The Secretary of Tourism says that the objective is to produce more than five billion dollars

National Plan of Development

The Secretary of Tourism, Felucho Jiménez, announced several projects which will be carried out by the National Plan of Development to develop the tourist zones of the country.

Jiménez indicated that the tourist zones whose accelerated development will make favourable the plan are the southern and northern coasts of the bay of Samaná, and a connection between Montecristi and Puerto Plata including Luperón.

The civil servant added that the plan includes also the promotion of tourism of mountain, eco-tourism and the development of real tourist projects.

The secretary of Tourism spoke in these terms at the time of the employers’ forum which takes place within the framework of the Great Fair of Andalusia in the Caribbean which takes place for Wednesday in the Casa de Campo resort.

Our objective is to produce more than five billion dollars annual of tourist receipts from 2012 , said Jiménez.

We also propose to increase the hotel offer with 2.500 units of hotel rooms per year.

The work considered by the National Plan of Development and which was quoted by the secretary of Tourism is the road Macao-Miches-Sabana de la Mar and the connection with the town of Samaná by means of a ferry from the port which will be built in Sabana de la Mar.

There will be also the road which will connect the airport of Samaná with Las Terrenas as well as the road which will link Montecristi with Puerto Plata, crossing by Luperón.

Another work quoted by Jiménez is the Monción-Jánico-Jarabacoa-Constanza-Ocoa road. With these initiatives, according to the secretary of Tourism, they hope that in the four coming years, more than five million tourists arrive in the country by air.

Las year, said Jiménez, the investments in new hotels and extensions exceeded the 400 million dollars, while one invested more than one billion dollar in real tourist projects.

El Nuevo Diario, 02.03.08

Dominican Republic is attractive location for property investment

Most affordable market in the Caribbean

The Dominican Republic is an attractive location for people looking to invest in overseas property. That is according to Tony Knowles, director of London International Property, who maintained that the country’s property market was one of the most affordable in the Caribbean.

He also said that rental accommodation in the Dominican Republic was in high demand as the Caribbean was a hugely important tourist destination.

Knowles commented: There’s a high amount of investment that’s going on, mainly high-end investment. In terms of land-pricing, it’s one of the better value for money islands in the Caribbean, certainly relative to Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts etcetera.

It’s a very safe country and it’s renowned as being one of the friendliest in the Caribbean and there’s potential for growth. Buy-to-let in the Caribbean stands up anyway. It’s one of the biggest tourist destinations worldwide and has one of the longest rental seasons.

He added that the Dominican Republic’s property market was « straightforward » and accommodating to overseas investors.

Dominican Today, 04.03.08

Construmedia: Launching of a new magazine

Revolution on the Dominican real market

The SAR Investments company recently launched its Construmedia project, a tool which without any doubt will revolutionize the Dominican market in the construction and the real estate sectors.

Construmedia is the name under which they will publish two magazines aiming to the market of construction: Construmedia magazine, addressed to the engineers and to the builders, and Construmedia Realty Supplement, a real guide which will be used as bridge to the manufacturers, to the real estate agents and to all those who decide to invest on the real estate market. explained an executive of the company.

ITB starts at the rhythm of the Caribbean

Enchantments of the Peninsula of Samaná

Berlin, - the International Tourism Fair (ITB), the largest fair of the sector in the world, started at the rhythm of the Caribbean with Juan Luis Guerra with a colored musical festival and more of seventy artists on the scene, who opened the participation of the Dominican Republic as guest country.

More than thousand people attended the vibrating concert, articulated around the red, blue and white colors of the Dominican flag, which combined Creole sounds with the traditional merengue and bachata.

The Dominican actress Zoe Saldaña, one of the interpreters of the trilogy the « Pirates of the Caribbean » , was the godmother of the ceremonies and invited the public to visit a country on the way of the sun and fruit of the mixing of Spanish, African and Taino blood .

