30 flights cancelled between Santo Domingo and eastern U.S. due to snow storm

Las Americas Airport

Dozens of passengers were stranded this Monday morning at Las Americas International Airport due to the cancellation of some 30 flights to and from New York City, affected by an intense snowstorm.

According to a report from the airport’s Flight Operations department, most of the canceled operations had New York City as their final destination and Boston and New Jersey.

In addition to the flight cancellations, the snowstorm has also caused the closure of schools and colleges and the vaccination program developed by the state governor’s office and the government.

The airlines affected by the cancellation of operations are United Airlines with three flights to New Jersey Liberty Airport. Also, JetBlue with five canceled operations departing from Las Americas Airport to the John F. Kennedy terminal and two to New Jersey, and one to Boston.

Delta Airlines also canceled four operations from Las Americas International Airport to New York City.

In total, according to data provided by Aeropuertos Dominicanos XXI Aerodom, some 30 flights to and from New York and other cities in the United States have been canceled in the last hours due to bad weather conditions in those cities.

Meanwhile, dozens of travelers who had reservations on the canceled flights have returned home, and others are still running errands to change the date and departure status after the bad weather dissipates.

Despite the weather situation in New York, Boston, and New Jersey, flights to and from Miami, Florida, through this terminal of Las Americas, continue to operate normally.

In front of American Airlines’ counters, the main airline operating flights to Miami, it was noticeable this morning dozens of people were checking their documents and presenting their negative PCR or Antigen test to board.

The airlines advise passengers to contact their travel agents or airline employees before departure to avoid any inconvenience at the airport.

Some passengers regretted that they already had in their hands the Covid-19 negative test document required by the U.S. authorities to be allowed to enter U.S. territory.

Andrea María Ramírez, who was about to leave on one of the canceled flights, explained that since last Sunday, she had the Covid-19 test document, but because she could not travel this Monday, she will have to take it another day.

Another of the passengers affected by the cancellation of flights was Ramón Núñez Solís, who said that God has a purpose for everything, and if he wanted him not to travel this Monday, he was calm and happy to spend another few days with his family.

“The important thing is that we are alive and healthy,” said the passenger, who was scheduled to leave on a JetBlue commercial flight to Boston, United States.

In the aircraft parking area of Las Americas Airport, a line of airplanes from different airlines can be seen parked due to operations’ cancellations to and from the United States.

Abinader and important officials meet with actor Vin Disel in Puerto Plata

President Luis Abinader and important officials of his government met this Thursday privately with American actor Vin Diesel.

It is estimated that they discussed future projects and business in a meeting in a restaurant in the Bride of the Atlantic.

Earlier today, the president inaugurated a treatment plant of the wastewater system and the Luperon municipality’s impulsion line, with an investment of more than 300 million pesos.

In addition to the head of state, the minister of tourism attended the meeting, David Collado; the Administrative Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza and the senator of Puerto Plata Ginnette Bournigal.

Closure of the borders of Canada and France threatens the arrival of more than a million tourists to the country

In 2020, despite the closure of borders and the fall in tourism, about 415,131 travelers from Canada and France were reported.

The coronavirus pandemic has left a deep wound in Dominican tourism, which, when weighed that it was going to recover again, is affected by the closing of borders.

Recently, countries such as Canada and France announced that they would not allow the exit and entry of people through their airports, which represents a severe blow to national tourism since the first country is the second from which the largest number of tourists enter the Dominican Republic.

In 2019, a total of 5 million 357 thousand 619 foreigners entered the country, of which 865 thousand 927 came from Canada and 219 thousand 750 from France, for a total between both lands of 1,085,677 tourists.

In 2020, the year in which the coronavirus pandemic arrived, 337,297 people came from Canada and 77,834 foreigners from France. However, this is not a reference that denotes the importance of tourism from these countries.

Historically, the country receives direct flights from Latin America, the United States, Canada, and Europe.

The arrival of visitors has meant foreign exchange income to the country from tourism for more than US $ 58,000 million between 2010 and 2019, receiving only in 2019 an amount of US $ 7,468.1 million.

According to the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD), tourism income represented 36.4% of exports of goods and services during 2019. In that same year, it received in remittances an amount of US $ 7,468.1 million, that is, 8.4% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

According to official figures, the number of accommodation units continues to grow, surpassing the 86 thousand hotel rooms available in 2019.

