OCTOBER 2008

The arrival of foreing tourists increased by 4.5%

Punta Cana in first position

During the first eight months of the year, 2 million 567 thousand 050 foreing visitors arrived to the airports of the Dominican Republic, this meaning an increase of 4.5% compared to the same period of the previous year, informed the Secretariat of Tourism (SECTUR).

In 2007, according to the most recent statistical report of the Marketing Department of the Tourism Secretariat, 2 million 455 thousand 932 tourists entered in the country.

This year, more than an half, 54.7 percent of them arrived to the International Airport of Punta Cana and the rest to the terminals of Las Américas - AILA, 19.3 percent; Puerto Plata, 15.8; La Romana, 5.5 and the remaining fractions to Cibao, Isabela and El Catey.

Between January and August 2008, the recorded growth was also notorious in the reception of tourists coming from the emergent main markets compared to the same preceding time, by underlining particularly Russia with an increase of 83 percent, Poland, 92.5; Peru, 38; Brazil, 32.5; Ecuador 37.9; Mexico, 15.5 and Ukraine 11.

In the same way, the arrivals from the United States increased by 2.9 percent; from Canada, 11.9 and France, 4 and from other markets like Chile, 44.8; Argentina, 38.1, Colombia, 30.1 and Switzerland, 12.5, among others.

Al Momento, 02.10.08

An environmental protection plan in Punta Cana - Macao

The Bávaro lagoon would belong to ecological paths

In spite of the disordered way in which the tourist developments of the area Punta Cana - Macao were carried out, today there still exist projects in construction which will occupy the totality of the coastal area with the same occupation criteria.

If this tendency continues, the levels of vulnerability to which the ecosystems of beaches are subjected will be accentuated.

To this, the increasing expansion of the urban surfaces or urban cores like Verón, Friusa and La Ceiba-El Salado-Macao can be added, as well as the zones intended for the construction of real tourist projects.

As consequence of this situation, the preliminary report ordered by the hotel keepers proposes a plan of territory refitting which is articulated in three dimensions: the environmental protection of the territory, the connection of all the tourist and natural assets with the road systems and the the territory density by taking into account the support capacity of the ground and the reconstitution of the mangroves.

Environment

A study indicates that the territory of Punta Cana-Macao still has potential which require its revalorization in order to preserve the environmental asset which characterizes this zone for the wellbeing of the tourist development.

The 27 kilometers of beaches are the principal potential for the tourist organization. This potentiality is closely related to the ecosystems and mangroves because of the possibilities that they bring for the ecotourism and the leisure.

It is for these reasons that the plan signed by the Cristóbal Valdez firm, proposes projects of environmental revalorization, as the creation of a system of parks which articulates the various natural attractions existing in the zone.

Reefs

The development of a tourist ecological map with the diving spots and their principal attractions and vulnerable points is proposed, in order to allow a more professional approach and a control of the sites visited in order to monitor possible deteriorations.

Hoy Digital, 07.10.08

Creation of exclusive zones for development

Study to review the density of polygons

The preliminary proposal of town and country planning of Juanillo-Punta Cana-Macao zone is contemplating the revision of the polygons and the densities and the creation of six exclusive development zones taking into account the capacity of the beaches and the projections of the impact of the climatic change in the tourism, because of the sea level raising.

The exclusive zones would be: preservation of beach tourism, services, real estate tourism, industrial development, ecological preservation and rural development.

In that point, a land will be used to set up hotels, tourist towns and apartments, thematic sport fields, cultural park and convention centers taking into account the capacity for a moderate use of the beach of five squared meters by tourist.

The maximum residential density would be 35 rooms by hectare (excepting for the El Cortecito zone, where 70 rooms will be allowed) for all the tourist projects that are built within 60 meters of distance from the sea side and up to 500 meters of distance of the Boulevard.

The heights of the construction will be of two floors until a minimum range of 10 meters from the 60 meters of the sea side and three or four levels from this limit to a distance of 500 meters with respect to the Boulevard.

In the case of Punta Cana and Cap Cana, the same indicators will be applied, but without having the Boulevard as limit reference, this territorial strip will be included between the 60 meters of distance from the sea side to the main highway going from Punta Cana to Cap Cana.

Hoy Digital, by Odalis Mejía, 14.10.08

Canadian and Spanish investors interested by the Dominican market

La Altagracia Province

Investors of Spain and Canada expressed their interest to develop great hotel projects in Dominican Republic within the framework of a recent meeting with the Minister of Tourism, Francisco Javier García.

Among these investments, one underlines two new hotels of some thousand two hundred rooms each one, which will be located in the zone of Uvero Alto, province of La Altagracia.

During the meeting, the Minister of Tourism guaranteed his support to the company managers in order to accelerate the corresponding steps and studies, so that the hotels start to be built quickly.

In the same way, he indicated that the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) will increase the international publicity and promotion campaigns to attract a greater quantity of tourists.

Al Momento, 17.10.08

The Dominican Republic will receive 230 charter flights during the next months

Coming from Canada

More than 230 charter flights coming from Canada will arrive to Dominican Republic from end of November to beginning of May 2009, informed this Tuesday the Tourism Minister.

The travels are organized by the principal Tour operators which manage the market of the Dominican Republic, among those Air Transat, which has the greatest number of flights, added the source.

More than 130 flights will arrive to the country coming from Ontario and of the West of Canada and around 100 will come from Quebec and the Atlantic, specified the Dominican Tourism Ministry in a press release.

Over the total of the flights, 99 will arrive through the International Airport of Punta Cana, one of the preferred zones of the Canadians, added the information.

Since the beginning of this year, a total of 497.523 tourists coming from Canada visited the Dominican Republic.

Canada is, after the United States, the principal transmitter of tourists for the Dominican Republic.

Tourism is the first source of currencies of the country, followed by the money sending and the free zones.

Al Momento, 22.10.08

Canadian tour operators, tourists and journalists visit Dominican Republic

From Toronto and other cities

PUNTA CANA, La Altagracia. – An assembly of representatives of the travel agencies, of the tour operators and of the Canadian press is in Dominican Republic in order to widen it knowledge on the Dominican destination and the tourist flow coming from this significant market.

The group arrived to the country at the Punta Cana International Airport where it was welcomed by civil servants of the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur), directed by the general supervisor of the Airports, Pedro Castillo.

More than 250 people arrived on this aircraft coming from Toronto and other Canadian cities, of whom executives of principal tour operators like Air Transat.

Between January and September of this year, 497523 tourists arrived to the country from Canada, which is currently our second transmitting market after the United States.

In order to reinforce this growth, our offices in Montreal and Toronto will continue the promotion of the country, while taking part in events intended to the public in general and to the professionals, to particular groups like weddings, golf and fishing, ecotourism etc… so that each one of them can contribute to the growth of our market as a tourist destination, according to an official statement of the OPT of Montreal.

Recently, Sectur informed that approximately 230 charter flights will arrive to the country from Canada for the winter season which extends from November to May.

The travels are organized by the principal tour operators, which develop the market of Dominican Republic, like Air Transat, which has the greatest number of flights, Air Canada, Thomas Cook and Sunwing.

More than 130 flights will arrive from the area of Ontario and the West of Canada whereas 100 flights approximately will arrive from Quebec.

From these flights, 99 will go to Punta Cana, 71 to Puerto Plata, 12 to La Romana, 10 to Samaná and 5 to Santo Domingo.

Al Momento, 30.10.08