Abinader travels to Bonao and Puerto Plata today

Santo Domingo – President Luis Abinader will move this Sunday to the municipality of Bonao, Monsignor Nouel. Then he will travel to Puerto Plata to carry out a series of activities, according to the National Palace reported today.

According to the brief statement, the president will inaugurate the Pedro de Marchena Hospital at 11.00 in the morning in Bonao. At the same time, at 11:45, he will lead the Diagnostic Center’s inauguration (INVI) in the same municipality.

After this, Abinader will travel to Puerto Plata for a tour of the Ocean World water park, which will begin at 1.30 pm on Sunday.

The information specified that at 3.45 in the afternoon, the head of state will be in charge of the reopening ceremony of the Casa Colonial hotel in Puerto Plata.

Your tour of that city will conclude with a visit to the Playa Dorada hotel complex, where you will award the winners of an international golf tournament.

Since the beginning of his mandate, Abinader has made it customary to move to the country’s interior. He usually fulfills a schedule that includes public events, the private sector, and meetings with his party leaders.

David Collado affirms the increase in tourist arrivals continues

La Altagracia. The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, affirmed that the numbers in tourists’ arrival continue to increase, after ensuring that health protocols are his priority to guarantee the health and well-being of visitors and servers.

“The rigorous application of health protocols is our priority, we cannot go back,” said Minister Collado, leading the act of reopening the Paradisus Palma Real hotel in Bávaro.

He expressed that he will continue working shoulder to shoulder with the private sector until the total recovery of tourism is reached, which generates some 500 thousand direct jobs.

 “We are going to come back stronger,” said the official, while noting that he sees the reopening of hotels as a human issue because of what it represents for the economy.

Santiago Rivera, Area Managing Director of Meliá Hotels International in the Dominican Republic, highlighted some new benefits of the complex, including the recent renovation of its different bedroom categories, the implementation of electronic locks in the rooms, and access through bracelets.

The opening of two new a la carte restaurants, SAL. and Tokimeku, complement the careful selection of contemporary cuisine offered by Paradisus Palma Real.

“We have also renewed the luxury attribute The Reserve, a premium service from the Paradisus brand; We follow all national and international security protocols through the Stay Safe with Meliá program, audited by Bureau Veritas and, besides, we will offer a complete Christmas and New Year’s program, guaranteeing all security measures for the enjoyment of all our visitors,” Highlighted Rivera.

Paradisus Palma Real offers 687 luxurious rooms, including 220 The Reserve Suites and two extraordinary Presidential Suites facing the sea; 11 restaurants, a complete program of activities and entertainment for children and adults, Golf and Yhi Spa, providing guests with an elevated luxury vacation experience.

At least ten commercial flights to New York and Boston canceled due to the effects of winter snowstorm Gail

Las Americas Airport Santo Domingo.- About ten commercial passenger flights that had been scheduled from Las Americas International Airport to the cities of New York and Boston, have been canceled due to the effects of a winter snowstorm that hit northern New State. York.

Luis López Mena, corporate director of Communication of Dominican Airports XXI Aerodom, declared that some 10 operations, all of them JetBlue Airline flights to Boston and New York, have been canceled due to the effects of the winter storm Gail.

López Mena explained that despite the situation, other airlines such as United Airlines and Delta Airlines have not communicated the cancellation of their flights to and from New York.

The flight cancellation situation left dozens of passengers stranded on Wednesday. Passengers are being placed on other commercial flights that are expected to depart this Wednesday for New York, Boston and New Jersey.

For today Wednesday and tomorrow, Thursday, the storm is forecast to hit most of the east coast and bring heavy snow and ice that could cause power outages throughout the region.

This winter storm could also bring wind gusts of up to 40 mph that could hit the New England coast, according to the National Weather Service in Boston.

The Dominican Republic's 'Wild Side' Offers a Quieter Alternative to Punta Cana

On the Samaná Peninsula, innovative eco-lodges are highlighting the region’s untamed natural bounty. Here's how to take a swing around one of the country’s less-traveled corners.

