Alliance with Dubai Ports will turn Punta Cana into a logistics center

THIS WAS ADVANCED BY THE TOURIST LEADER FRANK RANIERI

 Says trade initiative will create thousands of jobs in the country

 “It was time to look for a strategic partner,” Rainieri said.

Tourism entrepreneur Frank Rainieri said that an agreement with the international company Dubai Ports is well advanced to develop a modern logistics center at the Punta Cana International Airport,“which will allow us to access markets that were never before available for the Dominican Republic,” he said.

Rainieri explained that the negotiations with the company mentioned above from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, will change Punta Cana, transforming that destination into a regional logistics pole that will expand the local economy and generate thousands of new jobs in the country.

The tourism and airport leader referred to the new logistics project in Punta Cana within the framework of the conference “Freedom of expression in the tourism context,” organized by the CEPM and Adompretur Punta Cana.

“The new Puntacana Logistics Center will allow us to access markets with millions of potential consumers of our products from the emirate of Dubai, the most important global logistics center with connections to all parts of the world such as India and other countries in Asia,” he said, according to puntacana-bavaro.com.

The primary promoter of tourism in Punta Cana said that soon the news of this agreement would be given that will benefit the entire export and import sector of the Dominican Republic, making the country’s connection with the world more accessible.

“From the Puntacana Group we continue working for the economic development of the area and the country, that is why we decided that it was time to look for an important strategic partner and Dubai Ports for us, is the partner that will project us to the world,” he added.

Target Consultants hosts Dominican Republic Golf Travel Exchange

Punta Cana.–Target Marketing Consultants company hosted the 7th edition of the Dominican Republic Golf Travel Exchange 2021, held at the Secrets Cap Cana hotel, with the participation of delegates from different countries and industry leaders.

During his welcome speech, the president of the organizing company, Teddy De Lara, said that the Dominican Republic has an excellent hotel infrastructure, unsurpassed courses, good weather all year round and the unparalleled hospitality that the Dominican offers, which makes it the perfect setting for this sport.

The DR Golf Travel Exchange 2021 agenda, in its seventh edition, included specialized seminars, a golf championship at the Punta Espada Golf Club, a business meeting where Dominican hoteliers, golf course directors and local and international tour operators participated.

Delegates from different countries such as the United States, Venezuela, Panama, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Poland, Germany, Canada, Mexico, Spain and the Czech Republic participated in the event, which seeks to consolidate the country as the ideal destination for the golf industry.

Luis Núñez, Regional Commercial Director of the AMR Collection for the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, was present, who had a few words of welcome, also attended by tour operators, golf course directors, international media, national press, representatives of tourist associations and special guests.

Dominican Republic health authorities analyze issuing vaccination passport

AS REPORTED BY THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH, DANIEL RIVERA

Given the requirement of some countries, such as the United States, for the Dominican Republic to have a vaccination passport, health authorities are evaluating the possibility of digitizing inoculation records and issuing a code that confirms that travelers are vaccinated, said Health Minister Daniel Rivera.

The minister indicated that the issue had been discussed for some time with the relevant authorities.

“The part of the Cabinet (of Health) has already raised it several times. There are different countries that have different types of codes and it is being evaluated,” he added.

A vaccine passport is a proof that a person has been immunized against Covid-19. It could be in the form of a smartphone app or a certificate written with a Q code. The minister explained that they are also evaluating this issue with the Migration Council, with which they will have a meeting this week.

On the other hand, Rivera stressed that in the United States, they accept those vaccinated with Sinovac, which has cleared a concern that many Dominicans had because this is the vaccine administered the most in the country, according to Diario Libre.

“This is important because most people here were in tension about whether they had to put on Pfizer,” he noted.

Regarding whether a vaccination passport will be required of people entering the country, the minister indicated that ships and planes require protocols such as the presentation of a negative PCR test or vaccination card.

“The cruise ships are demanding his vaccination, they do his test, he has to have PCR, they have their protocol, because it is the same as the CDC in Atlanta,” he said.

World Tourism Day is celebrated under the slogan “Tourism for inclusive growth”

Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has celebrated World Tourism Day as international observances on September 27.

The purpose of this day is to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide. This is an opportunity to look beyond tourism statistics and acknowledge that, behind every number, there is a person. This activity has its objective to promote Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which seek to eradicate poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all.

