. He pointed out, for instance, that full employment exists despite the American economy’s problems. Accordingly, he explained, “if there is full employment, it suggests that there is a demand that will still be maintained, and the estimates that we have through March are extremely strong.”

The situation, in the president’s opinion, “may influence another time.” However, the forecasts we have up to March are fairly confident. Abinader stated that the administration is still extremely attentive and will take more publicity measures to counteract any economic decline.

Dominican cuisine: supporting and promoting the travel and tourism sector

Counting culinary travelers is almost impossible, after all, everyone eats. However, food is a point of differentiation for many destinations and, in the case of the Dominican Republic, it influences the reasons why tourists arrive in the Caribbean country. “There are three things for which travelers go to a destination: a good climate, a good beach and delicious food”, as summarized by the chef of the Barceló Bávaro Grand Resort and Occidental Caribe, Hilario Martínez, during the opening ceremony of the Culinary Week 2022, an event that seeks to publicize the hotel’s gastronomic offer.

The World Food Travel Association is more specific. A survey found that 59% of tourists believe that food and drinks are “important” when traveling. During the opening of the seventh edition of the culinary event, the commercial director of the complex, Zarina Montalvo, said: “we try to bring diners a small sample of the diversity of flavors, textures and smells that gastronomy can offer”. “Gastronomy is much more than food. It reflects the culture, heritage, traditions and sense of community of different peoples. Tourists seem to be aware of this.” Chef Martínez indicated that travelers from any country want to know what the local gastronomy is like. “The first thing they ask is what are your typical dishes?” He maintained.

“It’s a requirement that we see daily,” he continued. That is why both during the event that will culminate next Sunday, October 23 with a menu of local dishes, and in his restaurant, he offers “everything”. “We make our moro, goat, mofongo, mangú in a cauldron, everything local. Also the stewed chicken and sancocho… everything that is our food is presented there”, he explained. Chef Nelson Minaya, who will be part of the last day of Culinary Week 2022, added that customers or tourists communicate with each other. “They come with an expectation”, or failing that, they ask “what is the local food here?”, “what do you recommend?”.

Montalvo, for his part, said that holding this type of event allows the hotel chain to diversify its offer and contributes to enriching the diversity of options available in the market.

Given the growth rate in the DR, Royalton sets its sights on new properties

The hotel chain Royalton has its sights set on brand-new properties in the Dominican Republic as a result. We are already considering projects for the South, the North, and a little farther to the East of the nation. The chain is looking at additional properties because, as he continued, “growth will continue at 100%, more or less, in 2024.” The decision to expand into new locations and target new markets stems from the fact that Blue Diamond Resorts’ hotels (Royalton) in the nation stand out for drawing tourists from the Dominican Republic from various markets, consumers of a product beyond sun and beaches, who find lodging in any of its five properties—two family-friendly and three adults-only—offers with unique qualities. Fromenta stated that the Royalton Splash Punta Cana is a hotel geared toward families and that its guests tend to be European and local. The North American and Canadian markets, “although also the European one,” favor the Royalton Punta Cana.

He said that among the hotels we have in Punta Cana, the Hideaway is one that “purely Americans” prefer. It is also an adults-only establishment. According to him, more than half of the visitors to the Royalton Bávaro are from North America, the United States, and Europe. The Royalton Chic, an adults-only hotel in Uvero Alto that continues to cater to the tastes of Americans and Canadians, is the last example. As a Canadian hotel chain, our main markets are Canada and the United States, he continued. “With this, you can see the difference in markets that we have in each hotel.

The manager added that even though they continue to focus on certain markets, they are taking the necessary steps to increase visitors to their properties there, which have a combined total of more than 1,100 rooms and cater to both the local and Latin American markets. “The neighborhood market is very significant to us. Since we are not that strong and the pandemic demonstrated this to us, we want to draw in more business from the Latin American market. To that end, we are working hard to implement marketing and development initiatives”.