Brazilian businessmen explore tourism poles in the Dominican Republic with interest to invest

A delegation of Brazilian companies is visiting the Dominican Republic to study possible investments in the country that could amount to US$1 billion.

The businessmen will visit the Bahía de las Águilas area (southwest) in Pedernales, where the Dominican government intends to promote a new sustainable tourism project and the traditional tourist resorts of Punta Cana and La Romana, to study real estate projects.

The eventual investments cover the defense, waste treatment, energy, real estate, and transport sectors, among others, as explained to Efe by lawyer João Paulo Todde, who represents a group of ten Brazilian companies.

The main project, valued at close to 200 million dollars, contemplates the construction of waste treatment plants, which would be established through a bidding process, within the new Solid Waste Law’s framework approved last year in the Antillean country.

In the defense area, Brazilian companies are interested in offering light armored vehicles, drones, cartography systems for mapping maritime and land borders, and facial recognition systems, among others.

There is also a project under study for the construction of small hydroelectric plants and another for the opening of a logistics center in the port of Caucedo (near Santo Domingo) to import Brazilian timber.

Todde affirmed that there are plans to establish a bi-national chamber of commerce in Brazil, similar to the one that already exists in the Dominican Republic, created with at least 200 Brazilian companies.

During their visit to the country, the Brazilian delegation has met with the Minister of the Environment, Orlando Jorge Mera, the C5i military intelligence center director, Rear Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Alfredo Pacheco, and other legislators.

He also plans to meet with the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Víctor ‘Ito’ Bisonó, and the executive director of Public-Private Partnerships (DGAPP), Sigmund Freund.

Dominican Republic, the region’s logistics hub

Santo Domingo.- Reaching the goal of dispatching within 24 hours the goods that arrive will be the first big step that will allow the Dominican Republic to become a logistics hub for the region.

Customs Director Eduardo Sanz Lovatón made the statement during his participation as a guest speaker at the virtual event “Dispatch in 24 hours” organized by the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic (AMCHAMDR).

The official stressed that dispatching the merchandise in a time not exceeding 24 hours entails the integration of all representatives of the logistics sector, which is why he urged importers to comply with the prerequisites established to carry out imports.

“A Customs that dispatches cargo arriving at the country’s ports in 24 hours contributes directly to the fulfillment of the goal of turning the Dominican Republic into the region’s Logistics Hub,” said Sanz.

Arrival of one million vaccines against COVID-19 from China

The plane was received by a delegation of officials from the Health Cabinet, led by the vice president, Raquel Peña.

With the arrival of this shipment, the National Vaccination Plan will be reactivated, which a month and two days after it began, has 675,000 inoculated people.

The vaccines will be transported by four heavily guarded trucks to the headquarters of the Expanded Program on Immunization (PAI – Programa Ampliado de Inmunización ), in Santo Domingo.

One million of these vaccines were contracted with the Asian company Sinovac; while the remaining 50 thousand represent a donation from the government of the People’s Republic of China, produced by China National Biotech Group (CNBG), a subsidiary of the state owned Sinopharm.

In addition, 51,200 syringes were donated.

DR to speed up entry and exit of travelers with electronic form

Starting April 1, all passengers entering and leaving the Dominican Republic will find it easy to submit the required information in digital forms through an electronic ticket portal for entries and exits to the country.

This was announced at the closing of the first virtual version of the ITB Berlin Now International Tourism Fair, adding that the system also allows the presentation of health information.

The measure is an effort to optimize the processes of entry and exit of passengers in the country and help reduce the spread of Covid-19.

The new electronic system combines digital versions of the Affidavit of Health of the Traveler, the Customs Declaration, and Embarkation/Disembarkation International forms in a single digital form. As of April 1, 2021, the use of digital forms will be mandatory.

“Since we launched the E-Ticket in November 2020, we have been testing the platform and receiving valuable feedback from passengers who have used it. So far, we have conducted more than 500 training sessions, and we have updated and improved the platform to ensure that as of April 1, there are no setbacks,” said David Collado, Minister of Tourism.

The form will request general information, such as the passport number, residence address, and the address of the place where you will be staying while in the Dominican Republic, as well as general customs information and a traveler’s health affidavit. Passengers must complete an arrival and departure form, and the system will generate two QR codes.

The Ministry of Tourism ( Mitur ) began to communicate to the corresponding public and private entities inside and outside the Dominican Republic about the new medium and has created tutorial videos with instructions on how to complete the forms and a list of frequently asked questions on the Viajero digital portal.

