Dominican Republic will meet 25% of the energy demand with renewable sources by 2025

Santo Domingo, DR

The Executive Director of the National Energy Commission (CNE), Edward Veras Diaz, highlighted the support provided by President Luis Abinader to the different sectors involved in the production of renewable energy at the national level.

Edward Veras said that Abinader had taken a series of measures in favor of those who produce clean energy due to his commitment to guaranteeing a healthier environment in the country.

You see, when offering statements to the media before the inauguration of the “V Sustainable Energy Forum,” he indicated that the president is promoting the energy transition because he is aware that the effects of climate change must be reduced.

The official said that thanks to the government’s actions, more and more companies and institutions are participating in producing and commercializing sustainable energy.

He recalled that on September 27, President Abinader issued decree number 608-21, which allows renewable energy producers, with standard concessions included in the registry of the special regime, to have the right to receive from distribution companies or other agents of the wholesale electricity market, payment for the sale of the energy produced.

He assured that, by the policy developed by the current government to promote the development of renewable energy sources, the country can meet the goal of guaranteeing 25% of the national demand with renewable energy by 2025. He indicated that the sector currently covers 10% of the national energy demand.

Forum

This Wednesday and Thursday, public and private institutions participate in the fifth edition of the Sustainable Energy Forum, an activity in which the principal officials of the national electricity sector participate.

Total recovery: 3.7M tourists arrive in Oct.

Santo Domingo.- Some 443,018 non-resident tourists visited the country last October,as reported today by the Minister of Tourism, David Collado.

The official highlighted that with the arrival of these non-resident visitors, a total recovery of the influx of tourists received before the Covid-19 pandemic (punctually October 2019) is evidenced.

“In fact, tourist arrivals during this month exceeded the records of October 2019 by 19% and those of November 2018 by 7%.”

Senator reopens its complex in Puerto Plata: estimates exceed 75% occupancy

INFORMED MARC PELFORT, COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR FOR AMERICA OF SENATOR HOTELS

 “Thanks to the reactivation of the Canadian and European markets.”

Senator Hotels & Resorts will reopen its Senator Puerto Plata Spa Resorts hotel complex today, November 1, and with this, the Spanish chain is planning a “good winter.”

Marc Pelfort, commercial director for America at Senator Hotels, told arecoa.com that expectations are to exceed 75% monthly occupancy in the high season months in the entire complex of (1,600 rooms).

“We have a very good winter forecast, especially starting in December. Thanks to the reactivation of the Canadian and European markets; above all we have the Polish and Russian markets,” he added.

It is recalled that the chain will apply the protocols approved by the Dominican authorities and will take into account the exhaustive methods of cleaning, hygiene, and disinfection, which are already in force in its hotels in other destinations, which already operate with the “Global Safe Site” certification, granted by the PREVERISK entity.

This certification validates the different security plans, the review of its operational standards, the organizational level and the adequacy of its facilities, the novelty of reopening the hotels of the Senator Hotels & Resorts chain in the food area will be the buffet-circuits, self-service modality that includes pre-established routes to avoid crossings, in addition to establishing limitations on the capacity of diners.

Total occupation exceeds 4.5 million workers in the Dominican Republic

ECONOMY November 1, 2021 | 4:28 pm

Total occupation exceeds 4.5 million workers in the Dominican Republic

The largest number of employees are concentrated in the services sector (ARCHIVE)

• Private sector employees number 1,441,365 people

Between July-September 2021, the total labor occupation reached 4,598,409, representing 97.5% of the field of October-December 2019, according to the preliminary results of the Continuous National Labor Force Survey published by the Central Bank.

The data indicate that, in year-on-year terms, total occupancy increased by 302,958 for growth of 7.05% compared to July-September 2020.

In the case of private-sector workers, as of August, they reached a figure of 1,441,365, according to the Social Security Treasury (TSS).

The TSS details that the most significant number of employees are concentrated in the service sector, with 1,092,707 workers, representing 73.73% of the total distribution of jobs.