The COVID-19 pandemic slowed down the economic development of all sectors, but, above all, in an excessive way to the tourism sector, and it is for this reason that the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), as a specialized agency for The United Nations in charge of responsible and sustainable tourism, with the slogan “Tourism for inclusive growth”, makes a commendable contribution towards the recovery and growth of the sector.

In this year’s edition, World Tourism Day focuses on promoting inclusive development, through the creation of opportunities where the benefits generated through the sector are widely and fairly distributed among more people throughout the world, since countries with large economies, as well as those that are developing, have been shaken; marginalized groups and the most vulnerable people being the most affected.

In this regard, the Secretary General of the WTO, Zurab Pololikashvili, said that it is essential that the many social and economic benefits that tourism brings are available to all. In addition, he argued that the desire of the human being to travel and explore is universal, so accessible tourism is essential for the enjoyment of all.

“With the celebration of this day, we express our commitment that, as tourism grows, all levels of our broad and diverse sector will benefit from this development, from the largest airline to the smallest family business,” argued the Secretary General of the WTO, Zurab Pololikashvili.

Sam strengthens to Category 4 hurricane

SO FAR, THE NHC HAS NOT ISSUED COASTAL ALERTS OR ADVISORIES FOR ANY COUNTRY.

Santo Domingo, DR

The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Hurricane Sam continued to intensify, moving with maximum sustained winds reaching 220 kilometers per hour.

For this reason, the NHC ruled that Sam officially became a Category 4 hurricane.

In this report, the 13th, the NHC located this atmospheric phenomenon about 1,655 kilometers from the Leeward Islands, moving about 17 kilometers per hour.

They also forecast a slight deviation in the trajectory of Hurricane Sam towards the northwest for the following Monday.

So far, the NHC has not issued coastal warnings or watches for any country.

Puerto Plata, further open to tourism: over 70% of its population is vaccinated

REPORTS THE PROVINCIAL DIRECTORATE OF PUBLIC HEALTH

The Provincial Directorate of Public Health announced that Puerto Plata exceeded 70% of citizens inoculated with double doses in the face of Covid-19.

According to Public Health and the National Statistics Office (ONE) statistics, people immunized with the first application represent 77.3% of the locality. In comparison, those who had the two doses rose to 70.2%.

Through a statement and a video on the social network Facebook, the Provincial Directorate explained that: “We are proud and grateful for all puertoplateños (Puerto Platans) who day by day have demonstrated responsibility and commitment to the Permanent Vaccination Day. The road has not been easy but we are seeing the results of the efforts of an entire country.”

Likewise, Dr. Jhonny Tavárez, provincial director of Health, described that Puerto Plata “is in a good moment of the pandemic” since a rate of coronavirus infection of 4.8% is reported daily for a cumulative of 5.6%.

For his part, he will ask the Minister of Health, Daniel Rivera, and President Luis Abinader, that the jurisdiction mentioned above be taken into account for the reopening of its economy and the lifting of the curfew.

He then took the opportunity to urge people not to forget about the sanitary measures imposed by the Government, such as physical distancing, the use of masks around crowds.

In the “Bride of the Atlantic, hotels, and tourist establishments have applied the corresponding doses of the vaccine to their staff as a measure that guarantees the sector’s recovery.

Previously La Altagracia, the National District, Espaillat, and Pedernales, exceeded 70% of their population inoculated against the lethal virus.

Tourism declares Cabarete as the capital of wind and waves

HE GUARANTEED SUPPORT FOR YOUTH AND WATER SPORTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MUNICIPALITY

Tourism Minister David Collado led the official launch of Cabarete as the “Wind and Surf City” capital.

Collado expressed his pride that Mayor Freddy Cruz declared Cabarete the capital of waves and wind because “from now on, the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) is going to push the youth, a generation that wants to be heard.”

“We are going to work together, to support all the tournaments that are going to be held in that municipality and we will make a calendar of actions to work together,” Collado assured.

As part of the official Declaration, a meeting was held at the Ula restaurant of the locality in which the senator of Puerto Plata, Ginette Bournigal, Claritza Rochet, governor, deputy ministers, and authorities of the municipality’s mayor’s office were present.