The Dominican Tourism Minister Felix Jiménez, spoke in praise of the innovation of the sector started by his country, which hopes to attract with its presence in Berlin, tourism of a greater purchasing power, especially with the construction of golf courses and news marinas for yachts.

He spoke in praise of the beauty of the Dominican natural resources, which, like he said, attracted 26 million tourists during the ten last years and he underlined its popularity compared to other Caribbean countries as well as the preference of its ports as cruising destination.

He also referred to the challenges faced by the country, like the climatic change and the new market demands, and he pled for the diversification of the offer and energy efficiency.

The Dominican beaches and festivities were used as background during the concert of Juan Luis Guerra, thanks to a vast audio-visual screen, and they will be the protagonists of the largest tourist fair of the world, during which the country of the Caribbean will promote its offer of luxury and the enchantments of the Peninsula of Samaná.

Exclusive tourist complexes, golf courses, marinas for yachts and closed grounds for hunting appear among the bets of tourism of luxury of the Dominican Republic which, with culture and nature, are the key elements of its promotion campaign.

After having recorded a figure of almost four million tourists in 2007, the forecasts of the Dominican government are to reach 5 million visitors in 2010.

Last year, the tourist sector grew by 1.7 percent in Dominican Republic and produced receipts of 4.000 million dollars, which represent 20 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.

At the time of its last edition, the fair produced a volume of businesses of 5.000 million euros and exceeded the 100.000 professional visitors.

El Nuevo Diario, 06.03.08

A world authority in bio-diversity will give a conference on the whales

« The Song of the Humpback whales: a cry of hope for the species »

The Secretariat of State of the Environment and of the Natural resources (SEMARENA) informed of the visit in the country of Dr. Roger Payne for presenting a conference « The Song of the Humpback whales: a cry of hope for the species » , and for visiting the Bay of Samaná and the Banco de la Plata, Sanctuaries of the Marine Mammals of the Dominican Republic, in order to record the songs of the Humpback whales corresponding to the season 2007-2008.

The expert scientist in Cetacea will visit the country from March 7 to 16, accompanied by a team of researchers whose specialized captain will be Iain Kerr, of the scientific studies of the Marine Mammals.

This one concluded more than 100 scientific expeditions over all the oceans of the world. He also developed the research by creating the majority of the techniques for research in Cetacea and he trained the majority of the prestigious researchers who nowadays direct the most important projects in the world.

The researcher and Scott Mcvay were those who discovered that the whales not only produce sounds but that those are organized and structured in form of songs which are repeated several times during the season, as if it were the clamor of males concerned to couple themselves and to leave their legacy of succession.

These songs were studied during more than 30 years.

Dr. Payne is specialized in the studies of the humpback whales and the behavior of the southern frank whales of the peninsula of Valdez in Argentina.

These studies generated articles in the National Geographic magazine which distributed 10.5 million copies of the songs of whales everywhere in the world.

Since the end of the years 70 and the beginning of the 80’s, he visited the Banco de la Plata to make his research and with the researchers of the Research Center of Biology Navy (CIBIMA) of the UASD and the Center for Coastal Studies of Massachusetts, they jointly organized scientific expeditions in the Sanctuary of Marine Mammals of the Dominican Republic.

He is the author of three discs where are combined the natural sounds of the whales with the impressive melody of prestigious artists like Paul Winter: « Whales Alive ».

He was lecturer in the majority of the universities of the USA and of the United Kingdom, joint author and deputy manager of the IMAX « Whales » and he was internationally rewarded.

The activities which Dr. Roger Payne will develop are organized by the SEMARENA (Secretariat of the Environment and the Natural Resources), the Ocean Alliance, Oswaldo E Vásquez, M.Sc, the Dominican Foundation of the Marine Studies, FUNDEMAR, the National Museum of Natural History and Atemar S.A.

