US delegation would arrive in June to sign the open skies agreement

David Collado, the Minister of Tourism, has announced that a delegation from the United States will be arriving in the Dominican Republic next June to sign the open-close agreement, a treaty that has been anticipated by the sector for more than 15 years. The United States government has communicated that it is prioritizing the signing of the open skies treaty between the two countries.

Collado told arecoa.com that the project is 95% complete, with the Dominican authorities putting the finishing touches and responding to a communication sent by the US State Department on the matter. The agreement aims to make traveling easier for tourists and will have a significant impact on the tourism sector in the Dominican Republic.

The signing of the open-close agreement has been long-awaited by the sector, and it is expected to strengthen the relationship between the Dominican Republic and the United States. The tourism industry is one of the primary contributors to the Dominican economy, and the treaty’s successful signing will create opportunities for growth and development in the sector.

Arajet prepares its second phase of expansion focused on the US market

Arajet, an airline based in the Dominican Republic, is gearing up for its second phase of expansion, targeting the United States market. The company plans to gradually open 17 routes starting in 2023, with destinations including Boston, Miami, New York, Orlando, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Arajet aims to compete with major US airlines such as American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, and United, focusing on price-sensitive travelers and offering a product and price similar to its competitors.

Victor Pacheco, CEO and founder of Arajet, stated that while they have 17 US routes in their portfolio, they won’t all open immediately. The launch of flights to the United States is expected to boost passenger numbers, not only to and from the Dominican Republic but also from other markets Arajet currently serves. Following their entry into the US market, Arajet plans to explore opportunities in the American southern cone, targeting destinations in South America.

The expansion plans of Arajet also include routes to destinations such as Asunción, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and Santiago in South America. The exact dates for the new destinations are yet to be determined and will depend on the delivery of new aircraft and the evolution of Arajet’s current operations.

Development Bank of Latin America creates the Dominican Republic Tourism Directorate

The Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) has created a Tourism Directorate based in Santo Domingo to support its member countries in harnessing their tourism potential as a driver of development and employment. The newly operational department of CAF places significant emphasis on environmental, social, cultural, and economic sustainability, as well as innovation, regeneration, and inclusion, according to a statement released by the institution.

Sergio Díaz-Granados, the Executive President of CAF, highlighted the growth potential of the tourism sector and the synergies that can be fostered through this new direction. He sees it as a valuable contribution to sustainable development and integration among partner countries by leveraging tourism as a key sector for job creation and foreign exchange generation. CAF aims to collaborate with the public and private sectors in Latin America and the Caribbean to promote a robust agenda that supports tourism and its positive impacts.

Oscar Rueda García, a lawyer from Javeriana University in Bogotá with a master’s degree in Spanish-American Literature from the University of Barcelona, has been appointed to lead the Tourism Directorate. Rueda García brings a wealth of experience in the tourism industry to his new role.

CAF, founded in 1970 and comprising 21 member countries (including 19 from Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Spain and Portugal), along with 13 private banks, serves as a key source of multilateral financing and knowledge generation for the region. The establishment of the Tourism Directorate further strengthens CAF’s commitment to supporting sustainable development and regional integration.

The Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) has created a Tourism Directorate based in Santo Domingo to support its member countries in harnessing their tourism potential as a driver of development and employment. The newly operational department of CAF places significant emphasis on environmental, social, cultural, and economic sustainability, as well as innovation, regeneration, and inclusion, according to a statement released by the institution.

Sergio Díaz-Granados, the Executive President of CAF, highlighted the growth potential of the tourism sector and the synergies that can be fostered through this new direction. He sees it as a valuable contribution to sustainable development and integration among partner countries by leveraging tourism as a key sector for job creation and foreign exchange generation. CAF aims to collaborate with the public and private sectors in Latin America and the Caribbean to promote a robust agenda that supports tourism and its positive impacts.

Oscar Rueda García, a lawyer from Javeriana University in Bogotá with a master’s degree in Spanish-American Literature from the University of Barcelona, has been appointed to lead the Tourism Directorate. Rueda García brings a wealth of experience in the tourism industry to his new role.

CAF, founded in 1970 and comprising 21 member countries (including 19 from Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Spain and Portugal), along with 13 private banks, serves as a key source of multilateral financing and knowledge generation for the region. The establishment of the Tourism Directorate further strengthens CAF’s commitment to supporting sustainable development and regional integration.