By Lebawit Lily Girma November 29, 2020

“It's surprising that in a country so commercialized, you can still find places like this,” Noemi Araujo said as we passed a For Sale sign on a fenced, wooded lot. The owner of Clave Verde Ecolodge, where my partner, Luis, and I were staying, was also our guide for the two-hour hike down the uneven road that begins near the hotel and leads to the stunning shoreline at Playa Morón. Cicadas buzzed in the thick tropical forest around us, piercing the humid afternoon air. Seconds later, she told us to look up: speckled brown palmchats, the national bird of the Dominican Republic, were flying in and out of their three-story nest at the tip of a royal palm.

We saw more goats than people until we reached a roadside stall, where a couple was selling fresh coco bread outside their home. We bought two oven-warm bundles for $1.25 each. Soon, a shortcut through the forest led us to the secluded golden beach we’d been seeking. A handful of teenagers were swimming in the turquoise water. At the end of the sandy stretch, a steep, forested trail led to another beach, Playa Limón — miles of virgin sand lined with coconut trees. A fisherman dragged his net out of the water as his canoe approached the shore. Next to a solitary shack, a woman tended to her fogón, the outdoor hearth where she would soon prepare the fresh catch for lunch. The three of us waded into the cool, shallow waters where the Limón River meets the sea.

Over the past 15 years, I’ve explored more than 20 islands in the Caribbean, but no place grabs me quite like the over-the-top tropical splendor of the Samaná Peninsula: scenic coves, craggy cliffs, seemingly endless coconut groves, just 100 miles from my home in Santo Domingo, where I’ve lived since 2016. Humpback whales visit Samaná every January to mate and calve. The area’s beachside resort towns — Las Terrenas and Las Galeras — are popular escapes from the capital, both for locals like Luis and me and for travelers in search of a quieter alternative to Punta Cana.

But the hills and valleys of the peninsula’s interior were harder to get to know — until now. Dominican-owned eco-lodges are opening up in these rural communities, honoring nature with their use of locally sourced materials, guided excursions into the biodiverse forest, and meals sourced from their own permaculture gardens. In a time when we all want to be away from the crowds — and the Caribbean starts to reopen borders — this part of Samaná is a welcome break.

One of the pioneers is the campesino-chic Clave Verde, where Luis and I stayed on a weekend trip this fall. Araujo and her husband, Jonathan, founded the solar-powered property after relocating from Santo Domingo to the mountain village of La Barbacoa. The lodge, surrounded by forest trails and groves of native trees like almond, cherry, and acacia, is just a 15-minute drive from Las Terrenas, where Araujo suggested lunch after our beach hike.

We walked past the fish market to a row of new open-air restaurants facing the beach. Locals enjoyed just-caught seafood and Presidente beer, while a couple danced barefoot to bachata music. Scanning the chalkboard menus, we settled in at Candelita, where we ordered a typical Dominican seaside meal: fried capitán, as hogfish is known here, with a side of tostones and avocado. When we left two hours later, the cacophonous motorbike traffic along the beach made us appreciate Clave Verde’s location in the hills.

The next day, we woke to cows mooing over the bluffs as if announcing the sun rising over the village. I stepped onto our balcony and looked out on the forest canopy as the fresh morning air filtered into our suite. Breakfast of fried eggs and mashed green bananas fueled us for the drive to Las Galeras, a small fishing town renowned for its beaches. Its party-hard bar scene was once the main draw. But now, community members and municipal officials are working to create ecotourism experiences that showcase the area’s natural wealth — like the new Seven Hidden Beaches trail, which winds past sea caves along the area’s less developed coastline.

We came to the end of Samaná’s sole highway, and views of the ocean disappeared as we turned off at the sign for the village of La Guázuma. Walking into the seven-key Casa El Paraíso, we were plunged into a kind of miniature nature reserve, with fruit trees, palms, and purple Mexican petunias framing a narrow stone path. Butterflies circled my legs, and cicadas echoed off the timber walls. We reached an open-air lounge with sculptures and Balinese-style wooden furniture set against the panorama of Samaná Bay.