“Just when the national tourism sector began to resume its growth trend, after the adverse impact on flight reservations to the country as a result of the international press coverage of the unfortunate death of some American tourists during May and June 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic surprises the world ”, explained the BCRD in a document published on its website.

The arrival of tourists through airports

In 2020, the airport with the highest tourists’ flow was Las Américas with 954,984; Puerto Plata 389,706; La Romana 193,020; Cibao 242,837; La Isabela 18,753 and El Catey de Samaná 81,868 passengers.

In that order, 1,699,194 people arrived through the airports to the country, which means that compared to 2019, there was a reduction of 3,658,425 tourists. The same document indicated that after the airports’ reopening in the July-December period, 10,011,224 tourists arrived. Before the coronavirus, the Dominican Republic received about 6.5 million visitors annually. It occupies first place in the Caribbean region and number 49 on the planet.

According to statistics from the Central Bank, in 2019, the country received 160,924 people who belonged to countries that make up the United Kingdom. Of those, 158,085 belong to England, 2,016 to Ireland, and 823 to Scotland.

According to the entity, even though the interannual flow of travelers in the second quarter of 2020 was zero (-100.0%), in December, the number of non-resident visitors (foreigners and Dominicans) reached 348,464 tourists, representing 55.8% of the total number of non-resident visitors who arrived in the country.

Abinader promotes tourism on the North coast with more than 40 projects

THE PRESIDENT PRESENTED THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA

 The works will be managed through a trust

Last Thursday, President Luis Abinader led the launch of the Master Plan for Tourism and Economic Development of the tourist areas in the north of the country, including the development of more than 40 investment projects.

Abinader announced that there are investment offers for the projects from foreign companies and international organizations.

He said that the works are offered to be operated and managed through a trust to guarantee that the resources are diverted to their assigned purposes.

The governor also announced the creation of the Nautical Tourism Directorate, which has the task of presenting him with an action plan for the provinces of Puerto Plata and Samaná.

He revealed that another project contemplated is the Ruta de Colón, a historical corridor that includes Santiago, Puerto Plata, and Valverde’s provinces.

“It will be a corridor similar to the one in Spain, ‘known as the Santiago Corridor,” said Abinader.

In a ceremony held in Playa Dorada, the president, together with the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, presented the plan, whose scope and profiles were explained by the architect Shanny Peña, director of Tourism Planning and Projects.

Peña stated that the plan includes developing a tourist corridor in the North Zone of the country, real estate projects, theme and ecological parks, underwater diving, and a 250-kilometer coastal sea route between Punta Rucia and Río San Juan.

He indicated that the Plan includes investments in new tourism projects in Puerto Plata, Sosúa, Cabarete, Maimón, Luperón, and Imbert.

While Collado reported that the initiatives are necessary because tourism contributes 15% of the national economy’s resources.

He said that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the country has stopped receiving more than 3 billion dollars.

2020 hotel occupancy was 40.5%, Dominican Tourism Ministry says

Santo Domingo.- Hotel occupancy closed 2020 at an average of 40.5%, according to data published by the Tourism Ministry, and only a third of the rooms available were occupied last Dec.

Occupancy, based on the number of rooms enabled and not those that exist in the country, hovered around 30% in the last two months last year in a period in which improvement is usually felt at the beginning of the high season of Dominican tourism.

The pandemic, which completely hobbled the operations of the tourism sector between mid-March and the end of June 2020, has dealt a severe blow to the Dominican hotel industry. “From January to November last year, the activity of hotels, bars and restaurants accumulated a drop of around 48%,” said the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic.

By region, the best average level of hotel occupancy was posted in Samaná, at 59.4%, with the exception that the hotel sector in that area was without activity for seven of the 12 months last year

Frontier expands in the Dominican Republic: opens new flight between Miami and Punta Cana

Frontier Airlines is increasing its expansion to the Dominican Republic with a new route from Miami to Punta Cana, starting March 8, 2021. Non-stop flights will be operational on Mondays and Fridays.

The announcement comes after Frontier launched service from Miami to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in December of last year.

“We are delighted to continue our exceptional growth at the convenient Miami airport with new nonstop flights to Punta Cana,” said Daniel Shurz, Frontier Airlines senior vice president of commerce.

The news comes as Frontier has announced a new release in the Caribbean from Miami, with a new service to St Thomas in the Virgin Islands of the United States.