Central Bank projects the Dominican Republic will close 2023 with 7.8 million tourists

Santo Domingo.- The governor of the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic, Héctor Valdez Albizu, has stated that the country’s tourism sector is expected to receive 7.8 million non-resident passengers by air by the end of 2023 if current trends continue. He also noted that hotels, bars, and restaurants had the greatest contribution to the country’s gross domestic product in 2022, with a year-on-year expansion of 24.0% in its real added value.

Valdez Albizu’s comments were made after a meeting with an IMF delegation, whose head of the Monetary Fund mission, Emilio Fernández-Corugedo, stated that the Dominican economy is proactive in regulating and supervising the financial system, exhibiting a good business climate. The IMF also praised the country’s robust financial system and solid macroeconomic fundamentals, stating that the Dominican economy was the most “dynamic” and “resilient” in the last two decades in Latin America.

The positive outlook for the tourism sector and the overall strength of the Dominican economy bode well for the country’s continued economic growth and development.

Minister Pavel Isa says the Dominican Republic “is emerging unscathed” from international inflation aggravated by the Russia-Ukraine war

Santo Domingo.- Minister of Economy, Planning, and Development, Pável Isa Contreras, stated that the Dominican Republic has managed to emerge unscathed from international inflation aggravated by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The government has sacrificed investments and a set of issues to prevent the rise in prices of the products of the basic basket, which has helped reduce inflation. Contreras also mentioned that the country has reduced the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to a minimum.

Contreras announced the celebration of the second edition of Development Dialogues, scheduled for Tuesday, May 9, where the Vice President of the Republic, Raquel Peña, will participate. The purpose of the event is to reach a consensus on the development model that the country wants, according to Contreras. The minister stated that productive development will not be possible without the participation of the population.

The minister emphasized the ministry’s commitment to accompanying municipalities to prevent land with agricultural vocation from being urbanized. Additionally, the state will not promote projects that affect said territories. Contreras informed that the results of the tenth National Population and Housing Census will be presented by July or August of this year. The coverage survey of the uprising is currently underway.

The event will be moderated by Isa Contreras and will include Mileyka Brugal, the president of the Board of Directors of the Puerto Plata Chamber of Commerce; Santiago Álvarez, the executive director of the Strategic Development Plan of the Espaillat province; Fernando Capellán, the president of the Association for the Development of Santiago, and researcher Rafael Emilio Yunén. The dialogue aims to reach a consensus on the national and regional development model that the country wants, and Contreras established this activity as interactive, transparent, and close spaces for all participants to express their views.

Dominican Republic to issue measures in May in favor of sustainable tourism

The Dominican Government will issue next May a resolution to promote sustainable tourism that contemplates the reduction of the use of plastics in hotels, announced Thursday the Minister of Tourism, David Collado.

On the first day of the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE), the leading tourism fair of the Dominican Republic and also of the insular Caribbean being held until Friday in Punta Cana, Collado reiterated the Dominican Republic’s commitment to environmental protection – “We are determined to be an example of sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism.”

“We want to make the Dominican Republic not only a leader in the region (in the tourism sector), but also a more environmentally friendly destination, with sustainable tourism,” said the minister, given the clear signs that the planet is giving.

He also referred to the importance being given to sargassum and, in this sense, highlighted that the country was the first to hold this week a conference of national and international experts, authorities, the private sector, and academia to analyze the problem of these algae in the Caribbean and possible solutions.

You can read: When do workers begin to decrease their productivity?
Specifically, during his speech at the seminar, Dominican President Luis Abinader announced the donation of one million dollars for research on the integrated management of sargassum, a problem to which the Ministry of Tourism has been seeking a solution for more than a year.

For his part, Andrés Marranzini, executive vice-president of Asonahores (Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic), organizer of the fair, referred to the reuse and optimization of energy in the lodgings already underway and the recovery of the frequency of washing sheets and towels after an increase due to the sanitary situation during the covid-19 pandemic.

All the measures are part of the constant development of tourism in the Dominican Republic, a sector that contributes 25% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and that breaks records month after month in terms of tourist arrivals.

After 2022 closed with the arrival of 8.5 million visitors (7.1 million by air and nearly 1.4 million on board cruise ships), the Dominican Republic reached 2.8 million tourists in the first quarter of this year and expects to end 2023 with 10 million.

With this goal in mind, work continues to be carried out on beach refurbishment, infrastructure improvement, and the safety of visitors to the Dominican Republic.