Collado defined Cabarete as a “wild, beautiful, free, independent and bohemian destination, where all together we will encourage this type of tourism.”

As part of the support, the official announced that Mitur would support the Master Surf event, which will be coordinated by surfer Ricardo Ripoll, as it does with the traditional international Master of The Ocean tournament held every year in Playa Encuentro.

He also announced the launching of an award ceremony for the current year with all the outstanding surfers and athletes of these disciplines in the presence of President Luis Abinader.

The official made a summary of the growth that the country’s tourism is experiencing. In July, 573,000 tourists arrived, and about 425 flights from different destinations arrived just in this past month of August.

“We are working shoulder to shoulder with Mitur to strengthen foreign investments, progress and development of this town,” said Mayor Cruz after the Declaration.

During the activity, the entrepreneurship and talent of surfing athletes Adeurys Cornielle and Manuel Selman, natives of Cabarete and world champions in the disciplines of waves and wind, were recognized.

The Mitur also attended the meeting, the vice-ministers of Destination Management, Patricia Mejía and Tammy Reynoso of Tourism Promotion and Development, the regional director Stephanie Kfouri and the director of the Tourism Police (Politur), General Minoru Matsunaga.

Tourist arrival in Dominican Republic is reactivated: it received more than 3 million visitors

FROM JANUARY TO SEPTEMBER 14

The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, stressed that this year 2021, month after month, the Dominican tourism sector has been recovering remarkably, reaching a recovery level of 112% in this month, even though it is low season.

In January, the recovery was 34%; in February 33%; in March 47%; in April 56%; in May, 74 percent; in June 79%; in July 95%; and in August 96 percent; as detailed in a report by the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur)).

The minister stressed that from January to September 14, more than three million non-resident visitors arrived in the country by air.

He explained that the Dominican Republic is one of the few countries classified as a moderate risk due to covid-19 infection. The country is part of a small group of 18 ranked in category 2 of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States.

He indicated that DR is the only country in the hemisphere that is in this category, which he cataloged as “an unprecedented fact.”

For people who intend to travel to countries in category 2, CDC recommends that they have their complete and proper vaccinations, that travelers who are not vaccinated are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill from Covid-19.

Most countries are in categories 3 and 4, which means that the risk of contagion is high or very high.

At level 3 are El Salvador, Honduras, Chile, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Italy, among others. Therefore, those who intend to travel to these destinations are advised to reconsider their trip, according to Listín Diario.

Category 4 includes Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Argentina, Jamaica, Cuba, Spain, etc.

The CDC recommends that you avoid traveling to these countries because the risk of contagion of diseases like Covid-19 is very high.

Collado offered these details when presenting at the Observatory of Good Practices to select tourism promotion agencies abroad.

Here’s how Sky Cana will promote Dominican Republic tourism with flights to NY

THE AIRCRAFT WILL BEAR THE SLOGAN “GO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC”

 A state-of-the-art Airbus A330 aircraft will be used

 They seek to establish a Dominican product “country brand”

Sky Cana presented its travel offer and the characteristics of its products to the leading travel agencies and tour operators of Santiago and the Cibao region, as it will soon have flights to New York.

Frank Diaz, CEO of the airline, explained that for the link between the cities (Santiago-Santo Domingo) to promote the country, the aircraft would carry the slogan “Go Dominican Republic.”

Airbus A330 aircraft of the latest generation will be used, with a configuration of 24 seats for business class and 275 seats in economy class; both routes will provide a total of 18,189 seats monthly.

“We will fly twice a week to New York starting December 2 from Santiago with flights operated by Air Century. Our concept, facilities, advantages, commissions and schedules, will be with the intention of establishing a Dominican product “country brand” with the best of Creole warmth,” he added.

He assured that their fares are competitive and the ticket includes hand luggage and the first suitcase; and the right to transport up to 4 extra bags paid.

“On both routes we will offer 18,189 seats monthly to the Dominican diaspora residing in New York. We do not come to compete with the traditional airlines that fly from Santiago and Santo Domingo, we come as Dominicans to serve our people, offering them a warm and dignified service, with the human warmth they deserve, with the best attentions and that smile that only Dominicans can offer them,” he emphasized.

