Asonahores considers reopening of Canada and Europe “vital” to revive tourism

“BECAUSE AMERICA, AFTER A CERTAIN POINT, THERE’S NO WAY FOR IT TO KEEP GROWING.”

The president of the Association of Hotels and Tourism(Asonahores), Rafael Blanco Tejera, said that “for us it is essential that Canada and Europe open because the United States,after a certain point, there is no way for it to continue growing.”

He indicated that there is the confidence that Canada will allow its citizens to travel soon, and that is where the Dominican Republic hopes to take advantage of it to be of interest to Canadians again, according to Diario Libre.

“The arrival from that nation and also from Europe is vital on the way to return to the levels that were recorded before the arrival of Covid-19. ” There are countries in Europe that, in theory, are open but are not promoting their citizens to travel,” he emphasized.

The absence of such visitors has implications for the level of employment in the tourism sector, which has been hit hardest by the pandemic. Moreover, as the activity is subject to sanitary protocols dictated by the Ministry of Tourism – which only now allows the occupation of 80% of the facilities – this means that not all their employees have returned to the hotels.

In 2019, Canada and Europe accounted for 41% of foreign visits to the Dominican Republic, according to official data.

In the first half of this year 2021, Canadian and European tourists did not account for even 16% of arrivals to the country.

Hoteliers look ahead to profits again

Santo Domingo.- Hoteliers look ahead, within the framework of the COVID-19 pandemic, in which tourism becomes profitable again.

“We have to recover the tariff levels that allow us to be profitable as a sector, that is the second stage of recovery (…) And recovering what was lost will be the third visual of recovery,” said Andrés Marranzini, executive vice president of the Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic (Asonahores).

He told newspaper Diario Libre that the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimates the tariff recovery time between 18 and 24 months, accompanied by occupancy.

“That has been the high season of 2022, and the recovery of what was lost probably between 2024-2025,” he said.

The Dominican Republic – best Golf Real Estate Destination in the Caribbean

26 marvelous golf courses, the climate that allows playing during 12 months of the year, combined with the quality of the facilities, the security, the beaches, and the friendliness of the people, make the Dominican Republic the golf destination par excellence.

The growing desire to live in a healthier environment and the option of teleworking have triggered the demand in the residential tourism market. More and more families are seeking, totally or partially, to migrate to the coastal areas of the Dominican Republic, to enjoy an environment of nature, beaches, gastronomy and healthy social life, away from the noise and pollution of big cities.

Especially the eastern and southeastern areas of the country are experiencing a true explosion of Residential Tourism. Both, demand and supply, are growing daily.

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Dominican Repubic tourism reactivated: goes from 50,000 visitors to 462,500 in June

MINISTER DAVID COLLADO HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE PROGRESS OF THE SECTOR AMID THE PANDEMIC

 The United States contributes 75% of Canada’s closing arrivals

 Public and private sectors work hand in hand to recover industry

Dominican tourism advances in the arrival of visitors after the gradual reactivation of hotels, restaurants, and other components of the industry’s value chain after its paralysis due to Covid-19, as highlighted by the head of Mitur, David Collado.

“We started our tourism administration receiving 50,000 tourists. In the month of May (2021) 362,000 arrived and in June 462,500 foreigners, an unprecedented growth in the middle of a pandemic, with 75% of tourists arriving from the United States and having closed Canada and European countries, which represent millions of tourists a year, “said Collado.

The Minister of Tourism attributed the achievements to the cooperation efforts made between public agents and private agents as the prominent channelers of investments for this productive sector, which adds to its resilience as an economic activity.

“Working hand in hand with the private sector has brought greater transparency. For about 15 years it was not known what happened to foreign investment, but today the whole is reversed. The private sector decides how and when we are going to invest,” he said.

During his participation in the presentation of the study “Dominican Tourism: A Decade of Contributions,” he pointed out that the ministry he directs managed to save about RD$920 million in the international promotion contracts reached during the year 2020.

