Public Works works to restore El Cangrejo bridge in Puerto Plata

The Ministry of Public Works reported this Friday that its brigades are working hard to ensure that by next week the passage of light vehicles over the Cangrejo bridge in Puerto Plata will be provisionally restored after one of its bridge support beams was broken.

The Deputy Minister of Supervision and Control, Roberto Herrer, explained that this bridge has already fulfilled its useful life because it is more than 50 years old.

Herrera also reported that by order of Minister Deligne Ascención, studies and designs are being worked on to construct a new structure. Still, while this is happening, the MOPC is working on finding a temporary solution to facilitate vehicular traffic there.

“The Cangrejo bridge is “fundamental” since it connects the entire route between Puerto Plata, Montellano, Gregorio Luperón airport, Sosúa, among other towns on the north coast, which is why we are enabling an alternate route through the Los Pérez sector that connects Montellano and Sosúa and surrounding areas.

Meanwhile, work is being done on expanding a speed bump on the road that has been arranged to divert vehicles to facilitate more fluid and faster traffic so that users are not affected.

He said that the MOPC aspires to be able to go through this alternate route next Tuesday, not as smoothly as desired, but it is the most expeditious solution at the moment.

It is recalled that the El Cangrejos bridge suspended traffic due to a displacement of a support beam that allowed a column to break, which represents a danger for those who travel along that road.

Since the weakening of the structure, teams from the Ministry of Public Works have been working to prepare the road while a solution to the bridge’s situation is sought.

Canada further eases its travel restrictions

Canada‘s federal government is further easing travel restrictions beginning April 25. Among the highlights of the changes, children aged five to 11 who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated will no longer need a Covid-19 test to enter Canada.

The federal government said on Friday that children in that age group accompanied by a fully vaccinated parent or guardian would no longer have to complete a pre-entry Covid-19 test.

Pre-entry testing will continue to be required for partially vaccinated or unvaccinated travelers aged 12 years and older who are currently eligible to travel to Canada.

The easing of the rules comes two months after Ottawa removed pre-arrival Covid-19 PCR testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers.

More changes announced:

— Fully vaccinated travelers will no longer be required to provide a quarantine plan upon entry.

— Fully vaccinated travelers entering Canada on or after April 25 will no longer have to wear masks in public spaces, monitor and report if they develop signs or symptoms, self-quarantine if another traveler in the same travel party shows signs or symptoms test positive, and keep a list of close contacts and places visited.

Some things have not changed. All travelers must still use the ArriveCAN app to upload travel and vaccination information within 72 hours of arrival in Canada and/or before boarding a plane or cruise ship bound for Canada.

In addition, all travelers, regardless of their vaccination status, must continue to wear a mask on planes and at airports.

Currently, more than 85% of Canadians over the age of 5 are fully vaccinated.

Entities evaluate with JetBlue formulas to reduce costs of flights between the US and the Dominican Republic

The reduction of the airfare, the inclusion of a first bag free of charge, and the elimination of the tourist card charge for Dominicans entering the country were among the central issues discussed at a meeting between the interim general director of the Dominican Civil Aviation Institute (IDAC) and senior executives of the U.S. airline JetBlue.

Héctor Porcella, acting general director of the IDAC, gave details of his meeting at the institution’s central office with the airline’s president and COO, Johanna Geraghty, who Michael Quiello, chief of staff, accompanied; Adam Schless, director of Aircraft Acts and Alexis Morel, Regional Manager for Airports in Latin America.

The IDAC director was accompanied by Antonio Yapor, alternate ambassador to ICAO and member of the Civil Aviation Board, who explained his organization’s position during the consultation.

Porcella explained that one of the points analyzed at the meeting was to set a fare for the benefit of the Dominican Diaspora that does not exceed US$500, including taxes.

The representatives of the IDAC and the Civil Aviation Board also proposed that in the case of Dominicans residing in the United States, they be exempted from the payment of the first suitcase, as the Creoles who travel through JetBlue have been demanding, said Porcella.