José Raúl Nova — a respected Santo Domingo veterinarian who tended to the pets of the late Oscar de la Renta — initially built the property as a vacation home. Nova showed us around the botanical paradise, which he and his wife, Nora Mejía, transformed into an eco-hotel two years ago. Its high-ceilinged thatched bungalows were inspired by the owners’ travels: the nautical Marina, where de la Renta once stayed; Casita Dominicana, with furniture made of repurposed wood; Marruecos, their newest addition, full of custom-made Moroccan textiles and ceramics. All are open on one side, with wide views of the bay acting as a fourth wall. “There are no room keys,” Nova told us. “Nature herself makes you feel protected here.”

We ordered our dinner to the sandy poolside lounge, where chef Mirko Casagrande arrived with a lionfish tartare. “We want to show that the DR has a different side,” he said, joining our conversation. “A rich natural side, with rivers, beaches, and mountains.” Casagrande hails from Milan, but settled in Las Galeras 20 years ago. His passion for the country shines in his cooking: grilled lobster with farro, avocado, and mango; octopus with honey and ginger; grilled vegetables from the garden, where free-range chickens wander among pumpkins, plantains, and cassava. “My kitchen is one hundred percent sustainable,” explained the chef, who decided to serve the invasive — and highly destructive — lionfish once lobster season ended. “For me, serving lionfish is an honor, because I’m doing good for the environment.”

After morning thunderstorms canceled our plans to hike the seven-beach trail, Luis and I opted for a drive to Aventura Rincón Ecolodge, winding past overgrown, palm-dotted fields and pastel shacks. This innovative solar-powered property and organic farm looks like a rambling garden, with five cabins inspired by Dominican campo life.

“We promote going back to your roots,” said Orquídea Susana, who at the time was overseeing the property’s permaculture initiatives. That means heirloom seeds, organic methods, and cooking what’s seasonal. She showed us vanilla, turmeric, cacao, taro, and papaya. “We have local varieties of fruit, like piña pan de azúcar,” Susana told us. “It tastes like sugar.” Thunder forced us to pick up our pace, though I was tempted to linger among the tall shoots of cranberry hibiscus.

Our colorful lunch spread included snapdragon tea and a salad of fresh-picked mizuna, avocado, and hibiscus, garnished with edible flowers. For dessert: slices of the local sweet pineapple and jalao, a baked coconut candy. As we walked it all off at nearby Playa Colorada, we didn’t see a soul.

This story first appeared in the December 2020 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline "On the Wild Side."

PUERTO PLATA OPEN 2020

PGA TOUR Latin America will restart its 2020-21 season. The event will be played for the fourth consecutive year at the Playa Dorada Golf Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and will close the calendar year. The Dominican Republic has hosted PGA TOUR Latin America tournaments each season since the Tour was founded in 2012. The event will be held following a strict sanitary protocol to protect all participants.

Luis Abinader: I will not abandon the tourism sector

To continue developing the tourism sector, President Luis Abinader promised that he would not abandon this economy line. That is why great efforts are also being made to help micro, small and medium enterprises.

The president made these statements when he met with representatives of the tourism sector’s value chain at the Gran Bávaro Princess Hotel.

The head of state announced that a financial window would be opened through the Banco de Reservas to continue supporting tourism and helping entrepreneurs in the sector.

He argued that the government would provide the necessary funds so that next year, a territorial reorganization will be carried out to advance the real estate sector in the area.

The President assured that he is working hard to have the Land Use Planning Law approved to be applied.

He explained that 2.8 million dollars were destined to construct the Sargasso Barrier and 70 million pesos for the Beach Regeneration Plan, which will benefit 35 beaches throughout the country.

Likewise, the president instructed the Ministry of Public Works to start the asphalting of the different roads in the area.

He said that his government would give special attention to the different landfills of the various tourist spots that affect Bavaro and Punta Cana.

From the point of view of President Abinader, the national economy has been improving and advancing, adding that the agricultural sectors and free zones present a magnificent panorama.

Regarding the discipline that the government carries out, he considered that the expenses had been reduced considerably.

He pointed out that they are working hard and orderly to maintain social subsidies in areas that have not yet developed economically.

Dr. his side, the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, said that the President believes in the tourism sector and has not turned his back on it.

Collado said that the country should be proud of the government headed by Luis Abinader because he has worked honestly and transparently.