“These new flights will offer unmatched affordability and access between Miami and two beautiful destinations in the Caribbean. Additionally, the flights will maintain Frontier’s high standards of health, including the use of required face masks, temperature controls, and improved onboard cleanliness,” said Shurz.

On his side, Lester Sola, director of Miami International Airport, said, “We look forward to welcoming additional Frontier Airlines services.”

“We deeply appreciate your growing commitment to serving Miami-Dade County and helping our passengers return to their air travel safely,” he added, according to Caribbean Journal.

Curfew lowered amid wave of infections

Today flexibility is extended with 127 deaths in 9 days.

Santo Domingo, DR

With reports of 19 new deaths and 1,143 new infections of Covid-19, the country will begin new schedules and flexibility measures in the mobility restrictions imposed on the population to prevent infections and the more generous opening of businesses to receive the public today.

In just nine days, the system reports the registration of 127 new deaths from Covid. For more than a week, the death figures have been on the rise, and although the system registers them as notified in the last 24 hours, the exact date on which the deaths have occurred is not established.

 To date, the country accumulates a total of 2,564 deaths from Covid and 206,305 cases confirmed as positive by laboratory tests. It is estimated that about 80% of patients are asymptomatic and that about 5% will require hospitalization.

With the record of 1,143 new positive cases captured in the last 24 hours, the country reaches 53,929 active points of people who remain optimistic about the virus and transmit it to their direct contacts.

Hospitalizations

Some 1,259 patients remained hospitalized yesterday in public and private network centers due to Covid maintaining 46% of the 2,731 beds available to the system nationwide. However, in large cities, the availability of beds is reduced.

In critical conditions, the system registered 307 patients yesterday, for 57% of the occupation of the 543 intensive care beds (ICU) arranged to serve this type of patients, according to the report of special bulletin number 313.

Under assisted ventilation, there were 164 patients for an occupation of 40% of the existing equipment for such purposes.

High positivity

The percentages of positivity of the processed laboratory samples remain high. The daily positivity remained yesterday at 25.03% and that of the last four weeks at 21.61%.

Yesterday’s report indicates that 6,896 laboratory samples were processed in the last 24 hours and that since March of last year to date, 1,012,644 have been processed, equivalent to 96,918 per million inhabitants.

The fatality rate is 1.24 percent, and the mortality per million inhabitants is 245.39.

The patients who have recovered from the disease total 149,812, and those discarded due to negative results are 806,339.

From today curfew more relaxed

Today, the new provisions announced by the Health Cabinet begin, which consist of the relaxation of the curfew hours, which will be from 7:00 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 5:00 p.m. on weekends, with three hours free for circulation, valid until February 8.

Also, the reopening of gyms with a capacity of up to 60% was authorized, the same percentage that will be allowed to bars and restaurants. Recreational activities and sports are also allowed on boardwalks and parks unless they involve crowding.

Mass parties and events involving crowding will continue to be prohibited, even in hotels governed by a different protocol, and religious activities in churches are allowed three times a week.

Vaccinations

Regarding the vaccine, President Abinader reiterated yesterday that one part would arrive at the end of this month, another in February, and the extensive recruitment comes from May.

He explained that Vice President Raquel Peña is working to specifically confirm when vaccines arrive in the country to immunize most of the population.

Abinader said that currently, there is “nervousness” because, in some places, the production of vaccines was affected; he mentioned that other countries have warned that pharmaceutical companies are sued for not complying with the agreement, specifying that so far, those destined for the Dominican Republic are insured.

The government contracted 10 million doses of vaccine with AstraZeneca under a US $ 40 million contract.

FIGURES

SPOTLIGHTS

National District.

The National District is the territory that registers the highest number of infected, with 57,946.

Santo Domingo.

The Santo Domingo province is in second place, with 40,294 infected until yesterday.

Santiago.

In third place is the province of Santiago, which registers 22,870 positives to Covid-19.

La Vega-Higüey.

The province of La Vega accumulated 8,692 until yesterday, followed by La Altagracia, with 7,796.

Puerto Plata.

It has 6,793 cases of Covid-19 as of yesterday.

The new hours in the establishments and curfew from tomorrow

Regarding the provisions recently announced by the Health Cabinet, Decree 37-21 goes into effect tomorrow with new hours in the different services and the curfew.

This Wednesday, activities that do not involve crowds will be allowed in outdoor spaces, including parks and boardwalks.