Likewise, the country maintains updated information on the latest travel protocols implemented in the Dominican Republic related to Covid-19.

Dominican airports have free internet access so that passengers who did not complete the form before flying can do so when they arrive in the country.

Meliá begins to see “important progress” in Dominican Republic tourism

THE PARADISUS PALMA REAL IS OUTLINED WITH AN OCCUPANCY OF 75% AT EASTER

 The hotel chain shows greater optimism in the medium term.

 Progress in the total reopening of its establishments in the country

The expectations of occupancy in hotels in the Dominican Republic are encouraging for Easter 2021 since it coincides with the gradual but constant recovery of tourism. Last year, the occupancy was minimal (if not zero) due to the recent incidence of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Such is the case of the Spanish chain  Meliá Hoteles International hotels,  which anticipates a summer of sure normality in destinations such as the  Dominican Republic and  Mexico;  this with an increase that will be noticed in the week off.

In this sense, Santiago Rivera, Managing Director of Meliá Hotels International in the country, informed arecoa.com that for the Greater Week the Circle- The Grand Reserve at Paradisus Palma Real hotel is shaping up to have 75%, the Meliá Caribe Beach 30% and the Meliá Punta Cana Beach 40% of its accommodation capacity.

He explained that, without a doubt, positive movements are beginning to be observed, which “make us much more optimistic in the medium – long term,” due to the confidence of visitors in the health and safety protocols implemented in the country and the hotels of the brand.

“There is an important advance compared to last year that we were already involved in the pandemic,” he added.

The hotel is expected to complete the opening of its total number of establishments in the country later since they have eight luxurious all-inclusive hotels located on the beachfront of Bávaro Beach in Punta Cana.

Dominican Republic eases curfew

Santo Domingo.-The Executive Power ordered that the curfew on Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday begin at 7pm until 5am of the following day, the same as the current schedule during weekends.

Through decree 171-21, free circulation of three additional hours is also granted, so that people arrive at their homes.

The sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages for consumption in public places and establishments, as well as in private ones for public use, was also prohibited.

One million Chinese vaccines arrive today: source

Santo Domingo.- The one million Chinese vaccines that Vice President Raquel Peña announced yesterday were ready to be sent to the Dominican Republic, will arrive at 4:30pm Wednesday, according to government sources.

The boarding process would have been delayed by a sandstorm (the worst in ten years) that affected the city of Beijing, China, as the airport was closed for a time for security reasons.

This time, the drug will arrive on a private charter flight, unlike previous deliveries through commercial flights. The cargo will arrive at the Las Américas International Airport, aboard a Boeing 777, of the Air China airline.

Tourism increases to 80% hotel occupancy allowed in the Dominican Republic

 The tourism sector projects a large flow of visitors for Easter

 Government relentless on the goal of reactivating the tourism industry

The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, announced the increase in hotel availability to 80%, which places the Dominican Republic as a world example of recovery in the midst of the pandemic, after compliance with the protocols and the current vaccination plan.

Hoteliers expected the action because they aspired to be increased to 80% at least for Easter “to continue the decline in cases and the vaccination process, ” as he told arecoa.com, the president of the Association of Hotels Tourism Projects of the East (ASOLESTE ),  Ernesto Veloz. 

In this consideration, and with the recent increase in occupancy that was previously set between 60 and 70%, Collado indicated that the total recovery of tourism in the country requires the commitment of all sectors while highlighting the work that the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR) does.

“Our philosophy of work of total delivery; my team, has not rested a single weekend, since the beginning of the pandemic, working to achieve the recovery of the sector,” he added.

He emphasized that he is not looking for percentages of the tourism promotion campaign worldwide or being partners in any hotel project but that they feel committed to recovering the country’s industry.

The minister spoke in those terms after ending a meeting held in the East with hotel representatives led by the directors of the Association of Hotels and Tourism ( Asonahores ), Rafael Blanco Tejera, and Andrés Marranzini, president and vice president of the entity, respectively, and the president of Asoleste, Ernesto Veloz; among others.

The meeting was supported by the Piñero Group, in the person of its executive vice president and CEO, Encarna Piñero, to performing at the Bahia Principe hotel in the area.

China delivers 1M vaccines to the Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo.- China delivered Sun. the one million new doses of Sinovac vaccine with which the Dominican Government plans to start this week the second phase of its National Vaccination Plan against Covid.