Within this sector, the four subsectors with the highest participation are: shops, with 343,813 workers, for a ratio of 22.85%; other services are located with 280,871 employees, for 19.09%; hotels, bars, and restaurants have 9.94%, for an amount of 151,049 workers; and financial intermediation, insurance, and others, with 70,395 employees, for 4.63% of participation.

The industries composed of manufacturing, construction, mining, and quarrying have a universe of 348,658 workers, for a share of 22.83% of the total occupation of the private sector.

In the case of the agricultural sector, workers engaged in traditional crops, livestock, forestry and fishing, agricultural services, and cereal cultivation reach the figure of 43,806, for a share of 2.88%, and the TSS mentions 5,511 workers as unidentified with 0.56 of the total of 1,490,682.

The TSS reports that, until August 2021, the most significant number of jobs in the private sector have salaries between RD $ 15 thousand/month to RD $ 30 thousand, followed by positions with salaries between RD $ 10 thousand to RD $ 15 thousand. These jobs are primarily concentrated in the service sector, with 1,165,866 jobs.

As for public sector workers by economic sector, the TSS explains that as of August 2021, the most significant number of employees are concentrated in the service sector, representing 99.63% of the total distribution of jobs. Furthermore, it details that within this sector, the four subsectors with the highest participation are: public administration, with a participation of 90.80%, other services with 2.23%, and financial intermediation, insurance, and others with 2.18%.

US Embassy clarifies alert to its citizens about the Dominican Republic due to covid, not crime

US Embassy clarifies that the alert to its citizens concerning the DR is not for crime. The Embassy of the United States in the Dominican Republic clarified on Saturday that the recommendation of the State Department of that country to its citizens to refrain from traveling to this nation was not due to the levels of citizen security in Quisqueya. A delegation of embassy officers said the alert is exclusively for COVID infections and not based on increased crime.

The clarification of the US authorities was made to the director-general of the National Police, Eduardo Alberto Then, during a working meeting held at the headquarters of the institution of order.

Todd Christiansen, director of International Narcotics Affairs and Law Enforcement (INL), referred to the clarification, explaining that no alert had been issued to US citizens concerning citizen security situations in the Dominican Republic.

This decision (the warning) was based on an increase in Covid cases, not based on an increase in the crime rate. That warning was not a comment on the crime rate, it was simply the knowledge that cases (Covid-19) here in the (Dominican) Republic are increasing,” Christiansen explained.

On Wednesday, October 27, the US Embassy in the country published on its website that “the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 3 Travel Health Advisory due to COVID-19, indicating a high level of COVID-19 in the Dominican Republic.”

Christiansen, who visited the police director with USAID’s Jeffrey Levine; Skarly H. Peña Herrera, Assistant Legal Assistant at the Embassy; Lissette Dumit, USAID; Abelardo Arias, of INL, and Terrence Wallace, Department of State, stressed that the United States would maintain cooperation in the elaboration of the National Strategy for Citizen Security and transformation of the Police.

What awaits pristine beach in Dominican Republic’s SW

Santo Domingo.- Four months ago, President Luis Abinader was accompanied by officials and businessmen to launch the Cabo Rojo-Pedernales tourism development project.

He broke ground to begin the access road and other improvement works.

But the definitive master plan for this ambitious public-private project that plans to build hotels and generate up to 30,000 direct jobs has not been disclosed.

“Before the master plan was made public, it had to be approved by the government authorities and, obviously, by the President of the Republic,” Sigmund Freund told Diario Libre.

“We made (a month ago) the presentation to the president, we took it to him, the president approved the plan with some suggestions, so the job of the architects and engineers at this time is to adapt those suggestions.”

The official set this November as the date to announce the final design of the project with which the Government seeks to develop Pedernales, a border province with a low human development index, but with exploitable tourist resources.