“I can say that to this date the Ministry of Tourism has saved RD$2,000 million. We are still working with the previous year’s budget,” he added.

Collado was invited to the presentation of the study, carried out by the Association of Hotels and Tourism(Asonahores)and Banco Popular, with the advice of the firm Analytica, which describes the behavior of the tourism sector during the decade 2009-2019, a period marked by the exit of the financial crisis of 2008 and the last year before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The activity was attended by Christopher Paniagua, the president of the National Council of Private Enterprise(CONEP), Pedro Brache, the president and executive vice president of Asonahores, Rafael Blanco Tejera, Andrés Marranzini, respectively; Paola Rainieri, director of the Puntacana Group, among others.

Dominican Republic keeps 8 of every 10 dollars earned from tourism

These are two of the main conclusions of the study “Dominican Tourism: A Decade of Contributions 2009-2019”, research presented by Banco Popular Dominicano and the Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic(Asonahores), which provides objective knowledge about the strength and potential of Dominican tourism and its leadership in the region.

According to the research prepared by the financial intelligence firm Analytica, during the study period, the accumulated inflow of foreign exchange generated by the spending of travelers plus investment in tourism reached US$68,217 million, of which 82% remain in the country, taking into account the outflows due to imports, foreign advertising and return on investment.

The accumulated foreign investment of the sector exceeded US$5.2 billion, representing 20% of the total foreign direct investment in the country during the ten years covered by the research and 30% for the last five years.

The massive inflow of resources into the Dominican economy is explained by the fact that the arrival of visitors during the decade exceeded 65 million, 7.5 million in 2019, with a total expenditure of US$63 billion. This represents an increase of 68% over the period. Meanwhile, cruise activity alone increased by 121%, while air arrivals were double those seen in the rest of the Caribbean.

Also, the increase in the flow of visitors drove an increase of 16,372 rooms during the last decade, which reached 82,221 in 2019. At the same time, hotel occupancy increased by more than 11 points, going from 66% in 2009 to 77.5% in 2018, before the media crisis.

The growth of the gross domestic product(GDP)of the Dominican Republic generated by the demand of tourists showed an average increase of 8.01%. Private activities directly or indirectly linked to tourism represent 13% of GDP. This figure rises to around 16% if public activity and domestic tourism are taken into account.

The research indicates that as a result of tourism, the sum of 573,000 jobs was generated in the country, directly and indirectly, which corresponds to 12.3% of all jobs in the country.

In terms of tax, tourism contributed more than RD$400 billion in taxes, on average 1.28% of GDP each year. And it is the mainstay of the balance of payments, which contributes to the accumulation of international reserves.

This report was presented during a meeting with representatives of the media and leaders of public opinion in which the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, participated; the executive president of Banco Popular, Christopher Paniagua, the president of the National Council of Private Enterprise(CONEP), Pedro Brache, the president and executive vice president of Asonahores, Rafael Blanco Tejera, Andrés Marranzini, respectively.

The country recovers 80% of the tourists on 40K+ flights

Santo Domingo.- Dominican tourism has recovered 80% of the number of visitors who arrived before the impact of the pandemic, having added 462,536 non-resident foreigners in June.

It’s the first time in 16 months that the influx of non-residents to the Dominican Republic exceeded 460,000 passengers, of which 75% came from the United States, according to a statement published Monday.

With the highest record since the beginning of the pandemic, the number of non-resident visitors in June 2021 was 19.6% higher than that reported in the previous month.

It adds that 47% of tourists who visited the country in June entered through the Punta Cana international airport, a month during which the Dominican terminals received more than 4,000 flights.

Government collected more than 3 billion pesos from tourists.