In bars and restaurants, they may receive 60% of their total capacity without exceeding six people per table.

Gymnasiums and religious denominations may also receive 60% of their total capacity, which will celebrate their activities three days a week, abiding by masks and physical distancing measures.

Regarding the public transport service, the Santo Domingo Metro will operate from 6:00 in the morning to 9:00 at night, Monday through Friday.

On weekends he will work from 6:00 in the morning until 7:00 at night.

The Cable Car will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, while the weekend hours will be until 7:00 p.m., opening at 6:00 in the morning on Saturdays and 8:00 a.m. on Sundays.

Meanwhile, OMSA services will run from 6:00 in the morning to 10:00 at night, Monday through Friday; and on weekends from 6:00 in the morning to 8:00 at night.

It is recalled that as of this Wednesday, the time restriction begins at 7:00 at night and ends at 5:00 in the morning, from Monday to Friday, with free traffic until 10:00 at night.

Instead, on weekends it will start at 5:00 in the afternoon and end at 5:00 in the morning, with a grace period of three hours to get home, that is, at 8:00 at night.

Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Recovery from COVID-19 for All Air Passengers Arriving in the United States.

Passengers FAQ

Aircraft Operators/Airlines/Crew FAQ

If you plan to travel internationally, you will need to get tested no more than 3 days before you travel by air into the United States (US) and show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight, or be prepared to show documentation of recovery (proof of a recent positive viral test and a letter from your healthcare provider or a public health official stating that you were cleared to travel).

On January 12, 2021, CDC announced an Order requiring all air passengers arriving to the US from a foreign country to get tested no more than 3 days before their flight departs and to present the negative result or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 to the airline before boarding the flight. Air passengers will also be required to confirm that the information they present is true in the form of an attestation. This Order is effective as of 12:01am EST (5:01am GMT) on January 26, 2021.

After You Travel

Get tested 3-5 days after travel AND stay home to self-quarantine for 7 days after travel.

• Even if you test negative, stay home to self-quarantine for the full 7 days.

  1. If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.​​

• ​If you don’t get tested, it’s safest to stay home to self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.​

• Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.

Always ​follow state and local recommendations or requirements related to travel

Starting tomorrow, travelers to the US must have a PCR test

SANTO DOMINGO.- Starting tomorrow, to board a plane heading to the United States, a Covid-19 PCR test must be shown no more than 72 hours before the trip.

The consul general of the United States in Santo Domingo, William Swaney, reported that said test would be required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDI).

According to Swaney, to board a flight to the United States, airlines will require written or electronic documentation of a negative test performed within 72 hours before the flight.

And if you already had Covi-19.

If you have already contracted Covid, you must present valid documentation from your recovery’s medical provider. The required test is a viral test, that is, PCR said the Consul.

Covid: Dominican Gov. to test tourists for free

Santo Domingo.- Starting Tuesday travelers leaving the national territory bound for the United States must present a negative COVID-19 detection test, as a requirement of that nation and the plans of the recently inaugurated administration of Joe Biden to control the spread of the coronavirus.

To meet the requirement the Dominican Republic is preparing to administer PCR and antigen tests both in air terminals and in hotels, which tourists can access for free.

According to Andrés Marranzini, executive vice president of the National Hotels and Restaurants Association (Asonahores), to date, 70% of the hotels are enabled with tests, be it PCR or antigen.

Why do tourists from the United States come to the Dominican Republic?

American tourists have a high appreciation of the country.

Santo Domingo, DR

The US market is one of the most important for the Dominican Republic in many economic aspects regarding exports, imports, and tourist flow.

An example of this is that in 2020, despite the economic situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, 69.5% of foreign visitors who arrived in the country after the reopening of airports (between July and December) came from the United States.

Because of this market’s relevance, the Dominican State is willing to make great efforts to attract tourists from that destination, who are a vital axis for the recovery of the tourism sector.

Proof of this is that last Monday; the Government promised to carry out antigen tests for American tourists for 60 days free of charge to diagnose Covid-19, as required by their country.

Although this will also be done with travelers from other countries that also require it, the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, emphasized those from the United States.

“We guarantee American tourists who come to the Dominican Republic that the antigen test will be provided in the next 60 days at no cost,” said the minister.

Preference

Just as for the Dominican Republic, American tourists are of great importance; they too have a high appreciation of the country. This is evidenced in the results of the “Opinion, attitude and motivation survey of non-resident foreigners 2019” of the Central Bank (BCRD).