Bahia de las Aguilas

Perhaps the key question…what will become pf the 7 kilometers of pristine beach tucked away in Dominican Republic’s Southwest

German group FTI highlights increase in bookings for trips to Dominican Republic

The German group FTI reported that it would increase its offer to different destinations in the Caribbean, both in terms of air connections and accommodation options, due to the growing demand among its customers for the winter holidays.

In that regard, the demand for traveling to the Dominican Republic during the winter has also grown, so FTI has expanded its accommodation offer, according to Tourinews.

“The reserve figures to the Dominican Republic have never been so good. At FTI we detected this growth from the beginning and, therefore, we have expanded our hotel portfolio in 14 more accommodations,” said Manuel Morales, director of Caribbean Destination at FTI.

In addition, the group has a wide range of flights: five weekly frequencies from Frankfurt (Germany) to Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) by Condor and Eurowings Discover; three weekly flights fromDüsseldorf (Germany) to Punta Cana also with Condor; and finally, twice a week from Munich.

On the one hand, Cuba is once again in the catalog of the German group. On the other hand, the upsizing of borders after the pandemic of the Caribbean destination has meant that FTI once again offers round-trip flights to the island.

Arrival of tourists to the Domnican Republic in October exceeds prepandemic figures by 15%

STATISTICS SHOW THAT THE COUNTRY’S TOURISM INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO RECOVER SHARPLY

 Reported the Minister of Tourism, David Collado

The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, indicated that the figures for October for the tourism sector are positioned at a higher percentage than that which existed during the same month of 2019 when there was still no pandemic.

“The month of October is 15% above 2019 when there was no pandemic and we come from the best month of September in the history of tourism in the Dominican Republic,” he added.

He recalled that September was the best month in the entire history of the Dominican Republic, with the arrival of tourists higher than in 2018, 2019, and 2020 with a total of 365,544 non-residents.

For Collado, the statistics show that the country’s tourism industry continues to recover sharply, according to Despertar Nacional.

While last September was cataloged as “the best September in the entire history of the Dominican Republic,” receiving 365,544 tourists, an amount higher than in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

The numbers represent a 15% recovery of the influx received before the covid 19 pandemic, specifically in September 2019, and in turn, 25% compared to the September 2020 figures, which represented the generation of about $ US412 million per year for the country.

Dominican Republic promotes new American flight between Austin, Texas and Punta Cana

THESE OPERATIONS WILL BE VIA B737-800 WITH A CAPACITY OF 164 PASSENGERS

 From next November 3 with four weekly frequencies

The Tourism Promotion Office ( OPT ) of Orlando, FL, relayed the latest news of the Dominican Republic destination, including new air services, entry and exit requirements “ticket,” protocols, and the portfolio of participating hotels, in a series of webinars.

It promotes the new direct American Airlines service from Austin, TX – Punta Cana in the DR, which begins on November 3 with four weekly frequencies: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

These flights will be operated on a B737-800 with a capacity of 164 passengers, representing 34,112 seats per year. Undoubtedly an excellent opportunity for the destination as it will feed important cities on the West Coast.

More than 100 travel agents from the Central Florida and Texas markets participate in the virtual activities every week.

“We are pleased to see the sustainable support of our agents with the destination and with the Hotels that expose their offers, which encourages brand loyalty. The idea is to continue promoting the Dominican Republic as the leading destination in the region regarding the proximity of the high season,” said Raquel Reyes, director of the OPT of Orlando, FL.

The series has eight sessions that began last September and will run throughout November, with important allies such as Playa Resorts, Karisma Hotels & Resorts, Majestic Hotels & Resorts, Hodelpa Hotels, Mint Hotels & Residences, Ocean Resorts, Barceló Hotels & Resorts, Riu Resorts, Blue Diamond Resorts, among others.

Abinader, ALYON: Goldman Sachs to invest US$275M

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader accompanied the executives of the ALYON group in an event to announce the expansion of the company thanks to an investment of US$275 million from the international investment bank Goldman Sachs.