Santo Domingo, DR

Between January and May of this year, the General Directorate of Internal Taxes (DGII) collected RD$3 billion for Tourist Cards and Passenger Exit Tax concepts. This is RD$78.0 million less than what was collected in the same period of the previous year, even though in 2020, the country kept its borders closed for three of those five months.

In percentage terms, the reduction in collections for this concept was 2.5%, according to a report of the institution.

However, the collection of the tax rate charged to tourists maintains an upward trend. For example, in January, RD$184.5 million was collected; in February RD$175.28 million; in March RD$198.85 million; in April RD$325.79 million; and in May RD$334.32 million, for a total of RD$1.2 billion.

Between January and May, 1,435,107 non-resident passengers arrived in the country, representing a growth of 3.0% concerning the same period of the previous year. Of this total, 67.2% were non-resident foreigners, and 32.8% were non-resident Dominicans, according to the Central Bank’s tourist flow report.

Revenue from outbound passengers

Collections from the tax levied on passengers departing through the country’s airports have maintained a similar behavior, although some decreases. In this case, RD$356.8 million was collected in January; RD$322.28 million in February; RD$287.09 in March; RD$415.38 million in April; and RD$422.58 million in May, for an accumulated amount of RD$1.8 billion.

About taxes

The Tourist Card is a tax levied by the Dominican Republic on its visitors. This tax is applied based on Law No. 199-67, which establishes that its acquisition is required to enter the national territory for tourism purposes without a consular visa. Currently, its cost is US$10.00, and its use is limited to a single entry, as explained by the DGII.

The DGII specifies that visitors may stay in the country for a maximum period of 30 days with this card. However, the General Directorate of Immigration allows the extension of this period by paying fees for overstay or overstay.

Many travelers are exempt from paying this tax, and the DGII refunds the money, if applicable.

The Passenger Departure Tax consists of the payment of US$20 by all domestic and foreign passengers traveling abroad by any means.

Puerto Plata gets US$7.1M in new roadways

Puerto Plata.- The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works, yesterday delivered two highways, one that connects El Cupey-La Vigía-Gran Parada, and the one that connects the municipality of Puerto Plata and the Isabel de Torres hill. The investment in both works exceeds 400 million pesos.

At the delivery ceremony, led by Minister Deligne Ascención, were the first lady, Raquel Arbaje, and the Administrative Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza, representing President Luis Abinader.

Ascención said in the central speech that the El Cupey-La Vigía-La Gran Parada road has a length of 17.3 kilometers, two lanes and four inches of asphalt. The investment in this route was 396 million pesos (US$7.1 million).

Dominican Republic GDP to grow 7.1% in 2021

Santo Domingo.- The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) improved by more than two percentage points the growth projections of the Dominican Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2021, estimating the expansion at 7.1%.

For this year, the Dominican GDP will post the fifth highest growth among Latin American nations, exceeding the 5.0% initially estimated by ECLAC, only surpassed by Guyana (16%), Panama (12%), Peru (9.5%) and Chile (8%). The agency estimated an average economic growth for the region of 5.2%.

Moreover, the report “The Paradox of Recovery in Latin America and the Caribbean. Growth with persistent structural problems: inequality, poverty, little investment and low productivity,” projects that by 2022 the Dominican GDP will register an increase of 5.5%.

Dominican Republic scrambles on Haiti assassination

Santo Domingo.- Immediately there was news of the attack that ended the life of the president of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse, President Luis Abinader summoned the Security and National Defense Council, which met from 8:00 in the morning and decided seven points to protect the Dominican Republic from possible repercussions.

In the first place, the Gabion plan was activated, ordering the reinforcement of patrolling at critical points on the border with troops from specialized tactical units.

The border was closed for all traffic of vehicles and people.

With the third measure, the activities of the binational markets in the border provinces were suspended until further notice.

About 4,000 cruise passengers arrived in Puerto Plata for the reopening of the Amber Cove terminal

PUERTO PLATA: –  With the arrival at 9:00 in the morning of the Carnival Horizon cruise ship that transported from Florida, United States, with more than three thousand vacationers, activities were resumed at the Amber Cove terminal, which had been suspended for a year and a half because of global Covid-19 pandemic.