“We also put forward two reasonable proposals to be considered by JetBlue as the current president of IATA (International Air Transport Association): the first would imply modifying its computer systems to eliminate the charge to Dominicans of the tourist card at the ticket office; and the second, to eliminate antigen tests for travelers entering the United States from the Dominican Republic,” said Porcella.

He said that the points submitted by the IDAC and the JAC found receptivity and good disposition among the top executives of the North American airline, promising to analyze each of the points and respond within a reasonable time.

Porcella revealed that the JetBlue delegation had previously met with President Luis Abinader. The latter expressed to the airline executives his interest in seeking solutions for the Dominican communities abroad, which have long been demanding more favorable conditions to maintain regular and permanent contact with the country.

The president and executives of JetBlue present in the Dominican Republic were accompanied by legal advisors Luis Pellerano and Urania Paulino.

Official announces start of NW port megaproject

Santo Domingo.-In this month of April, geophysical studies of the seabed of the Atlantic Ocean began to be carried out, where a solid sheet pile pier with capacity to receive ships of up to 40,000 tons will be built in the bay of Manzanillo (Northwest).

Since President Luis Abinader announced the megaproject, in September 2020, some steps have been advanced and others still remain, so that the work could become a reality shortly before the end of this administration.

The program, which is guided by engineer Cristian Borrero Rodríguez, director of the Public Works Project Execution Unit, contemplates that construction begin in February 2023, if all goes well. Its execution will take 18 months, ending in June 2024.

Borrero explains that there were delays in carrying out the geotechnical studies because the barges “had many problems at the time of conducting the surveys” so they decided to switch to the geophysical studies, which allowed them to “lower time again depending on the schedule for compliance purposes

Puerto Plata Airport will close its operations for 10 days to renovate the runway

From following Monday, May 9, to Friday, May 20

Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XII ( Aerodom ) reported that air traffic would be suspended for ten days at the Gregorio Luperón International Airport in Puerto Plata because runways 08-26 will undergo a remodeling process.

“The works are scheduled to be carried out from next Monday, May 9, to Friday, May 20, during which period only helicopters will be able to carry out their operations,” the entity said.

After analyzing traffic flows, the company explained that the dates chosen to carry out the remodeling process were selected. These are the two weeks of the year in which the lowest flow of passengers has historically been received.

“Aerodom has been working together with the airlines and tour operators that operate in the terminal, with the interest of guaranteeing a minimum of inconvenience to passengers during said period,” the company said.

He explained that the work to be carried out seeks to extend the useful life of the runway, improve the operating conditions of the aircraft, and correct the leveling of the central section of the runway, according to Diario Libre.

Aerodom said that the remodeling of the runway would be a large-scale construction project, which implies an investment of more than 260 million pesos.

From the company, they indicate that the works will allow continued expansion of the connectivity between Puerto Plata and Europe.

New Vistas Golf project will diversify tourism offerings in Santo Domingo

With President Luis Abinader, the exclusive Vistas Golf & Country Club project of the Malespín Group was inaugurated, a course that aims to be the center of sports life in Santo Domingo for local people and foreign visitors seeking places of recreation of the complementary tourist offer of the city.

Marcos Malespín said, “today we inaugurate this dream as a symbol of our confidence in the country, in the climate that our government has fostered for investment and the development of initiatives in favor of the best interests of our society, to generate well-being, work, and security for all Dominicans.”

Likewise, he highlighted that with the complimentary offer of tourism, they feel very proud as a company to generate, during the work, more than 2,500 direct and indirect jobs and for having prioritized the provision of national products over imported ones.

“It fills us with satisfaction that we filled a gap that there was with tourists from the capital, who had to travel many kilometers to the east of the country to play a high-quality golf course, and now thanks to this project, that is just a few minutes from the city center, they have the opportunity to enjoy a golf course with PGA standards. Moreover, now all the hotels in the capital can expand the range of services offered, including our golf course,” he added.

Vistas Golf will also provide great contributions to the Dominican economy through the creation of jobs and the generation of foreign currency since it is part of the complementary tourist offer of Santo Domingo, and thanks to it, it is expected that both business visitors and golfing travelers are delighted with this wonderful course.