The president congratulated Manuel Diez Cabral, its CEO and president, for the operation, and encouraged them to continue in that direction.

Abinader highlighted the role that private companies play for the development of the economy with a quote from Winston Churchill: “Private companies are that robust horse that pulls the cart.” He urged them to continue working with the support of the government. ”

The president attributed the carrying out of economic operations like that to the trust that, according to him, his government has been building every day. He assured that the government works every day to create the best investment climate, and generate opportunities and jobs.

The company explained that the transaction accelerates the regional expansion of Diesco, ALYON’s industrial arm, through a contribution of US $ 275 million, which includes preferred shares of US $ 113 million from the Goldman Sachs Asset fund. Management’s West Street Strategic Solutions.

WELCOME TO MONTECRISTI

The jewel of the northwest, the border province of Montecristi presents a wild and striking landscape ripe for off-the-beaten-track adventures. Rice plantations, banana fields, goats and giant cacti stand sentry roadside, leading towards salt ponds and onto limestone cliffs hugging a wave-rich Atlantic Ocean. Around this part desert and part Mediterranean-like scenery, thick mangrove tunnels give way to fresh lagoons, while offshore cayes teem with migratory birds, and offer secluded white sand beaches.

Sosua75 Cultural Education Center plan presented at Presidential Palace

Last Monday a meeting was convened at the Presidential Palace in Santo Domingo between José Ignacio Paliza, Administrative Minister to President Abinader, and Elihu Baver, Board Chairman of Sosua75. Also attending the meeting were Jhonattan González, Ramón Leonardy Abreu the Director of AltaVision canal 20 both from Gaspar Hernandez and Hernán Santos Lugo, Palace Employee and family friend of Baver from Santo Domingo.

From L-R – Jhonattan Gonzalez, José Ignacio Paliza, Elihu “Hugh” Baver, Ramón Leonardy Abreu

The meeting commenced with Baver presenting a gift on behalf of the European Jewish community of a copper plate embossed with the figure of Moses holding the ten commandments. The gift was given in thanks to the Dominican government for being the only country at the 1938 Evian Conference to open its doors as a haven to fleeing Jewish refugees at the beginning of WWII.  

Gift of copper embossed plate with Moses figure holding the ten commandants given by European Jewish Community and presented to Paliza in honor of The Dominican Republic being the only country at the 1938 Evian Conference.

 The specific intent of the meeting was to plant the seeds and convey the plan of the Jewish Dominican Cultural Education Center project vision, which Baver first conceived seven years ago after forming Sosua75, a US 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization based out of the Boston area. 

 In addition to showcasing the overall unique aspects of the Dominican Republic, the overarching mission of the Cultural Education Center project is to highlight the many synergies of the Jewish and Dominican cultures since their integration in the 1800s, which then led up to the 1940 establishment of Sosua as a refugee colony following Evian. 

 Formally petitioning the Dominican government to be a collaborative partner with Sosua75 and US investors backing this project, Baver asked Paliza if the government would supply a suitably sized parcel of land near the Puerto Plata airport for the specific purpose of constructing the multi-faceted sports, history, education, and entertainment complex.

Baver envisions this project as a practical role model illuminating collaboration between the Dominican Ministries of Education, Sports, Culture, Agriculture, and Business. After construction, the hope is for large Dominican businesses, corporations, and organizations to sustain the project’s operations.

Potentially employing hundreds in its construction, on-going maintenance, and staffing, the building of the Center could bring a considerable boost to the North Coast economy for generations to come as well as attract thousands of new international tourists to the North Coast, interested in not only the beautiful beaches and environment but “Heritage tourism” the unique history and culture of the region as well.