Present were the Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza; the mayor of the tourist district, Verón-Punta Cana, Manolito Ramírez, and businessmen and investors from the tourist sector.

235,000 passengers are expected to arrive this Christmas

Las Americas Airport, DR

 The Dominican Airports XXI Aerodom company announced that for the Christmas period, some 235,000 passengers are expected to return to the country through the airports operated by that company on 1,385 commercial flights from the United States, Europe, and other destinations.

Aerodom explained that this figure represents 50% percent of the passengers mobilized in relation to the last year 2019 when 550,000 passengers traveled during the same period through its different terminals.

Despite the increase in the number of flights and passengers, in the case of the Las Américas International Airport, José Francisco Peña Gómez, a Christmas atmosphere has not yet been observed, as in previous years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The trees, decorations, and other tracts typical of the Christmas season that Aerodom placed each year in the different terminal areas are conspicuous by their absence.

According to the details provided, more than 80% of the 235 thousand passengers expected to return to the Dominican Republic this year during Christmas come from cities in the United States, such as New York, Boston, New Jersey, Miami, Florida, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and other states.

To receive passengers, the Ministry of Public Health and the General Directorate of Migration has established a special protocol for applying tests against Covid-19.

Passengers arriving from abroad are recommended to come with their documented PCR test to avoid inconveniences upon arrival at national airports. And in this way, it prevents the riots inside the immigration and customs halls.

Abinader to support a tourism pummeled by pandemic

Punta Cana.- President Luis Abinader over the weekend stressed support of tourism amid the pandemic, promising that he will not leave this line of the economy in distress.

During a meeting with representatives of the value chain of the tourism sector held last Saturday at the Gran Bávaro Princess hotel, the President said the government makes great efforts to help micro, small and medium-sized companies.

Abinader also announced that to continue supporting tourism and help entrepreneurs in the sector, a financial window will be opened through the Reservas bank.

“The government will provide the necessary funds so that next year a territorial reorganization is carried out that allows the advancement of the real estate sector in the area, ensuring that hard work is being done so that the Territorial Ordering Law is approved in order to be applied,” he said.

American Airlines reduces its tickets to Puerto Plata by more than 70%

American Airlines has arranged a reduction in ticket prices by more than 70% on its flights through the Gregorio Luperón International Airport, which for the first time allows Puerto Plata to have prices similar to those of other airports in the country.

This was indicated by the regional director of Tourism, Estephanie Kfouri, who stressed that with her measure for the first time in many years, the airline places these rates similar to those established in the other airport terminals in the DR, according to the local press.

He explained that the initiative above stimulates the increase in the arrival of international tourists to the north, where they can enjoy more attractive hotel offers due to the reduction. In turn, the flight-hotel offer, promoted by the leading Tour operators, operates on this coast.

The official took the opportunity to report that on December 17, the Gregorio Luperón international airport in Puerto Plata will receive the new flight AA 2307, from Miami, with which they will add two daily flights to Miami and a Saturday flight to Charlotte, United States, totaling three weekly American Airlines flights.

Tourism police announce heightened vigilance

Santo Domingo.- The Tourist Security Corps (Cestur) on Tuesday announced reinforced surveillance in tourist centers, highways and airports in the face of the recovery of tourism and the increase in the arrival of national and foreign travelers.

Cestur director Juan Carlos Torres said 1,600 officers will patrol the streets supported by Navy, Air Force and National Police and other agencies.

He indicated that in the face of the pandemic and to monitor compliance with the protocols in hotels, tourist areas and airports, the Public Health and Tourism Ministries as well as the Hotels and Tourism Association, will guarantee safety.

Top official says tourism sector recovers little by little

The arrival of tourists to the country grew by almost 150% last November. Compared to the previous month, the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, said yesterday, adding that this shows that the sector is recovering little by little.

He said that in July of this year, 54,000 tourists arrived in the country, in August about 50,000, but if you look at October, there was a growth of 50% and that in the East the increase was 100%.

Speaking in a meeting with the president of the National Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic (Asonahores), Paola Rainieri, the Minister of Tourism, reported that the Punta Cana Airport has just announced 159 flights for this week.