These activities were led by the First Lady of the Republic, Raquel Arbaje Abinader; the Minister of Tourism, David Collado; the provincial governor, Claritza Rochette Senior; Senator Ginette Bournigal Jiménez and the leading executives of the Corporate Carnival company that owns said terminal located in the Maimón district, including its president Cristhine Duffy and David Candib.

On this ship, 3,974 passengers arrived, 1,450 crew members, for a total of 5,424 people. Each of the passengers and crew presented a card with their double vaccination from their country to the Public Health authorities.

The blessing for the arrival again of the Corporate Carnival company cruises to the Bride of Atlántico was given by the Bishop of the Puerto Plata-Gaspar Hernández diocese, Monsignor Julio César Cornielle Amaro.

For his part, the Minister of Tourism David Colladohighlighted the importance of the start of operations of this port for the country is the recovery of jobs, noting that more than 120,000 jobs have already been recovered of those that were affected by the pandemic by the decrease in tourist activity.

While the Dominican Port Authority director, Jean Luis Rodríguez, valued the work of all the entity’s collaborators to guarantee that all ports are in a position to support the restart of activities. In the act also the First Lady Raquel Arbaje de Abinader.

Duffy and Candib highlighted that Carnaval had implemented the protocols demanded by these times to comply with the norms and sanitary laws inherent to the United States.

Likewise, applying the regulations that prevail in the destinations, such as Puerto Plata, where the cruise ships owned by said company dock.  Therefore, using resolution number 033-2021, the city council of this municipality approved in a special session declared this Tuesday “Municipal Rejoice Day” for the arrival of the Carnival cruises to this destination of the Bride of the Atlantic.

Likewise, the Maimón district board chaired by Elba Tineo welcomed this initiative of the Carnaval company. They hope that the economy and development of this region will be strengthened with the regular disembarkation of the thousands of cruise passengers who arrive through the Amber Cove terminal of said community.

Some 40 cab drivers from different unions that have been operating since the beginning of the activities of the cruise terminal in the district of Maimon, before special calls from the Carnival offices, offered their services in buses, cars, and vans to cruise passengers who decided to travel by land to visit the attractions and tourist sites of this city.

Tourism leads first quarter Foreign Direct Investment with US $ 240.7 MM

FDI in the first quarter is US $ 960.9 million

Despite being one of the hardest hit by the covid-19 pandemic, the tourism sector led the flow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the first quarter of 2021.

According to data from the Center for Export and Investment of the Dominican Republic (Pro Dominicana), of the US $ 960.9 million registered in the first quarter as FDI, the economic activity that contributed the most in this period is the tourism sector, with US $ 240.7 million, followed by the trade/industry sector, with US $ 159.3 million of investment.

The telecommunications and financial sectors were the ones with the lowest contribution in that quarter of 2021, with US $ 23.0 and US $ 28.4 million respectively, according to data from Pro Dominicana, which uses the Central Bank (BC) as a source.

It is recalled that last week President Luis Abinader headed the first piezo of the Viva Wyndham Resort project in the Miches area, El Seibo province, which will have an investment of RD $ 3.5 billion in its first stage.

In April, the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, reported that about a billion dollars would be invested in a first phase in the south of the country in Pedernales.

He explained that in mid-2021, infrastructure projects would begin to be executed to guarantee the sustained and programmed development of the tourism industry in that province.

According to the monthly data from Tourism, the sector continues its recovery process due to the increase in the arrival of tourists. The country has received almost two million tourists in the first half.

Air Europa recovers its prepandemic operation level in the Dominican Republic this week

Air Europa recovers this week the operations it had before the pandemic in the Dominican Republic. The Globalia airline incorporates Wednesdays (from July 7, 2021) into its flight plan with Santo Domingo, already operating daily between Madrid and its capital.