According to the survey, most travelers from the United States choose this country for the quality of its beaches, climate, and hospitality. These three are the main reasons why Americans prefer the Dominican Republic as a tourist destination.

Regarding prices, 69.6% say they consider them reasonable and 20.1% low.

The vast majority of American tourists rate the services and facilities received in the country as good, outstanding, and excellent. Here, airports and hotels’ facilities and services are evaluated; the quality of food, entertainment, cleanliness, transportation service, and sports facilities.

This is why around 99% say that their expectations about the Dominican Republic as a tourist destination were met, and they are willing to return to the country. More than 70% would return to the same place they visited.

Hotel occupancy soars for long weekend

This weekend hotel occupancy reaches up to 60%

Santo Domingo, DR

The “bridge” that some Dominicans make for the long weekend, to commemorate the Day of the Virgin of La Altagracia and the birth of Duarte, will give life to the hotels in the tourist areas of the country, many of which will reach an occupation of 60% of the rooms they have in operation.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourist areas have begun to get some relief thanks to the past Christmas holidays and January holidays.

In the eastern part of the country, by this weekend, hotel occupancy is around 60%. This Thursday, the Ministry of Tourism began inspecting hotel facilities to confirm that sanitary protocol is being followed.

This information, given by the president of the Association of Hotels East Zone (Asoleste), Ernesto Veloz, confirmed to Listín Diario that the region would have a peak in occupation this long weekend thanks to the reservations of the local market.

“These days will be almost like a holy week for us because they are like five days of holiday. The occupation has grown quite a lot, around 20 points,” expressed the hotelier.

Veloz added that hotels in the eastern region would have occupied the maximum number of hotel rooms allowed by the sanitary protocol, between 65% and 70% of the total rooms. However, the hotels will have to operate with a lower percentage of their rooms.

The tourism businessman said that Punta Cana continues to have the majority of occupied rooms in about 40 hotels that are open in the region of the 67 existing ones.

“Now what we expect most is that people help us because the protocols are established, but it gets out of control sometimes because people get into a state of euphoria, and that is one of the big problems we have had, not that we are violating the protocol,” said Veloz. However, he valued the desire of local tourism to go to the east for a vacation because this has caused that “every weekend there is a peak.”

Andrés Fernández, the representative of La Romana’s hoteliers, informed this media that the occupation is expected to be healthy in the tourist destination, within the circumstances, with a more significant arrival of tourists this Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.

Fernández reported that this Thursday in Bayahíbe, the Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus hotel was reopened, an opening that will help 80% of the rooms in the destination be available to accommodate tourists.

Rent of villas

Veloz commented that one of the issues that concern hoteliers is the rental of villas through Airbnb, as it is challenging to maintain control of people.

“The tourists themselves establish the protocol, and there is no one who regulates it,” lamented the hotelier.

OPINIONS

The South receives a departure

Small hoteliers in the southern part of the country don’t believe what’s happening: many of them are getting more people now that there is COVID-19 than before the pandemic, and this weekend will be no exception.

The executive director of the Tourist and Productive Cluster of Barahona, Elena Nunziatini, received a report from hoteliers in the south, who told her that there had been a lot of demand because it is a holiday weekend, especially in small hotels and private homes.

Collado promises to recover the country’s tourism

Bayahibe, DR

During a tour of the Iberostar Selection Hacienda Dominicus hotel facilities, together with its director David López and other senior executives of the hotel chain, Minister David Collado said that he was concentrating on the measures of the Tourism Office.

He stressed that despite all the adversities that the pandemic is presenting worldwide for tourism development, he values ​​that the Fluxa family opens one more hotel and makes it available to all Dominicans. Collado showed confidence in this hotel’s executives by expressing that he saw compliance with all health protocols from the entrance.

As for the requirement by the authorities in the United States so that as of the 26th of this month, all citizens to enter that country have proof of Covid tests, the Dominican government via the tourism cabinet has just delivered 400 tests to the Hotel Association to be distributed, and at no cost to tourists.

High occupancy

“Internal tourism has been a total success; every weekend, the hotel chains are at high occupancy because of this,” Collado said, reiterating his call for health protocols to be respected, which he considers vital.

David Collado visited Iberostar

Reopening

Collado visited the Iberostar Selection Hacienda Dominicus hotel in Bayahibe, reopened after being closed for ten months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Protocol

Upon arrival at the hotel, the minister checked the entire process and sanitary measures in the hotel facility.