Designed with a consistent white Victorian architectural styled theme and showcasing the latest developments in technical innovation, slated key elements of the new proposed Center include a major educational facility to accommodate University exchange students and study abroad programs, a self-sustaining cooperative organic community farm, outdoor amphitheater for concerts, theatre, and other events, a butterfly conservatory honoring the life and legacy of “Las Hermanas Mirabal” (the Mirabal Sisters), a Santiago based Centro Leon-like feel with smaller museums dedicated to sugar cane, tobacco, coffee, and the indigenous Taino Indian culture, expansive gardens where native species of plants will be cultivated, and a world-class agricultural research and development facility. 

Sosua Registered Architect Ramón “Monchy” Escoto standing in front of the design he worked on for Baver.

Representing this country’s national pastime, a large baseball stadium and training complex is planned for players of all ages and to host international baseball tournaments and exhibitions, including housing accommodations for both the players and their families.

 An ideal complement to the recent announcement by the Tourism Ministry to focus their 2021/22 tourism campaign based on the historical establishment of the Sosua Jewish refugee colony back in 1940, Baver is a noted subject matter expert on the 1938 Evian Conference to Sosua journey. 

 In addition to being a keynote speaker at the multiple US and international conferences and events, author &/or subject of over 50 newspaper articles, radio, and TV shows, and documentaries in 2018, Baver was awarded the “Gold Key to the City” of Evian France and currently is enrolled in the prestigious Yeshiva University in Washington Heights/ NYC as a Master of Art’s degree candidate in Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

Baver received the Evian France “Gold Key to the City” at the Mayor’s office in 2018

 The desired location for the Cultural Education Center is in or near Paliza’s hometown of Puerto Plata, somewhere off the main road near the airport. With the overall objective of attracting international family-friendly tourism to the North Coast based on its rich history, Baver’s vision is for the North Coast to be the epicenter of Education, History, Culture, Agriculture, and Sports in the Caribbean. 

Paliza requested additional information be made available to him and his partners, and an upcoming follow-up meeting is being planned.”

Dominican Republic has a new National Park

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader, issued Decree 659-22 on Tuesday, which creates Loma Los Siete Picos National Park, under category II of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN ).

The park borders Sierra de Yamasá, Santo Domingo, Monte Plata, San Cristóbal and Monseñor Noel provinces.

The decree seeks to protect the entire ecosystem, the nascent water sources that guarantee the water supply to 48% of the Dominican population, and the biological and landscape diversity of the surroundings of Los Siete Picos.

The boundaries of the park were defined with the coordinate system of the Transversal Mercator Unit (UTM). The new park has an area of approximately 100 square miles (154.54 square kilometers).

Spanish hotels will dedicate 580 million dollars to the Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo

The leading Spanish hotel chains will invest 580 million dollars in the Dominican Republic until 2024, the Ministry of Tourism reported on Wednesday.

The investment plans were announced by eight executives of the Spanish hotel chains present in the country during a private lunch with President Luis Abinader, which took place on Tuesday in Santo Domingo.

The new investments will raise the quality of the offer of the 16 hotel chains belonging to the Inverotel association and will also serve to promote social and environmental sustainability actions, according to a statement from the Ministry.

At the meeting, the hoteliers presented the government with some priority areas in which they believe that action should be taken to improve the competitiveness of Dominican tourism, including citizen security, energy and water infrastructure, health facilities, and taxation and competition regulations.

The government valued the announcement of the investments as “an important boost for the Dominican Republic” as a tourist destination for a group of companies that currently has 72 hotels in the country.

According to the Ministry of Tourism data, the Spanish hotel offer represents almost 45% of the rooms built in the Dominican Republic and generates around 43,000 direct jobs.

President Abinader thanked the Spanish families for believing in the Dominican Republic and invited them to continue betting on this destination as he told them that “the best years are yet to come.”

Last September, the Dominican Republic surpassed tourist arrivals data before the pandemic and expects to reach record figures in 2022.

Grupo Piñero and Inverotel, Encarna Piñero, and owners or senior managers of other Spanish chains such as Riu, Meliá, Iberostar, Palladium, Princess, Catalonia and Grupo Fuerte were present at the meeting.