Marriot opens hotel in Punta Cana

Santo Domingo.- The AC Hotels by Marriott hotel chain announced Sunday the opening of the AC Punta Cana by Marriott hotel, the first in the Dominican Republic, where tourism is in full recovery.

The hotel, “of contemporary inspiration, in the center of the most important tourist area in the country and one of the most visited destinations in the entire Caribbean and Central America”, will have 129 rooms, including 2 suites, all of them distributed over four levels, according to a statement from the chain.

The establishment, located 15 minutes from Punta Cana International Airport, east of the Dominican Republic, “embodies the proposal of the AC Hotels brand to combine business and leisure in the same trip, which is known as ‘Bleisure traveler,” said Yamil Montes de Oca, general manager of the hotel.

Dominican Republic requires PCR test for travelers from 22 countries for the Delta variant

IN CASE OF FAILURE TO PRESENT THE VACCINATION CARD AT AIRPORTS IN THE COUNTRY

 Passengers from the U.S. only receive a random test

 Variants of Covid-19 slow down the early recovery of tourism

Travelers coming from 22 countries considered to be at high risk of the delta variant entering the Dominican Republic through national airports will be required to present the vaccination card against the virus upon entry.

The card must be issued at least three weeks after the last dose has been applied. If they do not have the vaccination card, passengers must present the negative result of a PCR test no more than 72 hours before they arrive in the country.

All passengers and crew members arriving in the Dominican Republic from Australia, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Ireland, Kuwait, Monaco, United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) must undergo the process.

In addition, the Democratic Republic of Congo, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Syria, South Africa, Sweden and Thailand, and Tunisia, countries where several infectious variants of Covid-19 have been detected, are included.

The measure of presenting a negative PCR test result does not apply to passengers under five years of age.

Persons arriving in the country from the United States and other destinations are only subjected to a random antigen test.

Although there are no direct flights from Brazil and the United Kingdom through Las Americas International Airport, many nationals come as tourists on charter flights and connecting flights from the United States and Europe.

According to Listín Diario, few passengers enter the country where the dangerous Covid-19 delta strain has been detected through Las Americas airport. Instead, the passengers who have entered from these destinations do it on flights with a stopover in Miami, United States, and from countries of the European continent, such as Spain and Italy.

Golf tourism expected to grow in the Dominican Republic

268,000 golfers visited DR. In 2019; this niche contributed US$419 million to the economy.

The Dominican Republic could have an increase of 11% compared to 2019 in the arrival of tourists from the golf niche. This is because the U.S. market, which is the most important to the country, is expected to grow and expand.

National figures have been increasing staggeringly, except for 2020. According to the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO), in 2018, the arrival of tourists grew by 17% compared to 2017, and 230 thousand golfers were received, who had 289,000 rounds of golf or games. And it is estimated that they made contributions to the economy of US$390 million.

And in 2019, the growth was 14%, 268 thousand golfers were received with 335 thousand plays, and economic contributions of US $ 419 million are estimated.

The executive director of Target Marketing Consultants, the company that organizes the DR Golf Travel Exchange, Teddy De Lara, explained that in 2019 the country was declared the golf destination of the world by IAGTO. He explained that there are 28 golf courses in DR, but there are 18 most used by golf tourists. Furthermore, he said that golf tourists visit the most are between January and April, and a significant increase is expected because it is an outdoor sport.

According to the National Golf Foundation (NGF), in the United States, a third of its population participates in the sport of golf.

However, De Lara said that media promotion and participation in events worldwide must be increased so that the country is promoted as a destination and good figures are maintained. He stressed that more than 70% of the operators and specialized golf agents in the United States rate the Dominican destination as very favorable for golf-loving customers since, in addition to safety and good weather, there are excellent air connections and a wide variety of golf resorts.

De Lara announced that next Sunday, September 19 to Wednesday, September 22, 2021, at the Secrets Cap Cana hotel of the AMR Collection hotel chain, the “Dominican Republic Golf Travel Exchange” will be held, organized by Target Consultores.

In its seventh edition, the event is held to strengthen the Dominican Republic as an ideal destination for golf. It will be attended by tour operators, international media specialized in golf, hotel directors involved in the sector, and special guests.