More than 400,000 people traveled through AILA in April 2023

Santo Domingo.- The José Francisco Peña Gómez International Airport of the Americas (AILA) mobilized 446,382 domestic and foreign passengers in April 2023, according to statistical data provided by Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (Aerodom).

The concessionaire explained that the number of passengers who traveled during the past month represented an increase of 6.8% over the number of travelers who came in the same month in 2022.

He emphasized that Easter Week was the period in April when the highest number of inbound and outbound passengers was registered, exceeding 100 thousand visitors, both locals and tourists.

Aerodom also recalled that during the first quarter of this year, 1,339,000 domestic and foreign passengers traveled through the airport terminal.

During this period, most of the passengers were Dominicans residing in cities in the United States, Europe, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

Aerodom explained that in April of this year, travelers who came to the country went through the AILA on regular and charter flights of the different airlines.

Ministry of Tourism inaugurates Community Center in Maimon Puerto Plata

Puerto Plata.- The Ministry of Tourism has invested over 42 million pesos to open a new Community Center in Maimón, a municipal district in the Puerto Plata province. At the inauguration ceremony, Minister of Tourism David Collado emphasized the importance of improving the conditions of rural communities in tourist areas, as tourists who visit these places must be presented with the best conditions. The Community Center, which covers a 1,400 square meter area, will be available to serve the Maimón community. Although only the infrastructure has been inaugurated so far, the Administrative Ministry of the Presidency has committed to providing the necessary furniture and a fire truck for the new Fire Department detachment.

Collado emphasized that the growth of tourism must be felt by the communities and their people. According to figures to be officially released by the Central Bank of the Republic, Puerto Plata is currently receiving up to 170,000 tourists per month, which has had a positive impact on the town. Previously, the cruise terminal was closed and there were no job opportunities or open hotels.

The Administrative Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza, expressed his appreciation for the work done for the residents of Maimón. The Community Center was executed by the Executing Committee of Tourist Areas Infrastructures (Ceiztur) at a cost of RD$42,493,421.79. The Community Center will also serve as a local for the town hall, with two levels of 200 square meters each, and a space for the chapter house, union offices, and other functions. Additionally, there will be two bathroom modules per level and the building will be constructed with masonry walls, porcelain tile floors, and aluminum sliding windows.

The fire brigade area, which also has two levels of 160 square meters each, will provide space for two fire trucks, an office, as well as living quarters, kitchens, dining rooms, bathrooms, and a living room for the personnel. Lastly, the district funeral space will have two spaces for chapels of 25 square meters each and a preparation and conservation area. Minister Collado expressed his gratitude to the Administrative Ministry of the Presidency for their commitment to donate 10 million pesos towards the necessary furniture.

Official planes from Spain traveled several times to the Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo.- Over the past two years, official Spanish government planes have made numerous trips to the Dominican Republic without clear reasons for their visits. Spanish media reports indicate that Falcons have flown at least 27 times to the Dominican Republic, making it the second-most visited destination outside the European Union, after the United States. While the reasons for these visits are often unknown, critics have raised concerns about the excessive use of government planes by the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez.

Opposition parties have demanded accountability from Sánchez regarding the use and motives of these aircraft. They have criticized the President for using the planes for personal reasons, as well as for matters that do not warrant such use. According to reports, Sánchez often chooses the five Dassault Falcon 900s, even for short trips, some of which last only half an hour. In total, the planes have made 2,109 flights in just two years, while the two Airbus A310 and two A330 have made 1,026 displacements between March 1, 2021, and May 1, 2023.

The cost of these flights has also come under scrutiny. According to elEconomista.es, the Falcon 900 has an estimated rental cost of $6,500 on average, with each hour of flight for Sánchez costing an average of €5,600 when adding the cost of fuel, maintenance, and personnel salaries. In 2021, Sánchez made a total of 125 flights, almost 32% more than in the same period of the previous year, making it almost equivalent to a flight on an official plane every two days. The newspaper cites information from the Transparency Portal as its source.

Grupo Posadas estimates to open the Fiesta Americana Punta Cana in 2025

Mexican hotel group, Grupo Posadas, has announced plans to increase its presence in the Dominican Republic with the construction of a new hotel, Fiesta Americana Punta Cana. Construction on the project, which was halted due to the pandemic, is expected to begin in the last quarter of 2023, with completion scheduled for the end of 2025.