Abinader will build a new cruise terminal in Samaná

The government of Luis Abinader will invest more than RD$1,500 million during 2021 in infrastructure works in Samaná, among them a cruise terminal and the Santa Barbara boulevard entrance, according to the provincial senator Pedro Catrain.

“I have received some criticism for approving a lower budget for Samaná than the previous year, but it is a groundless criticism because the truth is that only in the first six months the government has invested in the province twice what is budgeted for this year,” he said.

Catrain expressed that he has met with President Luis Abinader, with whom he has discussed public investment in Samaná. “The president has guaranteed me that this year the entrance to the province will be built and that in February he will give the first blow to the construction of the cruise terminal,” he said, referring that only the investment in the construction of the entrance to the head municipality exceeds 700 million pesos.

According to the official, the boulevard at Santa Barbara’s entrance will return the splendor and beauty that a tourist province like Samaná should have.

The senator’s statements were offered while participating in the opening ceremony of several infrastructure works in Sanchez and Las Terrenas’ municipalities for an amount of RD$575 million, which was led by the Minister of Public Works Deligne Ascension.

Demand for real estate tourism shoots upward in Samaná

Since the opening of the tourism sector in the Dominican Republic in July of last year, the province of Samaná, due to the variety of accommodations, has managed to position itself as one of the favorites for tourists, mainly with significant demand in real estate tourism.

Projects of apartments, villas, ecolodges, boutique hotels have been maintained with high occupancy, all applying the health and safety protocols recommended by the central government such as the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) and the Ministry of Tourism ( Mitur ).

Another booming sector is nautical tourism; starting the high season, the Puerto Bahía Marina has received the visit of luxurious and modern mega yachts of up to 221 feet. Recreational boats, fishing boats, and sailboats of up to 84 feet have also arrived from different Caribbean marinas.

Likewise, it was reported through a statement that sailors have shown admiration for the variety of activities they can carry out around the bay.

Among the most frequented is the excursion to Los Haitises National Park, anchoring in Cayo Levantado and snorkeling, fishing just a few miles out of the bay, visiting the different beaches in the area spotting humpback whales.

It is also emphasized that Samaná is the tourist destination with the lowest incidence and lowest fatality rate during the pandemic.

Renewable energy generation will increase by about 334 megawatts

Santo Domingo, DR

Empresa de Generación Hidroeléctrica Dominicana (Egehid) has projected that hydroelectric energy and other renewable sources such as wind and solar will increase by 334.46 megawatts by 2024.

This projection made by the general administrator of the Egehid, Rafael Salazar, is based on the diversification of energy generation through 11 projects that would be developed by the entity, with an investment of more than US $1.083 billion.

According to the information given this Tuesday by Salazar in a meeting with the economic press, the existing hydroelectric plants generate 613.81 megawatts. Still, by 2024 they would reach an installed power of 948.27 megawatts.

Until then, the Egehid had stood out for its hydraulic generation, but now it is seeking to promote some solar and wind projects.

Works and investments

Among the projects already confirmed by the Egehid, because they passed the study phase, the Hatillo dam expansion could be ready by June of 2021. That would have an installed power of 10.76 megawatts and an investment of US$650,000.

Solar Generation

This year, three solar generation projects will also enter the system, according to information from the general manager of the Egehid.

One is “Brazo Derecho Solar” with three megawatts of installed power and an investment of US$6.6 million.

Salazar added that “Domingo Rodriguez Solar” and “Sabaneta Solar” would entail US$6.6 million each and would contribute to the annual growth of the installed power with three megawatts each.

In folder

By 2022, the Egehid has two projects in the folder. “Sabana Yegua Solar” would contribute three megawatts to the electrical system and represents an investment of US$6.6 million. In comparison, the “Tierra Nueva” wind farm would contribute 50 megawatts, and its development will cost US$114 million.

In a lunch with the press, Salazar informed that in 2024, the generation project “Las Placetas” will contribute 191 megawatts and will have an investment of US$750 million. The “Artibonito Project,” which would consist of two dams, which together would produce 52.2 megawatts of clean energy, would represent US$160 million, also, “San José (Guayubín)” would generate eight megawatts and would have a cost of around US$36 million.