Government manages new Copa flights Panama to Punta Cana and Santo Domingo

The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, reported that together with President Luis Abinader, during his visit to Panama, they met with Stanley Mota, president of the board of directors of Copa Holdings and the main executives of Panama’s Copa Airlines to coordinate new routes to the Dominican Republic.

The routes would be increased to the Punta Cana and Internacional de las Américas ( AILA ) airports.

“Every step we take is thinking about the jobs of our people,” added Collado on his social networks.

The meeting was also attended by the president of the Civil Aviation Board ( JAC ), José Marte Piantini ; Paola Rainieri , from the Puntacana Group ; Mónika Infante , director of Dominican Airports Siglo XXI ( Aerodom ); José Ignacio Paliza , Minister of the Presidency; Víctor Pichardo, executive director of the Airport Department, among others.

Víctor Moneo: “Dominican Republic has managed to combine health prevention with openness of tourism”

THE DIRECTOR OF IBERIA EXPLAINED THAT AS A RESULT OF THIS, THE AIRLINE HAS INCREASED ITS FLIGHTS TO THE COUNTRY

 “The President and the Minister have had very good vision.”

Víctor Moneo, director of LATAM Sales and Institutional Agreements of Iberia, said that the Dominican Government had done one “thing well, much better than other countries” since it has been able to combine health precautions with openness to tourism properly.

“In the pandemic period we made repatriation flights only and in July this was one of the first destinations we started operating. Here there is also a medical guarantee,” he added.

He explained that as a result of this (due to the security provided by the country), Iberia had increased the offer in a significant way to DR since, from November, the airline’s operations will be increased to 13 weekly flights.

“Before the pandemic we had seven. We are optimistic and it is an important bet. The limitation of all airlines are airplanes and pilots, and you have to have them accommodated and yet we believe that this country has gone quite well,” he said.

The executive also referred to the rd, after the security it projects for tourism and travel, will be the partner country in Fitur 2022. “It has not been a reckless bet, it has been a very good bet and I feel that we are accompanying them on this path.”

“We believe in the trade fair world. Fitur was the last tourism fair before Covid and the first to be held in a pandemic. I think this year will be very successful and the fact that the Dominican Republic is the partner country has been excellent. President Abinader and Minister David Collado have had a very good vision in pursuing the recovery of tourism,” he said.

Moneo also indicated that the passenger has changed after the pandemic, and “there was a first stage with a lot of fear. People thought that getting on a plane was a risk and that leaving home too. We have invested a lot of time in creating a communication that would clarify that flying is not dangerous.”

“Onboard, there is a phrase that says that “the probability of contagion in an airplane is the same as in an operating room. In an airplane, there are all the sanitary measures, with filters that are constantly renewing the air, all the security measures, masks, the cleanliness of the plane, and the statistics accredit them. So that passenger who first entered with fear realized that the sanitary measures we had on board were serious and robust,” he emphasized.

President says several sectors that contribute to the country’s economy are “recovered”

Santo Domingo, DR.

The President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, assured that several sectors that contribute to the national economy have already “recovered” from the impact of the crisis caused by COVID-19.

He indicated that beyond the “great distortions” concerning the transport of raw materials, they had come forward to recover different sectors.

During the forum “Mipyes and Covid-19 towards a sustainable recovery,” the president said that the government is working to recover this productive sector.

“The economy is already in the process of frank recovery, which is going to grow with more than double digits this year, where the free zone is already recovered, where tourism is already recovered and we expect the best tourist season in history next year, and where all sectors are recovering and MSMEs have to accompany that recovery, we are going to help all MSMEs make a frank recovery,” he said.

He thanked the different associations that brought together micro, small and medium-sized companies for the work carried out, despite the conditions generated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Thank you very much to codopymes for working together with us to achieve this recovery. Now we need to double the efforts to continue solving any problem that arises in a world that struggles with great disturbances as we have seen in transportation logistics. In the increase in raw materials, we have a long way to go to continue working and recovering,” said the president.