The new hotel will have approximately 400 rooms, adding to the inventory of the Live Aqua Beach Resort Punta Cana, which has over 500 rooms. The addition of Fiesta Americana Punta Cana will bring the total number of rooms offered by Grupo Posadas in the popular Punta Cana area to 900.

Sales Director of Live Aqua Beach Resort Punta Cana, Sarah Agramonte, expressed enthusiasm for the construction of the new hotel, citing increasing demand for destination weddings and the benefits the second property will provide to congressmen and families traveling to the area.

Agramonte also highlighted that the addition of the Fiesta Americana brand to the Dominican Republic will attract more Mexican tourists, as well as provide new and exciting activities such as a water park, which will differ from the product currently offered by Grupo Posadas in Mexico.

The expansion of Grupo Posadas’ presence in the Dominican Republic is expected to bring new opportunities to the popular Punta Cana area and benefit both tourists and the local economy.

David Collado delivers reconstructed access road to Macao beach

On Wednesday, the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, delivered the access road to Macao Beach in Punta Cana, La Altagracia province, which has been completely reconstructed and is now in perfect condition to receive tourists. The reconstruction includes 1.2 km of asphalt road, construction of sidewalks and embankments, signage, landscaping, lighting, and the creation of a storm drainage system, making it a dignified path to Playa Macao.

Collado posted on Twitter, “We comply with Macao and its people! We deliver access to Playa Macao with its road completely rebuilt and in perfect condition to receive Dominicans and tourists.” He also added that the project’s scope consisted of the rehabilitation of a 6.00-meter-wide road with a length of 1.2 kilometers.

Collado noted that the work exceeds 35 million pesos, and the access road connects the second stage with the Higüey-El Macao highway. He expressed the commitment of @TurismoRD to dignifying each tourist destination in the country and giving visitors a comfortable, safe, and reliable experience.

Punta Cana will host the UNWTO executive meeting

Punta Cana.- Tourism Minister, David Collado, announced today that the Dominican Republic will host the 118th Executive Meeting of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) from May 16 to May 18 in Punta Cana. Collado noted that the event will provide an opportunity to showcase the country as a leader in the tourism industry in the region. Representatives from around the world will convene to discuss issues related to tourism and its impact on economic and social development.

Collado also mentioned that the Inter-Institutional Forum on Sustainable Tourism of the Dominican Republic will be held on May 16, where strategies will be discussed to promote responsible, sustainable, and environmentally friendly tourism. The institution is dedicated to promoting the development of responsible and sustainable tourism in line with the UN’s sustainable development goals.

Additionally, Andrés Marranzini, vice president of the Association of Hotels and Tourism (Asonahores), reported that the Dominican Republic successfully concluded one of the most important tourist fairs on the Caribbean island, DATE. Marranzini highlighted the 37% increase in participants in the event compared to 2022 and the holding of seven thousand business meetings in just five days. He attributed the success of the fair to the growth of the industry in the country, the sustainable increase in the number of hotel rooms, and the innovative projects being carried out, such as swimming with horses. Marranzini emphasized that the Dominican Republic competes with other important destinations, such as Jamaica, Mexico, and Spain, and that the challenge is to achieve an attractive complementary activity.

The EU and UNDP challenge Dominican society to reduce plastic waste by preventing 20 million single-use bottles from reaching the environment

Santo Domingo.- The “Voy Con La Mía” (I go with mine) campaign launched by the EU and UNDP challenges Dominican society to adopt a more sustainable consumption model and prevent 20 million single-use plastic bottles from polluting the environment. The campaign encourages people to use reusable items, such as carrying a reusable bottle, and participate in a digital challenge to raise awareness about the issue of plastic pollution. This collective effort is a response to the plastic pollution crisis, which is causing environmental damage, loss of nature and biodiversity, and climate change acceleration.

According to the UN, over one million plastic bottles are consumed every minute worldwide, and the trend of plastic pollution must be reversed to avoid having more plastic than weight in the ocean by 2050. The problem of plastics represents a triple shock, which accelerates climate change, generates the loss of nature and biodiversity, and increases pollution.

The “Voy Con La Mía” campaign aims to promote sustainable practices in public entities, academia, civil society, and the private sector to reduce single-use plastic in their daily activities. This initiative is part of UNDP’s global strategy to counter plastic pollution by promoting individual/local action and partnerships.