In addition, it offers two weekly flights (Friday and Sunday) to Punta Cana and a new route, from the middle of the month to Samaná, to which it will fly every Saturday until the middle of September.

From the airline, it was explained that “the increase in frequencies and the restart of routes is due to the objective of gradually expanding and reestablishing operations as mobility restrictions are lifted and an upward trend in demand is appreciated.”

The three destinations are operated with its Dreamliner fleet, reducing flight time by 40 minutes, its emissions by 20%, and its acoustic impact by 60%.

Today cruise tourism is reactivated in the country with the arrival of 2,600 passengers to Puerto Plata

Santo Domingo, DR

Cruise tourism in the Dominican Republic is reactivated this Tuesday with the arrival of 2,600 passengers to Puerto Plata through the Amber Cove terminal, according to the Ministry of Tourism through its social networks.

“With the arrival of the Carnival Horizon and its 2,600 passengers, we can say that Cruise Tourism in Puerto Plata is reactivated today,” the publication indicates.

The ministry further specifies that 95% of the tourists arriving on Dominican soil through this terminal are vaccinated and excited to discover all that the country offers.

This is the first cruise to arrive in the country for tourism purposes, as confirmed by the director of Cruises from the Ministry of Tourism, Orfila Salazar, who indicated more scheduled visits.

Salazar emphasized that the most important thing is that this does not represent any risk for the passengers or the Dominicans because all the security measures are being implemented.

The Dominican Republic lifted restrictions on cruise ships due to the pandemic in November last year.

DR Golf Travel Exchange returns in September

Santo Domingo, R.D.-Target Marketing Consultants has confirmed that the Dominican Republic Golf Travel Exchange will return to Cap Cana next month of September.

The unique Secrets Cap Cana Resort & Spa will once again host the most important event for the Dominican golf industry, being the only in its category promoting the Dominican Republic as the best golf destination in the entire Caribbean and one of the top worldwide.

Teddy de Lara, executive director of Target Marketing Consultants, said that as in each edition, the DR Golf Travel Exchange 2021 will be attended by tour operators and international media specialized in the golf industry, who will meet with hoteliers, golf course directors, DMCs and local media.

De Lara stated that, under strict health security protocols, attendees will be able to take advantage of an agenda that includes live presentations by hoteliers and golf directors, a workshop, as well as a one-fun-day tournament at the Punta Espada Golf Course, designed by the famous Jack Nicklaus.

During the first six editions, more than 480 delegates have participated from 23 countries, consolidating the DR Golf Travel Exchange as the event-to-be each year in the Dominican Republic to carry on your business with local hotels, golf courses, and other suppliers.

This activity counts with the support of AM Resorts, Grupo Cap Cana, and the Punta Espada Golf Course, among others.

The IMF: Dominican economy will rebound this year

Santo Domingo.- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that for this year, the Dominican Republic will rebound in economic recovery, supported by the massive vaccination of the population, the postponement of the tax reform and the increase in social transparency .

The IMF Executive Board concluded the Consultation of Article IV of 2021 with the Dominican Republic, in which it indicates that the recovery will have balanced risks, but it will be favored by the spill-over effects of the United States.

The Washington-based body points out that, although the recovery in tourism activity will be gradual, manufacturing exports, investment and consumption would be supported by global growth, the resilience of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and the dynamism of remittances will have an impact. in which the country quickly returns to normality.

The Canadian Sunwing resumes flights to Punta Cana from July 31

ACCORDING TO ANDREW DAWSON, PRESIDENT OF AIRLINE OPERATIONS

Sunwing plans to return to Punta Cana, Cancun, and Varadero in a month, after the Canadian government announced the easing of border restrictions for its vaccinated citizens as of July 5.

The Canadian airline will operate some routes from Toronto Pearson Airport and Montreal and from Trudeau Airport, starting July 30.