Vistas Golf also seeks to increase the number of lodging days in Santo Domingo; it is focused on developing a community and a lifestyle for nature lovers, the practice of more than four disciplines, such as golf, tennis, soccer, and swimming, and for the enjoyment of good gastronomy and promote health and well-being.

To this end, a harmonious space has been created with first-class facilities, which also include an exclusive 18-hole golf course designed for golf lovers, as well as recreation areas such as a water park, playgrounds for children, an Eco Park, and a beautiful garden perfect for activities such as picnics and yoga; making it an attractive tourist space for both locals and international visitors.

The course has been designed by famed Australian champion Greg Norman and has exclusive features and USGA-certified materials, making it suitable for hosting PGA tournaments. It is grass-covered Bermuda Latitude 36 (fairways); Bermuda Tiff Eagle (greens). In addition, the Learning Center has a unique Putting Lab in the country, a Driving Range, and a Short Game Practice Area.

Likewise, the sports spaces have been designed with all the technical specifications that, added to the professional support of the team of instructors, allow promotion of sports training and recreational development.

The luxurious project, created by the real estate project management company Interra, which is part of the project development division of the Alyon business platform, is the brainchild of architect Marcos Malespín-Estévez, inspired by the architecture of Luís Barragán; each space creatively interacts with natural elements such as light, breezes and beautiful mountain views.

Collado against the “exaggerated” costs of the plane ticket

“We are working to lower ticket prices,” said the head of Mitur

Considers the situation is one of the main obstacles to tourism in the DR

Once again, the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, attacked the “exaggerated” costs of air tickets, a situation that he considers to be one of the main obstacles facing the advancement of tourism in the Dominican Republic.

“We are working together with the consulates and airlines; we are going to encourage charters (flights) and get ticket prices down,” he said during a visit to the Dominican consulate in Miami.

Collado pointed out that, in April alone, 100,000 Dominicans who have adopted US citizenship traveled to the country as tourists. He considered it exaggerated that a ticket to the Dominican Republic is priced at up to 1,700 dollars in high season.

“We are going to work to get fair prices for Dominicans, and that is why we have held meetings with the main airlines, with charter companies, so that more flights arrive at lower prices to the country,” added Collado.

Precisely intending to lower the cost of airline tickets, the Dominican government is promoting the emergence of new airlines, even considering the creation of a flag carrier. President Luis Abinader himself has already announced this project.

Dominican FinTech sector posts highest growth in 2021

Santo Domingo.- The president of the Dominican Association of FinTech Companies (AdoFinTech), Miguel Ángel Adames, highlighted today that, between 2017 and 2021, the Dominican Republic was the country with the highest growth in Fintech Startups in the Latin American and Caribbean region, for an increase of 129%, according to data from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

He indicated that financial technology companies have experienced rapid growth throughout Latin America, especially during the pandemic.

The executive said that, in addition to helping to reduce the financial inclusion gap in the region, the Fintech sector has been one of the sectors that receives the most investment, managing to attract 125.0 billion dollars globally in 2021.

“In the Dominican Republic they are a key piece to boost the Dominican economy and the post-pandemic economic recovery process.”

Passengers from non-traditional destinations will arrive in the Dominican Republic

The Civil Aviation Board (JAC) president, José Marte Piantini, approved new operations to attract passengers to Dominican soil from non-traditional destinations such as Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Turkey.

This will be possible through 5 Code Shares, such as three from Iberia airline and two from AIR Europa; this arose from the air transport agreement signed between the Dominican Republic (DR) and the Kingdom of Spain in January this year, explained Piantini.

“With the approval of these operations, we seek to maintain connectivity between the destinations Tel Aviv (Israel), Madrid (Spain), and Santo Domingo, explained the public servant.

This code-share will allow passengers from Israel to use Iberia services on the route between this European city and the DR until 29 October 2022.

The JAC plenary also approved the code-share operations between Iberia and Qatar Airways. This year’s summer season, these flights will be operating on the Madrid/Santo Domingo/Madrid route. They will bring passengers from the United Arab Emirates after their stopover in Spain.

IBERIA also requested approval for the 2022 summer season to continue Code Share operations with Vueling Airlines.

The CAB had approved these operations during the winter season, from October 31, 2021, to March 26, 2022. They now seek to continue operating during the 2022 summer season on the Barcelona/Punta Cana/Barcelona route.