“They were receiving three daily flights, and they rose to 22 daily flights. The recovery is being seen, and the important thing is to continue working with the Tourism Office ”, he pointed out.
He recalled that the government’s priority is the health of the population and then recovery of the economy with tourism.

He said that the country is prepared with the best sanitary protocols, according to experts.
Balance. In her speech, Paola Rainieri gave credit for what was achieved in the sector in the 100 days of the new Government and what was done in her tenure as president of Asonahores, which ended yesterday.

Like Collado, he pointed out that tourism has been recovering, thanks to the health measures implemented and the recovery plan.

He said that there is a compromised sector and that although it has not yet returned its regular flow of tourists, it has been growing consistently under the Covid-19 pandemic.
He pointed out that joint work must be maintained and indicated that there are more options to explore to benefit the sector since “we have become more creative apart from the post-pandemic recovery.

He said that three months ago, international tourism was not a reality, so he opted for local tourism, but that today, thanks to the measures that have been taken, the situation is different.
Paola pointed out that the Land Management Plan is still pending in the sector.

Dominican Republic among tourism recovery leaders

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic is among the region’s countries whose tourism industry best recovers from the Covid -19 crisis, on which is projected to lose RD$3.32 billion (US$57.2 million), said tourism minister David Collado on Mon.,

He said that of all the airlines and flights reserved internationally, the country is at -43% and Mexico at -35%.

“The level of flights increased by 72%, which makes the country more attractive to the aviation sector in the last three months.”

He said recovery expectations for this month are satisfactory, since other airlines will restart operations from Germany and France, countries that will lift restrictions on their citizens from the 15th of this month.

Collado added that between November and April 84 new flight routes were approved, with more than 870,000 seats available.

As for hotel occupancy projections, the official said they will be around 50%.

Abinader assures that this is the best time to invest in the Dominican Republic

Bayahibe, La Altagracia President Luís Abinader assured that tourists visiting our country are safer here than in their countries of origin, noting that the coronavirus is under control by celebrating that the United States lowered the risk level from 4 to 3 for travelers who they visit the country. The Head of State said that this classification will help marketing, North American visits and the way the pandemic is being faced, where the World Health Organization (WHO) has congratulated the government's management to control the coronavirus. "We have capacity for 12 thousand tests, three times more than those that could be carried out before we arrived, which indicates the effort we have made," the president explained. Abinader highlighted the importance that this achievement can be discussed in those countries, and that tourists can communicate it, because this management is reflected in the statistics that we publish every day. The President of the Republic issued his considerations when speaking at the opening ceremony of the Hilton La Romana All Inclusive hotel, which is part of the Corporación Playa Hotels & Resort, of the Hilton chain. The investment Abinader stated that currently, it is the best time to invest in the Dominican Republic and assured that not only are we going to get out of the crisis, but that we are going to come out stronger than ever. " Likewise, he valued the work of the staff, tour operators, carriers, porters and all those who participate and carry out the work so that tourism in the countries continues to grow, strengthen and solidify. “A great job, which has helped him to recover, everyone has done a great combination. A great job, which includes all personnel, the tour operators, the carriers, those who do the work. The level has risen, due to the excellent service given by our Dominican staff in these hotels, ”he said. He argued that there are reasons to trust more, it will provide us with more development, more jobs and with a lot of transparency, we work hard to ensure the processes, so that there is a business climate, where the government and the private sector are allies in this tourism business . He congratulated the company Playa Hotels & Resort is a company that has a great development and could have more with the environment that is favored by the government currently, recognizing that it is the first time that the Hilton brand adds its brand, aimed at the market Dominican. “It is the first time that Hilton as a property is in the Dominican Republic, this in itself is something special. This company, which is the second most important in the world in hotel management, will not only help in this hotel, but throughout the country ”, he explained. Photo: Florentino Durán.

The Northwest to get the country’s 7th beltway

Santo Domingo.- Public Works Minister Deligne Ascención, on Sun. announced the construction of the Navarrete beltway (northwest), the country’s 7thbypass roadway.

He also said progress is being made on the reconstruction of the panoramic road Santiago-Puerto Plata, “which will allow a greater dynamization of traffic and economic reactivation of the Cibao region.”