Likewise, the company hopes to have more routes and frequencies that will depend on consumer demand.

It also notified that it would open routes from other airports and to other destinations from October.

Sunwing will fly between Toronto and Punta Cana from July 31, Saturdays and Fridays from August 20.

For Toronto and Cancun from July 30, on Fridays and Sundays, and will increase to Saturdays from August 21. The airline will fly to Varadero from Toronto on Mondays from August 2. And from Toronto to Montego Bay starting August 22.

“With the vaccine being rolled out across the country and the borders reopening, we are seeing a significant increase in travel demand,” said Andrew Dawson, president of Sunwing operations.

He stated at the time that “supporting regional airports and providing Canadians across the country with more convenient ways to go to the tropics has always been important to us here at Sunwing. Our seasonal flight service from Thunder Bay has been very popular over the years and we are delighted to continue to help local residents enjoy a frictionless vacation experience under our wing,” he said.

Punta Cana Covid-Free: vaccination pushes return of tourists

ERNESTO VELOZ HIGHLIGHTS REBOUND IN OCCUPANCY AND ARRIVAL OF VISITORS IN THAT POLE

 All hotel staff is immunized against Covid-19.

 They trust the early reopening of the German and Canadian markets.

Ernesto Veloz, president of the Association of Hotels and Tourism Projects of the East ( Asoleste ), said that during the last months, the East zone had had a rebound in terms of occupation and arrival of tourists, as well as in the movement of business ( within the established schedule).

“People are very enthusiastic and very attentive to everything that happens in the area,” he added while indicating that the tourist destination continues to enjoy the confidence of investors for the implementation of new projects.

“New investments are coming, very soon we will have a new pie here in the area although I cannot yet anticipate the brand,” he said.

In this sense, Veloz explained to arecoa.com that the confidence of the country and destination are accentuated by the vaccination process carried out on hotel staff.

“We continue to think about the signature of” Punta Cana Covid-Free “because we have vaccinated all hotel staff and we continued with the environment as tour operators, hikers, taxi drivers … that is, the entire tourist population and we continue working on it,” he said.

As for the summer, the manager said it would be a good season, although he expects markets like Canada to be free of restrictions.

“Germany is almost at it again and with those markets I think that if we are going to have a significant rebound, although we basically have to intensify North America, Canada and the US, which are the markets that we have closest to because right now the flights are more expensive arriving on the other side of the Atlantic, but since Europe opens I am sure that we are going to have a good push, mainly from Spain,” he emphasized.

Central Bank says Dominican economy will grow 8%

Santo Domingo.- The new projections of the Central Bank place the economic growth of the Dominican Republic for 2021 between 8% and 9%, conservatively, according to Governor Héctor Valdez Albizu on Tuesday.

“We have been doing some calculations, and definitely with this result, according to forecasting models, we are in a position to exceed 8% growth this year, and with an upward bias,” he said.

He stressed that the path towards recovery that the national economy is exhibiting is a “palpable example of its great resilience,” and added that it is on the right path of reactivation.

Travel & Leisure. The best islands to retire.

Dominicana Republic listed at #10

Dominican Republic.

This Caribbean island, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean, is one of the least expensive Caribbean islands for retirees. A two-hour flight from Miami, The D.R.’s airports have been upgraded, and highways and roads have also been improved. The tropical climate, beaches, water, sports and outdoor activities make it a pleasant place to live.

With proof of a minimum monthly income of about $1,500USD, retirees may stay in the country and enjoy various tax benefits. Since Medicare and Medicaid do not cover retirees living out of the U.S., private insurance is advised, so that treatment in private hospitals - generally of higher quality than public - can be accessed. Most expats live in the main cities of Santo Domingo and Santiago, with many in the popular tourist towns as well. Certain areas are not considered safe based on crime rates, so it is advisable to check the latest information.