Similarly, the CAB approved Code Share operations between AIR Europe and Etihad Airways to operate the Madrid/Santo Domingo/Madrid route. As a result, passengers will be able to fly between points in Spain and points in the United Arab Emirates and other countries to the Dominican Republic.

Operations will be carried out during the 2022 summer season (March 27 to October 29, 2022).

AIR Europa was also approved for Code Share operations with Turkish Airlines to operate the Madrid/Santo Domingo/Madrid route, which will allow it to bring passengers on connecting flights to Istanbul, Turkey. The operations will be carried out during the 2022 Summer Season (March 27 to October 29, 2022).

With these Code-Share approvals, the Dominican Republic allows airlines to have a presence on routes where traffic volumes do not justify individual operations, thus allowing them to have a presence in a market through this type of agreement.

Dominican Republic lifts Covid restrictions at airports

 Random tests are no longer in effect as of Saturday.

 This measure has been provided for in CAB Resolution 99-2022.

The Civil Aviation Board ( JAC ) annulled this Saturday, April 23, 2022, the measure that established the performance of random PCR breath tests to diagnose Covid-19 at the airports of the Dominican Republic.

Through Resolution 99-2022, the entity indicated that “random tests for rapid detection of Covid-19 for passengers and crew upon arrival in the Dominican Republic are nullified. However, when required, random testing operations may be carried out. Passengers who present a vaccination card will be exempt from random tests.

In addition, the document indicates that the measures will be reviewed in case new actions are required to prevent the entry into Dominican territory of variants of Covid-19.

Dominican Republic gets Cruise Association’s kudos

Miami.- The Dominican Republic was recognized by the Florida and Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) as an important cruise destination in the world in a ceremony held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Miami.

“This is the result of all the work that we have been carrying out together with President Luis Abinader to promote cruise tourism, with destinations such as Puerto Plata, with Amber Cove and Taíno Bay, as a great attraction,”

Said David Collado, Minister of Tourism.

Collado credited the work of the Dominican Port Authority and its director Jean Luis Rodríguez for making it possible for the ports to be at the level expected.

Michelle Paige, president of the FCCA, presented Collado with recognition for the recovery of tourism in the country and, above all, for the successful reopening of cruise destinations.

“Together we will make history and make sure things are better than ever. We trust the Dominican Republic a lot and that is why we recognize them today,” Paige said.

Dominican Gov. to unveil tourism master plan for Southwest

Santo Domingo.- For next Friday, April 29 the Pro Pedernales Trust plans to hold a public hearing to present the results of the latest environmental impact studies carried out by that entity for the Cabo Rojo Tourism Development Plan.

In a statement it indicates that the institution’s technical team is currently analyzing said results for presentation in Pedernales province.

The plan covers an area of ​​approximately 38 million square meters and will include the construction of luxury and ecological hotels, with sustainable energy generation capacity, in addition to the construction of affordable housing for the employees of the area and the project.

The strategy, which is carried out among important protected areas for their ecological value, is monitored by environmental groups who hope that the initiative will not harm the natural reserves of the province, which they understand are vital for a sustainable project.

Iberojet’s alliance with Air Europa will promote flights to Punta Cana

The Ávoris airline will offer its flights with the entire route issued in a single ticket

Itineraries combining flights will be from May 2

Iberojet has signed an interline agreement with Air Europa to connect its intercontinental flights with the domestic and European network of the Globaliacompany.

Through the alliance, which will start on May 2, the Ávoris airline will offer its flights with the entire route issued in a single ticket.

Likewise, the suitcase will be checked in from origin to the final destination: Punta Cana, Cancun, Havana, Varadero, San José ( Costa Rica ), Los Cabos ( Mexico ), and Mauritius, from and to 13 destinations in Spain and another 11 Europeans operated by Air Europe.

The itineraries combining Air Europa flights with Iberojet will be on sale both in the global distribution systems (GDS) and on iberojet.com.

With this, Iberojet moves its operations from T4 to Terminal 1 of the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport, thus reducing waiting times on connecting flights with Air Europa.