The first shipment, which arrived in the country at the end of February, was of 768,000 doses (including 50,000 donated), which were added to the 90,000 (of the 110,000) AstraZeneca that had arrived weeks before from India.

So far, some 606,006 people have been inoculated. At first, the first-line health personnel of the Covid-19 were prioritized, later to adults over 70 years of age and shortly afterwards, basic level teachers were included.

Then, the vaccination of people aged 68 years began, thus broadening the basis of the process.

Polish airline LOT resumes flights between Warsaw and the Dominican Republic

WITH AIR OPERATIONS, 19,500 NEW TOURISTS ARE EXPECTED

The president of the Civil Aviation Board ( JAC ), José Marte Piantini, reported that the Polish airline  LOT Polish, the fifth largest in the European Union, restarted its air operations from Warsaw to the Dominican Republic; which is projected to contribute 19,500 new tourists to the country in the next few days.

At the JAC plenary meeting, a program of 39 air operations from and to Poland was authorized in the charter flight modality. This activity reconnects the European country with Dominican territory through the airports of Puerto Plata and Punta Cana.

Flights with Poland had been discontinued in March last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic; Therefore, with the approval of air operations, the JAC promotes the reactivation of tourist activity with one of the most important European destinations for the country.

LOT Polish Airlines is one of the oldest airlines globally and a significant air operator serving 68 destinations in 36 countries, based in Warsaw, Poland.

At the JAC plenary meeting, a total of 628 new charter flights were approved, of which 183 correspond to passenger operations.

The major Latin American tourist sources that the Dominican Republic is not taking full advantage of

 They are key markets to promote the recovery of tourism in the country

 Diversifying the tourism product is a pending task for RD

The Dominican Republic has a tourist cake with great potential in Latin America, especially in the source markets of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico; however, at present, the quota of tourists from those countries that the DR has managed to attract in recent years has been minimal when compared to the volume of visitors from those nations that go out to vacation in the world every year.

According to official statistics, in 2016 a total of 137,642 Argentine tourists arrived in the Dominican Republic, while globally, the tourist flow from that market was 12,821,000. In the case of Brazil, only 125,984 visited this country in the year under analysis compared to 20,920,201 visits in the world.

As for Chile, 84,601 chose to travel to the DR in that period, but worldwide visits by Chileans amounted to 9,252,375. Regarding Colombia, the contribution of tourists to the Dominican market was 100,697 visitors compared to 11,805,615 in world terms. The arrivals from Mexico to this country were a total of 36,997 visitors, a minimum figure when looking at the 39,490,593 Mexicans who left to travel the world in 2016.      

It should be noted that although in the 2016-2020 period, the tourist flow of the markets mentioned above has maintained a slight growth year after year, with the obvious exception of 2020 due to the negative impact that the global tourism industry suffered from the Covid- 19, whose devastating effects still afflict tourism and travel; The truth is that the contribution of visitors from these markets to the Dominican Republic represents a challenge for the Caribbean country that must strengthen its promotional offensive from now on to have greater participation in these significant Latin tourist sources.

In 2018, for example, a year cataloged as “historic” by the Dominican tourism authorities due to the large flow of visitors attracted, specifically the record figure of 6.5 million visitors by air. Argentina, a market that has traditionally led tourist arrivals to the DR in Latin America, contributed 221,850 visitors to the country at that time compared to 132,861 tourists from Brazil. Worldwide, 14,545,000 Argentines traveled that year and 24,133,026 Brazilians, respectively.

Against this background, it should be noted that these South American markets and Mexico (with a more significant presence today in DR tourism) are key sources to which the public-private sectors should target, especially at this time that it is urgent to diversify the local tourism product and boost a full recovery.

Boom of flights to Punta Cana from Spain for Easter

HIGH DEMAND IN RESERVATIONS EXCEEDS PROJECTIONS OF EVELOP, WAMOS AIR, AND AIR EUROPA

 Punta Cana is the star destination in the Caribbean for the week off.

 Airlines add more flights to meet the overflowing flow of tourists.

Evelop, Wamos Air, and Air Europa have seen their reservations to the Caribbean overflow for Easter, according to Preferente, since the three Spanish airlines have had a response from the market that has exceeded all forecasts, to the point that they have had to add a second roster of fights on the fly for operations in three weeks’ time.

Punta Cana is the star Caribbean destination for Spanish travelers, with departures from Madrid.

Wamos Air and Air Europa had an operation scheduled and had to add a second frequency due to the demand for all the destinations on offer.