Banreservas announces Dominicans living in NY can access facilities to buy homes

New York. The Reserve Bank announced yesterday that Dominicans living in this city could take advantage of the special rates of 5.8% offered by ExpoHogar. That will remain in force until September 30 to acquire a real estate property in the Dominican Republic.

The information was offered by the Deputy Business Administrator of the financial institution, Ysidro García, at a press conference held at the Dominican Consulate. It is noteworthy that Banreservas will open the new representative office in New York City next week, located in the Marriott Marquis hotel, in an act headed by the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader.

“To make the acquisition of your properties a reality, we make available to you annual interest rates from 5.8%, fixed up to 10 years, with terms of up to 20 years to pay, so that no one is left without their home,” Garcia said.

He added that those interested could choose to finance up to 90% of the property’s value, for which they will have the coverage of Seguros Reservas.

Financial Talks

Similarly, Banreservas will give a series of talks on financial education, facilities to access loans to acquire a home in the Dominican Republic, and other services from which Creoles residing in the United States can benefit through the different channels offered by the bank.

In this regard, the consul in New York, Eligio Jáquez, valued the initiative of Banreservas because, for the first time, these facilities and channels of banking services will be available to Dominicans residing here.

The speeches will be given at the Consulate on Friday 17, Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 of this month, from 8:00 in the morning to 4:00 in the afternoon, by Banreservas Robinson Portorreal, Paula González, and Edgar Abreu.

García explained that the economic orientations are intended to strengthen further the ties that the Dominican community residing in this important city of New York and other U.S. localities have with their home country.

The Dominican Republic nominated as “Best Golf Destination in the Caribbean”

Corales Golf Course and Puntacana Resort & Club were nominated for best golf course and hotel in World Golf Awards.

Punta Cana, La Altagracia. – The Corales golf course and Puntacana Resort & Club were nominated as “Best Golf Course” and “Best Golf Hotel” of the Dominican Republic in the World Golf Awards (WGA) 2021; while, the Dominican Republic, as “Best Golf Destination in the Caribbean.” The winners will be announced on October 21 at a gala ceremony held at the Park Hyatt Dubai.

Frank Elías Rainieri, president and CEO of Grupo Puntacana, thanked for the nomination of the Corales golf course and Puntacana Resort & Club, which hosts the country’s premier golf tournament, the Corales Puntacana Championship PGA TOUR Event, whose 5th edition will be held March 21-27, 2022.

The World Golf Awards are highly relevant in the golf tourism segment, recognizing the excellence of golf courses and destinations worldwide. The categories cover selecting the best golf courses, designers, golf destinations, resorts, and tour operators.

Voting, which closes on September 1, is conducted by golf travel and tourism industry professionals, senior executives, tour operators, travel agents, and media professionals.

For more information, visit: https://worldgolfawards.com/

About Corales Golf Course

The Corales Golf Course, located at Puntacana Resort & Club, is home to the Dominican Republic’s first and only PGA TOUR Event. World-renowned architect Tom Fazio designed it.

Opened in 2010, it is located next to the cliffs, bays, natural ocean inlets, inland lakes, and coral quarries of the Caribbean Sea. It has 18 holes, six of them facing the sea, and culminates with its last three holes known as the “Devil’s Elbow,” which ranks among the world’s most spectacular and challenging finishing holes.

Impact Corales Puntacana Championship in its 2021 edition

In its fourth edition, the tournament went down in history as the first PGA TOUR event to be held twice in the same season in more than 70 years, achieving 4.8 billion impressions in digital and print media nationally and internationally in 153 countries, reaching 3.4 million viewers in the United States and 2 million listeners locally.

The champion of the fourth edition, Joel Dahmen, received his trophy at an awards ceremony led by Grupo Puntacana President and CEO Frank Elias Rainieri; PGA TOUR Senior Director of Rules and Competitions Stephen Cox; and Grupo Puntacana Chairman of the Board Frank Rainieri.

Seventh edition of “Master of the Ocean” celebrated in Cabarete, Puerto Plata

Master of the Ocean, the most widely encompassing extreme water sports competition, will celebrate its seventeenth edition, from September 14 to 18, 2021, in Playa Encuentro, Cabarete, Puerto Plata, with representatives from 12 countries.

The event, which is supported by the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur), is expected to see a lot of action on waves and winds thanks to the participation of renowned local and international athletes.