To improve the service, Iberojet has modified the schedule of some routes to optimize the connection with those of Air Europa. One of the flights experiencing these changes is the one from Havana, which, starting in May, will depart 3 hours later than the current time.

Paul Verhagen, deputy general manager of Iberojet, highlights that “one of the fundamental pillars since the creation of the airline has been to offer a comfortable experience for the traveler, in which our customers do not have worries during the journey to their destination.”

“This new agreement, thanks to which our connection options with flights from Spain and Europe to our destinations in the Caribbean, Pacific and Indian Oceans grow, will make our traveler’s experience even more pleasant and comfortable,” he said.

DATE 2022, key to reactivate tourism: will attract participants from 25 countries

The Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic ( Asonahores ) announced that the “Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange” DATE 2022 fair, in its twenty-second version, will be hosting 25 countries from the 40 leading source markets of tourists who visit the country.

Rafael Blanco Tejera, president of Asonahores, said that Asonahores seeks through DATE to strengthen the growth of the tourism sector to increase the flow of tourists and continue contributing to the national economic recovery.

“We are promoting our main fair to expose to a large group of tour operators the best of the country’s tourist and complementary offer and facilitate expansion and investment opportunities,” he said.

The big event is the leading trade fair for the local tourism product held from May 11 to 13 at the Barceló Bávaro Convention Center, Punta Cana.

For this reason, Asonahores indicated that during the event, they would receive more than 150 companies between suppliers and buyers from 25 countries of the main issuing markets who will be in contact with the different segments and the great diversity of attractions offered by the Dominican tourism product.

The entity expressed the importance of holding the event as an initiative to boost the tourism industry in the country and increase the number of tourists visiting the country in the short and long term.

Date 2022 will feature the participation of important local and international press media who will exhaust a plan designed by Asonahores where they will learn about the news and diversity of Dominican tourist destinations.

They highlighted that this new edition of DATE would be promoting the elimination of paper use, developing the event with digital elements according to international protocols, and promoting environmental sustainability as an important initiative of the local tourism sector to contribute to the care of our natural resources.

Masks are now optional on major US airlines

After a federal judge in Florida struck down the Biden administration’s mask mandate for airplanes and other methods of public transportation, airlines are beginning to act.

For this reason, several US airlines announced that masks are now optional on their planes: Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and JetBlue.

Delta Air Lines said it will make masks optional and warned travelers “may experience inconsistent application over the next 24 hours as this news is communicated more widely.”

“Given the unexpected nature of this announcement, please note that customers, airline employees, and employees of federal agencies, such as the TSA, may receive this information at different times,” the airline said.

Meanwhile, United Airlines said that “masks are no longer required at United on domestic flights, select international flights (depending on arrival country’s mask requirements), or at US airports.”

For its part, Alaska Airlines stated that masks are now optional and asked passengers to be considerate.

“While we are pleased that this means many of us can see your smiling faces, we understand that some may have mixed feelings,” the airline posted.

“Remember to be nice to each other and that wearing a mask while traveling is still an option,” he added.

American Airlines said, “face masks will no longer be required for our customers and team members at US airports and domestic flights.”

Please note that face masks may still be required depending on local ordinances or when traveling to/from certain international locations depending on country requirements.

Alaska Airlines said some of its passengers barred from the airline during the mask policy would continue to be barred from its planes.

Southwest Airlines, meanwhile, said on its website that employees and customers can “choose whether they’d like to wear a mask, and we encourage people to make the best choice to support their personal well-being.”

It also said it would “continue to support the comfort of those traveling with us by offering additional layers of protection.”

And JetBlue, through a tweet, stated that masks would be optional within the United States. “While no longer required, customers and crew members can continue to wear face coverings in our terminals and onboard our aircraft.”

Meanwhile, Amtrak said it would no longer require face masks for passengers and employees on the ground.

It is recalled that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended the mandate to use masks until May 3. The masking requirement was applied to planes, trains, and other forms of public transportation. A Biden administration official says the order is no longer in effect while the ruling is reviewed.

Hidalgo: “Dominican Republic is one of the few countries that are already almost normal”

Highlights increase in hotel occupancy in the DR

He sees isolation measures as currently unnecessary.