Evelop, on its side, also flies to Punta Cana, where the vaccination plan contemplates that by the end of the month, practically the entire destination will have received the Chinese vaccine, but also the Barceló Group airline, which will be renamed Iberojet, has been operating since this week to Cancun and will continue to do so during Holy Week.

Meanwhile, the flights to Cuba, which Iberia and Air Europa had been operating, have been conditioned because the island forces a quarantine on everyone who lands from abroad. The forecast is that Havana will register a flood of tourists from May when restrictions are also lifted from its primary market, Canada.

Thus, the overwhelming demand for flights to the Caribbean from Spain during the following Easter, which has exceeded the forecasts of the charter airlines, represents proof of confidence that the desire to travel is more significant than ever before and that a majority of wage earners, whose income has hardly been affected in the last year, has saved and wants to spend it on vacations even long haul and on another continent.

Powerful Marriott bets on Dominican Republic with “10 ongoing projects” in the countryShares

The Marriott International hotel chain president, Brian King, is optimistic about the future of the tourism sector, despite the uncertainty that still lingers due to the Covid-19 pandemic. And for the Dominican Republic, this is evidenced by the hotel company’s intentions to have ten projects currently underway, “with which we expect to add more than 2,000 rooms on the island.”

“In addition, we announced a franchise agreement with Sunwing Travel Group’s hotel division, Blue Diamond Resort, to significantly expand our all-inclusive portfolio,” he added.

King explained that the commitment to the destination is due to “the favorable environment in the Dominican Republic. We continually evaluate growth opportunities. Marriott International sees a strong opportunity for quality experiences and investors with long-term prospects.”

“The Dominican Republic, with its vibrant culture, exceptional beaches, and world-renowned resorts, has been an important destination for Marriott International for decades,” he emphasized, according to Diario Libre.

Marriott International operates six hotels with a total of 1,167 rooms in the Dominican Republic, including the JW Marriott Santo Domingo, Renaissance Santo Domingo, and The Westin Puntacana Resort & Club.

More than 220 thousand tourists expected for this month; improvement in the tourism sector highlighted

David Collado assures that new strains of coronaviruses do not yet represent a risk for the sector.

More than 220,000 tourists are expected to arrive in the country this month, thanks to the important recovery that the sector has been showing, assured yesterday by the Minister of Tourism, David Collado.

According to Collado, with the number of arrivals of non-resident passengers expected, there would be a 35% growth compared to February.

“In a very favorable scenario and imitating the trend of arrivals of last December, the country would be receiving more than 268 thousand passengers this month, for a monthly variation of 60%. Under the assumptions of a more moderate recovery, the DR would exceed 199 thousand passengers, 19% above the flow of February 2021,” he said.

He said that with the first days of March, there are signs of important signs of recovery, led mainly by Santo Domingo and Punta Cana’s airports, with a monthly growth of over 30% and more than 49,000 arrivals of non-resident foreigners.

International flight arrivals for the first six days of March of this year show monthly growth of 22% over the record of the first days of the previous month, with a flight occupancy rate of 52%, higher than the average of the last 40 days. The upturn in Dominican flights has been led mainly by tourists coming from U.S. cities, it notes.

The ministry pointed out that the improvement of health indicators in the United States augurs that the pace of recovery already observed in tourism would be maintained throughout March. With the beginning of the vaccination process, new contagions decreased.

Bookings. Regarding room reservations per night, Collado said that these are located above the records of 2020, especially in the Punta Cana area. “In the last week of March, more than 20,000 hotel rooms will be occupied,” he said.

New covid strain. When asked about new strains of covid-19, the Minister of Tourism said that the new variants of the virus circulating in the country do not represent any risk for that tourism sector at the moment.

“We have full confidence in what the government is doing in terms of health. Positivity in airports is less than 1%, positivity in hotels is below 1% as well,” he said.

He assured that the credibility and confidence of the country, in terms of health and sanitary safety, is at its best moments and highlighted the management of the vaccination process being carried out by the Government, but that it is the responsibility of the health cabinet to refer to the issue of the new strains.

ZOOM

Fall in February
Collado pointed out that the arrival of tourists to the country was reduced last month, compared to January, due to the decision of the United States to impose a quarantine on its citizens leaving its territory. Last month the country received the visit of 167,309 passengers, a lower number than the 177,600 who arrived in January of the same year, representing a drop of 5.8%.