The magnitude of the global crisis of plastic pollution led representatives of 175 countries to endorse a landmark resolution to end plastic pollution and forge a legally binding international agreement by the end of 2024. Additionally, the UN General Assembly proclaimed March 30 as International Zero Waste Day.

The EU and UNDP urge the public to join the campaign and change their consumption habits towards more sustainable practices. Caring for the environment is a global urgency, and plastic pollution affects everyone. The “Voy Con La Mía” campaign is a call for a collective awakening to foster a sustainable culture and reduce plastic waste.

President Luis Abinader will travel to London for the Coronation of King Charles lll

Santo Domingo.- On Wednesday, President Luis Abinader will depart for London, England to attend the coronation events of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camila, accompanied by his wife Raquel Arbaje. The Presidency announced that they will fly via Miami, United States, and arrive in London on Thursday morning.

On Friday, the President will start his official itinerary with a breakfast hosted by the Royal Family at Lancaster House for the representatives of the Island States. Later in the afternoon, there will be a reception held at Buckingham Palace for international delegations, hosted by His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Consort Camila. The President and the first lady will be in attendance.

On Saturday, the day of the coronation, President Abinader and his wife will go to Church House before proceeding to Westminster Abbey for the ceremony. After the ceremony, guests will attend a luncheon hosted by the UK Foreign Secretary and other high-ranking officials.

The President and his wife will return to their home country on Sunday, May 7th in the evening.

President of the Chamber of Deputies leads efforts to strengthen ties between Dominican Republic and Morocco

During an official visit to Morocco, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Alfredo Pacheco, along with the Dominican-Moroccan Parliamentary group and the Dominican ambassador, held meetings with various officials to discuss the possibility of establishing direct flights between Morocco and the Dominican Republic. The aim of this proposal is to increase commercial and tourist flow between the two countries and to strengthen cooperation ties.

Pacheco emphasized the importance of Morocco as a gateway to Africa and the Dominican Republic’s position as a gateway to the Caribbean Basin and much of Latin America. The Dominican delegation, led by Pacheco, Rosa Hilda Genao, who chairs the Dominican-Moroccan Parliamentary Group, and Amaury Justo Duarte, ambassador, met with Rachid Talbi El Alami, president of the House of Representatives of the Kingdom of Morocco.

During the meeting, the parliamentary groups and the presidents of both legislative chambers discussed common agenda items and agreed to collaborate to generate legislative conditions that promote institutional, economic, and social transformations.

Port Cabo Rojo begins construction works, it will be the first Cruise Port in the south of the Dominican Republic

The construction and operation of a cruise terminal in Cabo Rojo port, which was granted an environmental license (number 0489-23) by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources on April 21, will have a positive economic impact on the population of Pedernales and the Enriquillo Region in the south of the Dominican Republic. This project is set to become the first tourist port in the region, supporting productive activities, entrepreneurship, and the creation of new micro, small, and medium-sized companies, as well as generating decent jobs. The construction phase alone is expected to create 1,500 direct and indirect jobs, with an additional 1,500 direct and nearly 2,160 indirect jobs in the operational stage.

The sustainable project will be developed on the cape and surrounding beach area, featuring a jetty in the southern area with two berths, a water park with slides, restrooms, sunbathing areas, retail areas, swimming pools, an interactive space, and bars and restaurants for cruise passengers. The construction process is commencing this week with the driving of piles for the jetty, as well as land work to pave the way for the first phase of the project.

All mitigation and compensation measures will be carried out in accordance with the law and criteria for the conservation and preservation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, as outlined in the environmental license. Recently, a call was made to monitor the reef and work with the environmental community for the benefit of the area.

Social work with the community has already begun, with training programs offered in collaboration with the National Institute for Professional Technical Training (INFOTEP), the Ministry of Youth, and other public institutions. Over 40 programs/themes have been provided, with more than 550 participants benefiting from these initiatives.

U.S. Consul General: We have never told American citizens to avoid the Dominican Republic

Punta Cana, DR.– The Consul General of the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic, Greg Segas, highlighted the growth of Dominican tourism and the opportunities that the sector generates in the creation of jobs for Dominicans.

Interviewed by Despertar Nacional program, Segas assured that the Embassy is constantly working with the private and public sectors to ensure that the stay of U.S. citizens in the country is safe and that they feel the desire to return.

“I am happy to be in Punta Cana, with all our partners in the tourism sector. As you know, more than three million U.S. citizens come to the Dominican Republic every year,” he pointed out.