“When this (from the covid-19 pandemic) arrived, I remembered that Jesus Christ rose on the third day, but I thought that the country would take three years to be as we were before. There are a few countries that are already established, that are already normal, and one of the countries that is almost normal is Santo Domingo . It will cost other countries much more”, indicated the president of Globalia, Juan José Hidalgo.

When Hidalgo cites Santo Domingo, he refers specifically to the country. It is common for it to occur when foreigners and tourists travel to the national territory.

“Without a doubt, SD is an example. There, what is always talked about is that you have to push forward. That many tourists come, and that we are almost normal. It is a country that is facing difficulties,” said the businessman in an interview with El Caribe.

He stated that the type mentioned above of progress, work, and effort gives people confidence, and that is expressed in an increase in hotel occupancy and a good frequency of entry and exit of airline flights, as is the case of his company ( Air Europa ), which goes daily to Santo Domingo and two days a week -now in winter- to Punta Cana.

“The planes are full. So I think that openness and how the government has dealt with this pandemic are very important,” he explained.

For Hidalgo, the isolation measures, due to the health situation in the world, are no longer necessary because they are very drastic for the tourism economy.

In Canada, DR’s attractions stand out as an investment destination

Ottawa, Canada. Canadian businessmen from various sectors, government officials of this country, and representatives of the diplomatic corps participated in the reception conference “Benefits of investing in the Dominican Republic from the angle of foreign experience.”

The activity was defined by the Dominican Ambassador to Canada, Michelle Cohen, as the prelude to the organization of a second mixed (public-private) mission to the Dominican Republic to explore trade and investment opportunities.

The conference reception, hosted by the Dominican Embassy in Canada, was attended by Mrs. Robin Bernstein, former U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, as a special guest.

Bernstein stressed that he traveled to Ottawa to show the important relationship between the Caribbean country and the United States.

The diplomat highlighted the ease of doing business in the country and what the thriving tourism sector offers to foreign investors.

The Dominican Ambassador to Canada, Michelle Cohen, thanked those present, especially Mrs. Bernstein, for accepting the invitation to such an important meeting and for the work done in the country during her tenure as a diplomat.

She recalled that in the management as ambassador, Bernstein received a commercial mission from about 50 companies, ports, and commercial representatives of Florida, very interested in the Dominican Republic.

“In addition to the territorial proximity between the Dominican Republic and North America, the Dominican Republic has the advantage that the Dominican government offers a good level of confidence, political stability and solid incentives to investors for the trade, manufacturing, construction, agribusiness, hospitality and other sectors, so we invite Canadians to invest and do business with our country,” Cohen noted.

Between January and March 2022, higher air passenger flow than in the same period in 2021

During the first quarter of 2022, 3,812,010 passengers were mobilized through the international terminals of the Dominican Republic. In addition, according to the Civil Aviation Board (JAC) data, passengers were transported in 29,781 regular flight operations carried out to and from Dominican territory.

When the comparison is made with the first quarter of 2021, in 2022, passengers were mobilized by 123.94% more than last year. Between January to March of last year, 1,702,235 passengers were transferred, and in the same period of 2022, 3,812,010 passengers were transferred. Passenger mobilizations in the first quarters of the years 2018 to 2022, as a whole, total 16,978,454 passengers.

On the other hand, if the first quarter of 2022 is compared to the same period in 2018, a decrease of -3.35% is obtained, going from 3,944,131 passengers in 2018 to 3,812,010 in 2022.

When this comparison is made with 2019, the year before the pandemic, there is a drop of -9.04%. In 2019, 4,191,022 passengers were mobilized during the first quarter.

The Civil Aviation Board explains through the documents provided to Diario Libre that between January and March 2020 -the months before the COVID-19 emergency- 3,329,056 passengers were mobilized through the international terminals of the Dominican Republic. Compared to the same period in 2022, the data shows that there was a growth of 14.50% in this last year.

Aircraft movement

Also, the first two months of 2022 saw an aircraft movement of 19,498, of which 9,757 were arrivals and 9,741 departures. In contrast to 2020, this number represents a 2% decrease: January decreased by 1%, and February decreased by 3%.