The official said that it is expected that by 2024, also, the wind farm “Brazo Derecho” will be ready with an investment of US$17 million, generating 10 megawatts.

The installation of a mini power plant at the Yacahueque dam is another project that would be operating that year and providing 0.70 megawatts of clean energy.

US tourists will be tested at their hotels

President Luis Abinader announced on 18 January 2021 that US tourists staying at resorts in the Dominican Republic will be able to get tested at their hotels before departure. The US government is now requiring antigen (IgG/IgM test results within 72 hours of departure.

The Dominican government recently received 54,400 of the antigen tests from the Pan American Health Organization.

The Dominican government has also purchased 300,000 GenBody Covid-19 Ag antigen rapid tests manufactured in South Korea. Results are had 15 minutes after the sample is taken from the nose or throat.

The local supplier is Abastesa, SAS. The company says it has been supplying Dominican airports since September 2020 with more than 200 Confiscope G20 at Dominican airports in coordination with the Ministry of Defense, the C5i intelligence unit and the Airport Security Corps (CESAC).

Tourism Minister David Collado tweeted that the tests will be available for 60 days after the 26 January start of the mandate by the US government for travel to the United States. The Dominican government is picking up the tab for the tests carried out to US tourists.

The Central Bank projects the Dominican economy will grow 6% this year 2021

In a report on Challenges and prospects for the economy, the BCRD estimates that the country will have higher growth than projected this year for the Latin American region.

Santo Domingo, DR

In an analysis in which it expresses optimism regarding the recovery of the world and domestic economies, the Central Bank (BCRD) assures that the Dominican Republic will grow this year above its potential, by 6% of its gross domestic product (GDP ) and the growth projected by international organizations for the Latin American region. It indicates that this growth will take place in a context of price stability and strong macroeconomic fundamentals.

The BCRD explains in its report; “Challenges and perspectives of the Dominican economy for 2021,” that for the world economy an expansion of 4.0% is projected in 2021, which would imply a recession of shorter duration than other episodes of global contraction that had longer-term effects such as the International Financial Crisis of 2008-2009, World War II 1945-1946 and the Great Depression 1929-1932.

Justification
According to the report, there is a more favorable international environment, with a projection aimed at a rapid recovery in the United States, with support measures, monetary transfers, and stimuli to productive sectors, especially MSMEs; an improvement in the Euro Zone and emerging countries and in the Latin American region

It indicates that even though it is estimated that in 2020 the Dominican economy would close with a year-on-year fall of -6.7%, below the average for Latin America, since last March, the BCRD and the Monetary Board executed the broadest monetary stimulus plan in Central America and the Caribbean. This plan included a 50 basis point reduction in the monetary policy rate to reach its minimum historical rate of 3.00% annually, deficiencies in the provision of liquidity in foreign currency, and temporary regulatory measures. In addition, the government imputed support programs.

Data
The CB report identifies important damages for the recovery that recovery is expected at the global level, predicting a growth of the world economy of 4.% in 2021, with expansions of 3.5% in the United States of America of 3.6 in the Euro Zone, and 3.7% in Latin America.

WORLDWIDE
Favorable environment
The Central Bank affirms that the Dominican economy will resume its growth prior to the pandemic.

Finance
It also highlights that the fiscal accounts would recover this year and the confidence of investors will return due to the placement of external bonds.

Joel Santos: new strain of Covid delays tourism recovery

 He does not rule out that tourism will have a substantial comeback in 2021

 The vaccination process stands out in tourism source markets

The appearance of the new strain of coronavirus in the United Kingdom and the rebound that the disease has had, delays the recovery process of tourism in the Dominican Republic, as indicated by the adviser to the President on Tourism, Joel Santos.

“This trend has been slowed by the second and third waves that some countries are handling. This becomes a brake that delays, although it does not eliminate the recovery process,” he explained.

The official predicts that there are many positive signs that in 2021 the sector “will have a comeback,” but with a slower process in the first months, showing an acceleration towards the second part of the year.

Santos cited as one of those critical signals, the development of the anti-covid vaccine.

“It is essential to understand that the developed world, where many of our tourists come from, could have a vaccination level above 50 percent of the population by the middle of the year. It is a figure that must be closely monitored,” he said.

The former president of Asonahores also pointed out, in the “Wake up with CDN” program, that it is essential that in the first months of the year the industry maintain its vital elements, such as employment levels and that the opening process continue gradually, as well as then the complimentary offers of the sector.