Abinader stressed that MSMEs are “fundamental pillars” for the country’s sustainability since they constitute 98 percent of the business fabric and 50 percent of jobs in the country according to data.

Economy will close the year with a growth rate of 10%

Santo Domingo, DR

In a speech on the occasion of the 74th anniversary of the Central Bank, Governor Héctor Valdez Albizu revealed that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) reached a growth of 12.7% in the first nine months of this year and projected that at the end of this 2021 it would be double digits (10%) or more.

Valdez Albizu cited the Hotels, Bars and Restaurants sector as the great driver of growth from January to September, with 31.8%; followed by construction with 30%, free zones 24%, among other activities that in turn contributed to an increase in formal and informal employment.

However, he stressed that as in previous months, construction was once again the activity with the highest impact on growth, representing almost 80% of gross fixed capital formation.

“The remarkable performance of the first nine months of the year consolidates the projection that the Dominican Republic will achieve a double-digit expansion at the end of 2021,that is, 10% or more, placing the country again as one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America,” the governor said in his speech.

He affirmed that the growth registered in the first nine months is a “real feat,” given the impact of the pandemic on health and the economy.

The most dynamic sectors in performance, in terms of value-added in January-September, were: Hotels, bars, and restaurants (31.8%); construction (30%); manufacturing of free zones (24.2%); transport and storage (13.7%); local manufacturing (11.5%); trade (11.1%); and mining and quarrying (6.9%), reported Governor Valdez Albizu.

Recovered tourism
Valdez Albizu stressed that tourism had recovered faster than expected, and according to figures, in January-September, more than 3.3 million non-resident visitors arrived in the country.

In September alone, non-resident passengers who entered the country increased by 12.9% concerning visitors received in the same month of 2019, a performance that he said allows projecting that the arrival of non-residents would exceed 4.8 million in 2021.

Local Manufacturing
Regarding local manufacturing, the governor said that the recovery was decisive, not only because of its share of GDP but also because it is one of the country’s main generators of formal jobs.

He also referred to the manufacture of free zones, which recovered 100% of the jobs suspended during the confinement.

Regarding trade, the governor explained that the sector was a significant beneficiary of the increase in demand “as a result of the relaxation of the confinement aimed at mitigating the spread of the coronavirus.”

Canadians look to invest as Gov. touts business climate

Santo Domingo.– A mission of Canadian business  leaders interested in investing in the Dominican Republic in the areas of trade, development, investment, industry, tourism, cooperation for environmental sanitation projects and others, visited Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez yesterday.

The official explained that with this meeting the work agenda of these businessmen in the country began.

“You are in a nation with an excellent investment climate, reinforced by the efforts of the Dominican Government to combat corruption and impunity.

In addition, we have a free zone regime that generates investment facilities and we have macroeconomic stability,” added the foreign minister.

The arrival in the country of this high-level business mission was coordinated by the embassy of the Dominican Republic in Canada, and its ambassador Michelle Cohen.

Venezuela maintains its flights to the Dominican Republic in an “exceptional” way

The National Institute of Civil Aviation (INAC) of Venezuela announced that the restriction on international flights was extended due to Covid-19, except for the routes that connect the Caribbean country with the Dominican Republic, Turkey, Mexico, Panama, Bolivia, and Russia.

“Exceptionally, only commercial air operations are authorized for the transfer of passengers, cargo and mail between the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the sister countries of the Dominican Republic, Turkey, Mexico, Panama, Bolivia and Russia,” according to an INAC statement, which, in that case, did not clarify how long the extension is.

INAC urged “air operators and travel agencies not to market tickets on routes other than those approved.”

It is recalled that on March 12 of last year, the Venezuelan Government suspended all flights from Europe and Colombia, in principle for a month, “to add to the preventive processes at the international level” and try to stop the arrival of Covid-19 in the Caribbean country. This measure was extended a few days later to the rest of the connections.