The elite race is unique in that it includes professionals who practice surfing, windsurfing, kite surfing, and SUP (Stand Up Paddleboarding).

Professionals of more than 12 nationalities will participate in this event. Many expectations are generated by the famous Olympic competitor Manuel Selman, who was among the top 20 in Tokyo this year.

The information was released by Marcus Bohm and Patricia Hiraldo, founder, and CEO of Master of the Ocean, respectively, along with Stephanie Kfouri, director of Mitur in Puerto Plata, among other personalities.

Also expected is the legendary Action Man from Barbados, Brian Talma, an ambassador of water sports on his native island, where he shines as a surfing ambassador and promoter of the Beach Culture World Tour.

Marius Herrmann, a powerful athlete in several disciplines, will travel from Sylt, Germany. Also, for the first time, we will see the Amazonian surf rider from Germany, Valeska Scheider.

Also, Italian veteran Samuela Mulé, who will be flying through the air on her kite, is a recognized entrepreneurial leader who has made Cabarete her home for the past eight years. Spaniard Imma Nin Franch is a talented kitesurfer who has won awards in Big Air and Cayu Kite Race, among other great athletes of international stature.

Cabarete has produced world champions of the highest caliber. The great Creoles of the kite Papito Santana, Joselito del Rosario, and Carlos David are expected to take the Dominican flag to the highest point over the ocean.

This year 2021, the modality of the competition will be in the form of teams formed by four competitors; each athlete specializes in a discipline: surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, and Stand Up Paddleboard.

Recently, the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, attended the Formula Kite race, and daringly, he jumped into the sea in a boat to experience the race from the front row. Minister Collado affirmed that “the Dominican Republic and Cabarete will become the water sports tourist destination par excellence worldwide.”

Master of the Ocean is the competition that brings together in the same location, four sports disciplines. The conditions are spectacular for even pro athletes worldwide who come to this place, attracted by the breeze, temperature, waves, and the human quality that characterizes the Dominican people.

For the first time, Kymera DR electric boards will contribute to water safety with their electric boards or rescue boards and have announced an equipment donation to the Happy Dolphins Foundation, a jet board for future training programs in lifeguarding.

Other sponsors include: Ministry of Defense, American Airlines, Aduanas Turísticas, Viva Wyndham Tangerine, Millennium Resort and Spa, Ultravioleta Boutique Residences, Cabarete Palm Beach Condos and Natura Cabana Boutique Hotel and Spa. In addition, Villa Taina, Condor and Crew airlines, Europcar, and Cable del Norte.

The US lowers travel alert to Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo .– The United States lowered the level of alert on the Dominican Republic at risk from Covid-19, placing it as the country with the lowest risk to visit in relation to the pandemic in the region.

Level two is considered by the United States Government as the level at which its citizens can travel safely, only maintaining hygiene measures and regular precautions to avoid contagion.

The lowest level is One, in which is recommended to travel taking ordinary measures, followed by Level Two, which is where the Dominican Republic was placed yesterday.

Tourism sector reintegrates 97% of jobs lost in the pandemic

The Minister of Labor, Luis Miguel De Camps, revealed that the levels of direct and indirect jobs in the Tourism sector have increased, reaching 5.44% of the total formal jobs registered in the country, since the recovery represents the reintegration of 97.4% of the formal jobs lost during the pandemic, a figure that was evaluated as of July this year 2021.

He stressed that to achieve the objectives of job recovery, a certification plan in occupational health and safety was executed in which more than 600 companies participated and certified.

“The government’s approach, led by President Luis Abinader, to generate the availability of sufficient doses of vaccines has meant not only the preservation of the life and health of workers, but also the return of trust in those who visit us,” he added.

In that sense, he announced that in the coming days, the Ministry of Labor, together with the Health Cabinet, would announce a vaccine certification plan, where the tourism sectors, free zones, and economic zones, among others, can obtain the Occupational Health and Safety Certification once they have more than 90% of their workers vaccinated, with this, they will guarantee a higher level of confidence in tourism and security in the supply and production chains.

As for the discussion of the salary increase in the tourism sector, he said, when participating in a meeting organized by the Association of Hotels and Tourism (Asonahores), whose central theme was the “Tourism Sector in a New Work Environment,” that the recovery of the sector should impact the quality of wages, a conversation that should begin in the near future.