The JAC clarifies that, from the point of view of aircraft movement, the country has shown a total recovery since October 2021 because, in those five months (October 2021-February 2022), more than 300 flights have been generated than in the same five months. of the years 2019-2020.

The document explains that 1,346,412 passengers were transported in 10,285 operations as of March, making this the third March with the most significant number of passengers in the country’s history, after March 2019 and 2018.

Likewise, the JAC reported that in the first quarter of 2022, 5,611 incoming and outgoing charter flight operations were registered, totaling 29,787 regular and non-regular air operations carried out from January to March of the year.

Recently, the president of the JAC, José Marte Piantini, said that “the establishment of bilateral air transport relations arranged by the Dominican Republic through the JAC has contributed significantly to connectivity, resulting in gains mainly for air transport users.”

Marte Piantini also reported that during January, February, and March 2022, the country received 266 commercial airlines from different parts of the world, to which the operations of the Arajet airline will be added starting next May.

General Commander of the Air Force supervises Holy Week operations in Puerto Plata

Puerto Plata, DR

The Commander General of the Air Force of the Dominican Republic, Pilot Major General Leonel Amílcar Muñoz Noboa, led a tour of the main beaches and resorts of the Puerto Plata province to verify that national and international vacationers are safe during the holiday and thus giving support to the other emergency response agencies arranged in the “Awareness for Life” Operation Easter 2022, which seeks to mitigate any accident or incident.

Major General Muñoz was accompanied by Pilot Brigadier General Manuel Abad García Lithgow, commander of the Puerto Plata Air Base, and Paratrooper Brigadier General Rafael Castellanos Dotel, director of DECEFARD.

Similarly, they supervised the operation of the Mobile Hospital located at the Puerto Plata Air Base, together with Mrs. Claritza Rochette, provincial governor; Ginette Bournigal, provincial senator; Mileyka Brugal, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Production of the same province, among other civil and military authorities.

Playa Sosúa, Cabarete, Long Beach, Playa Dorada, and other attractive points in the area for vacationers who take advantage of the “Semana Mayor” time off were among the supervised places.

The Commander General also made an aerial tour of the northern zone and other locations.

Punta Cana-Bavaro has highest hotel occupancy

Santo Domingo.- The average hotel occupancy rate in the country for this Easter Week is 74.6%, according to figures from the Dominican Republic Hotels and Tourism Association (Asonahores). The Punta Cana-Bavaro destination registers the highest occupancy rate.

The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, said at the beginning of the week that the occupancy rate was around 95 percent.

For this holiday, the Punta Cana-Bavaro destination has an average occupancy rate of 88.2%, surpassing the average occupancy rate in 2019, the year before the Covid-19 pandemic when it was 85.4%.

According to Asonahores’ average net hotel occupancy rate, the difference in average occupancy between last year and 2022 is 129.7%.

It specifies that the occupancy forecast for the area of Boca Chica and Juan Dolio is 71.0%, in La Romana Bayahibe it also reaches 88.2%, and in Puerto Plata, the forecast is 66.3%.

In Sosua and Cabarete the occupancy rate this year is estimated at 55.0% and for Samana, it is 79.0%.

Last year, after the reopening, only the destination of Samaná reached 51.5% average occupancy due to the effects of the pandemic, while the other destinations were between 39% and 49%.

In 2019, total occupancy was 80.5% and by 2021 it dropped to 43.8%.

The North Coast region consists of the provinces of María Trinidad Sánchez, Puerto Plata and Samaná.

In these areas, the Atlantic Ocean dominates the landscape, from the beaches and cliffs in Nagua, Cabrera and Río San Juan, to the beaches of Cabarete, Sosúa, Cofresí, Maimón and Punta Rucia, in Puerto Plata province.

Punta Rucia is one of the departure points to Cayo Arena, an idyllic desert island with white sand and coral reefs.

In Samaná, visitors can divide their time between the beaches and lush mountains.

The beaches of Las Terrenas, Cosón, Portillo, El Limón, and Las Galeras are the main attractions on the peninsula. And for those who prefer to explore the mountains, the El Limón waterfall is an unmissable excursion.