He said construction on the Navarrete beltway will begin in the first quarter of next year.

Ascención made the announcement during the event held at the Arena Theater in Santiago, where the MOPC held a raffle for the construction of more than 42 small and medium-sized baseball fields in that province, with a cost of more than RD$172.0 million.

Breathtaking Dominican bay, a refuge for sailing, tourists

Santo Domingo.- This bay is considered, worldwide, as an important point for nautical tourism of sailing boats in the Caribbean region, in addition to its scenic beauty, it is a natural refuge against storms and hurricanes due to its geographical location and topography, Diario Libre reports.

Located to the west of the Puerto Plata province, also known as Bahía de Gracia or Gracias, “when according to some accounts Christopher Columbus himself would seek refuge in his environment, to save his fleet, during one or more storms.”

However, the impact it has on the bay is more than documented, exceeding its load capacity and environmental mismanagement.

Liliana Betancourt Fernández and Alejandro Herrera Moreno published with the Technological Institute of Santo Domingo in 2004 the book: “Bahía de Luperón: ecological notes for the conservation of a protected area,” where they detail the environmental impact that Luperón Bay has received due to different anthropic factors, among them the possible impact from nautical tourism.

Rebuild of the country’s 1st tourist road advances

Santiago.- Ministry of Public Works officials on Wed. supervised the reconstruction works of the La Cumbre Tourist Highway, Santiago Puerto-Plata.

“During the tour they observed the current evolution of the works, which include protection works, longitudinal and transverse drainage, retaining walls, table-type and gabion walls. Also the process of laying the cement floor,” says a statement.

It said that it’s satisfied with the level of progress, which reaches an 85% evolution with 30 paved kilometers at the country’s first panoramic road.

“The works contracted correspond to the reconstruction of 40 kilometers of highway in a mountainous area that connects the provinces of Santiago and Puerto Plata. They include extensions of the road, improvement and protection of slopes, transversal and longitudinal drainage, protection against landslides and earth.”

Sky Cana, new Dominican Republic airline receives first Airbus A321 aircraft

The owner is the young aeronautical entrepreneur Frank Diaz González. The new company does not belong to any of the large tourism projects operating in the East.

Las Americas Airport. – Sky Cana, the new Dominican airline, received this Wednesday at the José Francisco Pena Gómez International Airport of Las Américas, its first aircraft, an Airbus A321, twin-engine with capacity for 220 passengers in short and medium distances and announced its first international flight next Monday, December 14

Sky Cana, a project developed by a group of young aeronautical entrepreneurs headed by Frank Diaz González, has more than 150 Dominican employees. The operational responsibility is in charge of the company Sky High Dominicana.

Next week, the plane will be presented to the authorities and the press with its interior tour.

The Airbus A321 is the largest member of the aircraft that make up the Airbus A320 family. It is a twin-engine short-medium-range commercial aircraft manufactured by Airbus. The Airbus A321 is the only aircraft in this series that can carry that many passengers.

Sky Cana considers that its appearance represents a break in passenger transport for a national airline. It implies a radical renewal in the way of traveling to and from the Dominican Republic. Their website is www.skycana.com.

The new company executives explained that the name Cana was selected for the airline’s business name because when introducing Sky Dominicana to various people from various countries, it was more difficult to remember due to language and memorization issues. 

The owners

Sky Cana is owned by a group of young aeronautical entrepreneurs, led by Frank Díaz González, director of the air transport company Logic-Paq. He managed a large part of the equipment supplies that arrived in the country during the pandemic. Likewise, it was reported that the monthly average that the company moves to Cuba had reached 150 tons.

Diaz González obtained permission to operate a national airline in 2015, but it was not until the present moment when it was possible to specify for its first aircraft to arrive in the country

Dominican Republic hotels won 22 nominations at World Travel Awards 2020

Hotels in the Dominican Republic took 22 nominations at the 2020 World Travel Awards, announced in Russia, and the country as a beach and cruise destination.

Le Sivory Punta Cana by PortBlue Boutique was nominated as the Caribbean’s Leading Suite Hotel 2020.