Segas also expressed his optimism in seeing the growth of Dominican tourism and its contribution to the national economy. “I am pleased to see that the growth of Dominican tourism is going to provide more employment opportunities for Dominicans, not only here in Punta Cana, but also in new tourist poles such as Pedernales and Jarabacoa.”

In the interview, the U.S. consul in the country also referred to the travel alert due to violent crimes that was activated last week by the U.S. State Department.

“Information to our citizens is one of the most important responsibilities at the Embassy and we are continuously evaluating and analyzing the information we provide to them; we never told our citizens to avoid the Dominican Republic. What we did last week was to update the information on the situation in the country,” Segas expressed to Despertar Nacional program.

This May, the Dominican Republic will sign an agreement with the United States to guarantee security for tourists, becoming the first country to make such a pact, Tourism Minister David Collado reported on his social networks after meeting with the U.S. Consul General during the recently concluded Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange, DATE 2023.

Los Alcarrizos Cable Car starts operating today with free service for one month

Starting this Tuesday at 6:00 AM, the Los Alcarrizos Cable Car will be available to the public after its inauguration by President Luis Abinader yesterday. During the first month, the service will be free but will operate part-time. The 163 cabins will transport passengers from 6:00 AM to 12:00 noon and reopen from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

On weekends, the Cable Car will operate at different hours: Saturdays from 6:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and Sundays and holidays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Regular and final commercial operations will begin on May 30 from 6:00 AM to 10:30 PM.

The transport service will cost an integrated rate of 35 pesos, 15 pesos more than Line 1. With the same ticket, passengers can board buses identified by the Metropolitan Bus Services Office (OMSA) that will transport them between the María Montez Metro station and the first station of the Cable Car. Passengers who only use the Cable Car and do not board the Omsa will still be charged 35 pesos.

When the Metro reaches the entrance to Los Alcarrizos, passengers can transfer with a single ticket. The Cable Car has an open payment system that accepts all Metro payment cards, as well as all credit and debit cards that use EMV technology (Wells payment or contactless payment). Recharges can be made at the ticket offices located in the stations.

Minister of the Presidency reveals the Dominican Republic is on track to enable the digital passport in 2024

The Dominican Republic plans to introduce digital passports in its airports by 2024 to address the recent surge in demand for the document. According to Joel Santos Echavarría, the Minister of the Presidency, the bidding process for the new digital passport system has already begun. The system is expected to streamline the passport process and provide a permanent solution to the increasing demand, which has risen from 400,000 to over 750,000 passport requests per year.

During an interview on El Gobierno de la Mañana, Santos Echavarría acknowledged the slow delivery of passports and attributed it to the rise in demand. He explained that the introduction of a biometric passport system would expedite the process at airports and provide a permanent solution to the issue.

The Minister also addressed other concerns expressed by the public, such as delays in the Supérate card deposit. He admitted that there were delays due to a large number of users requesting changes, but assured that the government was responding quickly to those in need.

JetBlue will expand its flight operations in the Dominican Republic

JetBlue has announced that it will be expanding its flight operations in the Dominican Republic with the addition of two new routes. Starting in November, non-stop flights will be available from Orlando International Airport to Punta Cana and Cibao International Airport in Santiago. JetBlue already offers services in Santo Domingo, as well as Santiago, Punta Cana, and Puerto Plata, with an average of 33 daily departures from the country.

JetBlue is the largest airline in the Dominican Republic, offering low fares and award-winning services to customers traveling between the country and the United States. Last March, the airline announced that it would expand its network in the Dominican Republic with the launch of two new routes. As of November 4th, non-stop flights will be available from Orlando International Airport to Punta Cana International Airport and Cibao International Airport in Santiago.

JetBlue will celebrate its 16th anniversary of service in Santo Domingo in May, offering non-stop service between Santo Domingo and six US destinations with an average of 13 daily departures. With the addition of these new franchise flights, JetBlue will connect Orlando with both Punta Cana and Santiago, providing customers in Central Florida with more options for leisure travel, and furthering its significant presence in Latin America and the Caribbean. JetBlue will also be the only airline to offer non-stop service from Orlando to Santiago.

JetBlue is known for offering an economy class with the most legroom, live TV and entertainment at every seat, fast broadband Internet access known as Fly-Fi on JetBlue, complimentary snacks and drinks, and excellent customer service.