Dominican Republic expects a rebound in tourism in March, says Minister David Collado

SANTO DOMINGO – The Dominican Republic expects a rebound in tourism in March, with the arrival of between 199,000 and 268,000 foreign travelers during the month, Tourism Minister David Collado announced Wednesday.

These figures represent an increase of between 20% and 60% over last February, a month for which the Central Bank has not announced official figures for traveler arrivals.

In March 2020, the month in which the Dominican Government decreed the closing of borders due to the pandemic, 226,565 foreign travelers arrived. According to official figures, a year before, 446,343 non-Dominican tourists arrived in the country in the same month.

The Ministry of Tourism detailed in a press release that the entry of international flights in the first six days of March 2021 shows a monthly growth of 22% over the record of the early days of the previous month, with a flight occupancy of 52%, higher than that seen in the average of the last 40 days.

The upturn in Dominican flights has been led mainly by tourists coming from U.S. cities.

Room bookings per night are above 2020 records, especially in the Punta Cana area, where these transactions returned to pre-pandemic levels.

The improvement of health indicators in the United States forecasts that the pace of recovery already observed in tourism would be maintained throughout the month, the press release added.

Likewise, the Ministry highlighted that the reopening of hotels continues, so if the current trend continues, it is expected that Dominican hotels will end March with more than 42,000 rooms available, for an availability rate of 67%.

Encarna Piñero: “Vaccination will give a crucial boost to Dominican Republic tourism”.

 She highlighted the leadership that the country maintains in the Caribbean region

 “We continue renewing ourselves and betting on the DR,” she said.

The executive vice president and CEO of Grupo Piñero, Encarna Piñero, indicated to arecoa.com that the vaccination plan is a key point for the total reactivation of the tourism sector in the Dominican Republic.

“If the vaccination rhythm continues and the employees of the industry receive their vaccinations, this will give much more confidence in the destination, remembering that the DR is one of the most important tourist spots in the Caribbean, and it would be a crucial take-off for tourism,” she said.

The group leader, which has Bahia Principe, the largest hotel by the number of rooms in the Dominican Republic, said that they are currently analyzing the opening of one of their hotels in Punta Cana. Still, it will be defined according to the evolution of the US market since the Canadian market is closed. The European market is not yet fully developed since these are the DR’s primary tourism sources.

About the occupancy of the hotels in Bahia Principe, Piñero said that it is a little unstable between 40 to 50%, during weekends driven by the local market, even so noticing a trend in sales for the coming months, “knowing that everything will improve over time and projections are good.”

“These have not been good times, but we are always committed to our purposes. 2020 was a year of teaching and learning. That is why we do not rest in continuing to renew ourselves and betting on the DR as a tourist destination, a country that for the Piñero Group is like our home, and how it has handled the pandemic issue has created an environment of comfort and safety for the visitor,” she added.

She also said that the hotels of the tourist group in the country are at the forefront in terms of health safety and protocols, ensuring that their guests and collaborators are complying with all the measures suggested by the corresponding Dominican entities.

Encarna Piñero made these statements to this tourism digital, in the framework of the agreement with the PGA through which its Ocean’s 4 golf course is renamed PGA Ocean’s 4. Located within the Playa Nueva Romana residential resort, the attractive center becomes the new golf facility in Latin America affiliated with the PGA of America.

Consumers Are Looking Forward to Traveling Again

American Express - Global Travel Trends Report

“As we look ahead to a return to travel later this year, we asked travelers from seven different countries including Australia, Canada, Mexico, Japan, India, the United Kingdom and the United States, about what’s on their minds as they plan for or dream about their next trip. While individual sentiments differ, one thing is clear: there’s a pent-up demand for travel and a clear appreciation for the benefits that it can bring. In fact, people miss traveling so much that 76% of respondents surveyed are creating their destinations wish list for future travel even though they might not be able to travel yet.

Audrey Hendley, President of American Express Travel

Consumers Are Looking Forward to Traveling Again

Travel is not only about the destination; it’s about the entire experience. 2020 tested us, and in 2021 travelers are turning to planning future trips as a way to unwind, whether through wellness-focused experiences, culinary explorations or connections with families and friends. In fact, 64% of respondents miss traveling so much that they are willing to give up social media for a month to go on vacation safely.

Travel to Uplift Health & Wellness 

While consumers’ comfort levels with travel and the types of trips they choose to take may differ, we can all benefit from a little wanderlust. Eighty-seven percent of respondents agree that having a trip planned in the future gives them something to look forward to and say that planning future travel makes them feel excited (63%), happy (53%) and hopeful (53%). Additionally, 78% of respondents indicate wanting to travel in 2021 to relieve the stresses from 20201. 