Pandemic changed the profile of tourists

Santo Domingo.- When the reopening of the borders was authorized in July 2020, the tourism landscape was no longer the same and, although some of the characteristics remain, the profile of the tourist who now visits the Dominican Republic was transformed after the arrival of the pandemic.

The typical visitor is still largely American, but now there are more Latinos arriving in the country. Boricuas, Spaniards, Colombians, and Venezuelans now join North American tourists as the most frequent visitors to the country.

The data handled by the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic as of July indicates that 70% of the visitors arriving in the country are from the United States, and that 3% come from Puerto Rico, 2.91% from Spain, 2.8% from Venezuela and 2.78% from Colombia.

Two years earlier, when tourism had not been subjected to the onslaught of the pandemic, the tourist was predominantly North American – both Americans and Canadians – but the rest were more European, between French and Russians.

But COVID-19, between waves of infections, closures and reopening, has left tourism in countries such as Canada and much of Europe intermittently, which is evident when changes in the profile of the visitor who come to the Dominican Republic.

Dominican Republic’s unstoppable hotel expansion: 136 projects approved for US$5 billion

THESE CONSTRUCTIONS WERE APPROVED IN AUGUST BY THE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

 In Punta Cana, Cabarete, Puerto Plata, Samamá, La Romana, El Seibo…

Three new tourism projects will be built in Punta Cana, La Altagracia province, and in Cabarete, Puerto Plata, with more than the US $ 56 million 487, which add up to about 136 throughout the country, exceeding US $ 5 billion.

This is the construction of three small hotels, whose resolutions were approved in August by the Tourism Development Council (Confotur), according to the recovery data of the sector during that month, presented by the Minister of Tourism, David Collado.

The tourism projects would be around 136 hoteliers and real estate approved by the Confotur in about ten destinations, most in La Altagracia with more than 70 investments.

In addition, it includes projects that support tourist structures such as golf courses, amusement parks, clubs, and health tourism.

In June, some 119 projects had been submitted in Confotur, 71 in La Altagracia, 23 in Samaná, seven in the National District, five in Puerto Plata, and four in San Pedro de Macorís.

Two were also approved in La Romana, two in the Seibo, one in María Trinidad Sánchez, and one in La Vega.

According to the Technical Deputy Minister of Tourism, Jacqueline Mora, these projects, which exceed US$ 5 billion in investment, are both local and foreign and can take up to three years in the process to be lifted.

Mora explained that many of the projects began the classification and approval process before the arrival of the pandemic in the country, so they had to stop and start again.

German airline Condor to expand operations to Punta Cana

INFORMED THE PRESIDENT OF THE CIVIL AVIATION BOARD, JOSÉ ERNESTO MARTE PIANTINI

Condor Fluegdienst GMBH, a German airline, based in Frankfurt, will expand its operations in the country from next October, and requested the amendment to its Operating Permit, to operate scheduled air transport services for passengers, cargo, and mail on the Düsseldorf /Punta Cana/ Düsseldorf route.

The air operator will start operations with Boeing 737-300 aircraft, with an approximate capacity of 259 seats and will have a schedule of flights once a week, and projects an offer of around 26,936 seats in the first year.

Civil aviation continues to grow steadily in the Dominican Republic, and proof of this is the progressive increase in the operations of foreign airlines that see the country as a safe destination, as reported by the president of the Civil Aviation Board (JAC), José Ernesto Marte Piantini.

In this regard, he added that as a sign of confidence and thanks to the excellent health management achieved by the Government together with the different institutions that make up the aeronautical, health, and tourism sectors, several airlines have started, increased, and strengthened their operations in the country.

For this reason, the request for amendment of the airline operator Spirit Airlines was also known, to include in its Operating Permit the Miami/Santo Domingo/Miami route, which will be operated with a daily flight in Airbus A320 aircraft, with a capacity of 145 to 228 seats, offering this market an average of 136,145 seats for the first year.

Marte Piantini took the opportunity to reiterate the intention of the Civil Aviation Board to recover air transportation in its entirety, emphasizing that the institution he presides is devoting great efforts to increase the country’s air connectivity.