Meliá Caribe Beach Resort, the leading all-inclusive family resort in the Caribbean 2020; Amanera, the leading beach resort in the Caribbean; Le Sivory Punta Cana by PortBlue Boutique, Casa Hemingway, the Caribbean’s leading boutique hotel, and Catalonia Bávaro Beach Golf & Casino, Eden Roc Cap Cana, the Caribbean’s leading boutique resort

Also, Barceló Bávaro Beach, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, a leading casino resort in the Caribbean; Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, Leading Conference Hotel, Puntacana Resort & Club, Leading Eco-Resort in the Caribbean; Casa de Campo, Honeymoon Resort; JW Marriott Hotel Santo Domingo, Leading hotel in the Caribbean; Rock Star Suite & Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, Leading Hotel Suite and Excellence Punta Cana, Leading All-Inclusive Resort.

Also, Amanera, Casa de Campo, the Caribbean’s leading luxury resort; Country House, Leading Resort; Tortuga Bay in Puntacana and Anii Villas, a leading Villa Resort, and Cap Cana Sanctuary, the most romantic Resort

Punta Cana International Airport nominated the Caribbean’s Leading Airport in the 2020 World Travel Awards.

Nelly Rent a Car, as the leading independent car rental company in the Caribbean; Port of La Romana, Leading Home Port in the Caribbean 2020, and the Dominican Republic as the Leading Beach Destination in the Caribbean 2020, Leading Cruise Destination in the Caribbean 2020 and the Ministry of Tourism, as the Leading Caribbean Office.

UN notes Dominican Republic’s pluses as a tourist destination

Santo Domingo. – The Dominican Republic has the potential to position itself as a safe and reliable destination, diversifying its offer, attracting new types of tourists and establishing itself as cultural, ecological and sustainable, with tourism being a key axis for an inclusive and resilient socio-economic recovery in the face of the crisis of COVID-19.

They are part of the recommendations of Inka Mattila, resident representative of the UNDP, and José Carlos Diez, economist and regional advisor of the organization, in the presentation “Role of Tourism in Socioeconomic Recovery.”

They label tourism “one of the main sources of income and employment at the national level and that its linkage with other productive sectors makes it an essential economic activity for development and economic growth. However, the COVID-19 crisis has slowed their productivity.”

Due to the closed borders and the confinement measures necessary to preserve health, in 2020 tourism as part of GDP shrank -42.5%, and a drop in tourism spending of at least 57% in 2019.

Expedia CEO: “Travel Recovery is Just Around the Corner”

Expedia CEO Peter Kern predicted a speedy recovery in tourism. “The recovery of travel is not on the horizon, but just around the corner. And it will not just be on wooded trails and scenic roads, but also in large, dense, crowded cities,” he said.

According to Bloomberg, he noted that travelers feel safe with the measures that the tourism industry has taken against Covid-19.

“Except for the vaccine, my feeling is that people were getting more and more comfortable with how safe air travel and hotels are, the precautions that the industry has been taking. The amount of reserves has increased as a result. Of course, it helps if everyone does their part to keep the virus under control,” he added.

Likewise, he mentioned that large cities like Paris and New York have overcome setbacks such as terrorist attacks; He also referred to the vaccine’s early arrival, as announced by the Pfizer and Moderna laboratories.

“This is a time with more science, more technology. We are not going to give up,” he assured.

However, the World Tourism Organization ( UNWTO ) recently reported that in 2020 there will be a drop in tourist arrivals of 70% compared to 2019 and expects a recovery at the earliest for the third quarter of 2021.

It is recalled, and as reported by REPORTUR.mx, Expedia Group announced a collaboration agreement with the UNWTO of the United Nations to promote the recovery of tourism and exchange information about travel data and consumption trends. The global travel platform and the international body will work on joint projects focused on understanding rural tourism, developing lesser-known destinations, and promoting education and skills development.

“Restoring travel will require an unprecedented level of collaboration in the public and private sectors, so working with the agency will allow us to join forces to rebuild the global tourism sector,” President Ariane Gorin said in mid-October from Expedia Business Services, highlighting their appreciation for working with UNWTO and demonstrating the group’s commitment to helping the industry recover.