For travelers looking to unwind and relax, American Express Travel consultants recommend staying at hotels with a wide range of outdoor activities or wellness-

Planning and Paying for Future Travel

Travelers are already thinking ahead to how they’ll book and pay for future trips. With the increase in flexible booking options, respondents are ready to book now, with 56% of respondents indicating that they miss traveling so much that they are willing to book a trip even if they might have to cancel it in the future1.

Culinary Tourism is Here To Stay

Travel gives us the opportunity to immerse ourselves in new cultures and experience local cuisines – from that first bite of deep-dish pizza in Chicago to homemade pasta in Rome. Sixty-four percent of solo traveler respondents agree that they want to take a foodie vacation and 62% of all respondents say that eating is the top activity they are interested in doing while traveling1.

American Express Travel booking data for January 2021 shows foodie centric cities as top destinations for U.S. and International Card Members. Miami, San Francisco, Chicago and Houston are hot spots for U.S. American

https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/fine-hotels-resorts/get-inspired/global-travel-trends

Gov. mulls construction material imports as sector weakens

Santo Domingo.- Faced with the rise of building materials, which has caused the sector’s standstill in the North region, the Government is considering the possibility of entrepreneurs importing products as a way of alleviating prices.

Yesterday, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Ito Bisonó, met with the president at the National Palace and said that “the government is thinking and we are looking at how to facilitate those who are demanding the building materials, in all their elements, whether rods, cement, wires, be imported as well.”

In recent weeks, builders have decried the more than 30% increase in construction products.

The hikes are due not only to scarcity, but also to the chain of intermediaries and the shortages that impact prices, the official said.

He said if the agreement is implemented, importers should meet quality standards and adjust prices.

Construction stopped due to rising materials

Santiago. The Association of Housing Developers and Builders of Cibao (Aprovovici) began a six-day work stoppage yesterday to demand the Government to stop the “disproportionate” increases in construction materials. Landy Colón, president of the entity and who served as spokesperson during an act in the Edificio Empresarial, informed that the paralysis of the sector would affect more than 100 works and involves 80 builders. Colón said that this causes a loss of 700 million pesos in the economy of Santiago and that the cessation of the works will affect hardware dealers, master builders, engineers, and the intermediary agents of the construction sector in the head municipality. “The cost of construction of a house has risen percentage-wise between 15% and 25% in the period January 2020 to February 2021, naturally, depending on the social class to whom such housing is directed,” revealed engineer Landy Colón.

Increase

The board of directors of Aprocovici revealed that according to a study of the situation made recently, housing aimed at the middle class marks an increase of more than 20% in construction costs. “Faced with this unbearable situation, we call on the competent authorities to proceed to stop what is happening because these exorbitant increases are not commensurate with the increases recorded in raw materials,” he said.

According to the explanations offered, gray cement registered an increase of 29.23%, rods 18.9%; industrial concrete, 10.78%; PVC 89.1%, concrete blocks 38.66%, aggregates in general, 24.87%; melts 34.10%, waterproofing 34.20%, glue coating 13.37% and electro-welded mesh 8.50%.

The possibility of making investments is fading away.

Several sectors have been complaining about the disproportionate increase of materials, while for others, the possibility of owning their own home or making investments to expand or remodel the one they already have is moving away because prices have skyrocketed. However, the government has announced the construction of unprecedented housing solutions.

To date, the Dominican Republic has exceeded 400 thousand vaccinated against COVID-19

This Monday, the Dominican Republic exceeded more than 400 thousand people vaccinated against COVID-19 after the National Vaccination Plan began last February.

This is recorded by the Ministry of Public Health, who detailed that 400,041 people in the health area and adults over 70 have already been vaccinated against the coronavirus.

The newly appointed Minister of Public Health, Daniel Rivera, revealed last week that the initial goal was to vaccinate 40,000 people per day and exceeded 72,000.

It is recalled that the vaccination day began on February 16. Since that date, there have been 818,000 doses, which correspond to two types of vaccines, those produced in India under license from AstraZeneca and those manufactured in China by the Sinopharm laboratory.

Vaccination of people over 70 years of age is maintained in the first stage. The Government expects to receive the subsequent two shipments of vaccines from the AstraZeneca laboratory, scheduled for March 15 and 25.