El Nuevo Diario, 07.03.08

The bank will support tourist works in Dominican Republic

The road Santo Domingo-Samaná

BERLIN, Germany. - The secretary of Tourism of Dominican Republic announced that national and international banks, directed by the Bank Banco Popular Dominicano, will start in the next three months, in coordination with the executive committee of the Tourist Infrastructures (Ceitur), some works that will strenghten the quality of tourism in the Caribbean nation.

When directing the official press conference of Dominican Republic, within the International Tourism Fair (ITB), Felix Jiménez said that the initiative of the private sector is part of the tourist development policy which directs the Dominican government, through the Ministry of Tourism State (Sectur).

We held meetings with the Banco Popular Dominicano Bank which directs a group of national and international banks, in order to initiate in the next months a program of works of infrastructures under the responsibility of Ceitur, which is a multisector committee (public-private sector), and that is in charge of the development of infrastructures set in the principal tourist poles of the country he declared.

During the press conference, Jiménez was accompanied by Manuel Alejandro Grullón, president of the Banco Popular Bank; Ricardo Hazouri, president of the Cap Cana Group, Luis López, president of National Assosiation of Restaurants and Hotels (Asonahores); the Dominican ambassador in Germany, Pedro A. Vergés; and by the director of the Office of promotion of Dominican Republic for Europe, which has its siege in Germany, Petra Cruz.

He declared that the goal of the Government, in partnership with the private sector, is to equip Sabana del Mar with a new port that would connect, by a ferry this locality with Samaná and Punta Cana, and which would allow the tourist development of Miches, zone that, according to him, has beautiful beaches which are not exploited yet by tourism.

Another work that he announced would start in the next three months, is the road which will connect Puerto Plata with Luperón and Montecristi, and that would allow the incorporation of approximately 9 beaches of the Northern Country coast.

Felix Jiménez declared that the decision of the Banco Popular bank to join to the tourist development infrastructures that the government is carrying out, is due to the support of the private investment for tourism, through the Tourism Stimulations Law.

In the same way, he declared that last Wednesday, he met with the vice-president of the Ritz Carlton development who announced to him that in the next months, this group would begin the construction of the Ritz hotel in Cap Cana.

On the same coast will be inaugurated this month the hotel Mond Palace which will count with a great center of conventions, with which the Punta Cana area will count on 2 he said.

He also supported the fact that in the Northern coast, especially in Rio San Juan, the construction of the Aman complex hotel will be initiated in the next year with the intention to make it to start operating in 2010, and in Punta Cana, the construction of the Tortuga Bay will start.

While speaking about the tourist development of the Southern coast he recorded that the beginning of the Termas of Salamandra complex is awaited, under the responsibility of an Italian consortium specialized in tourism of health, as for the thermal spa for example.

The government and the private sector concentrated on the Dominican Republic so that it could offer a tourism of quality, with hotels of first category, excellent golf courses, regenerated beaches, and especially, a clear line of social responsibility, in which the community is integrated into the development of the tourism zones , he specified.

The Tourism Minister insisted on the 3 last years infrastructures, in which are the regeneration of beaches, of the medical systems, the construction of the underwater park in Sosua, the Construction of the road Santo Domingo-Samaná, among others.

Al Momento, by Rossana Figueroa, 10.03.08

Tourist report

Hotel Classification - 14 in Samaná

The procedure of hotel classification announced by the Secretariat of Tourism drew a great attention in all the sectors, but much are afraid that, as in other occasions, this measure will take an « interminable » course, which means that it would never succeed.

Regarding this matter, we discovered that the Technique under-secretary’s department, through the hands of Radhamés Martínez Aponte, is in charge of this procedure, while counting on the support of the technician Gustavo Ricart.

Besides, an Evaluation Commission integrated by Sectur, Asonahores, and the National Council of Competitiveness (CNC) was created.

It is planned to classify around 150 hotels in 250 daysfrom March 24; 20 in Santo-Domingo, 6 in Boca Chica, 5 in Juan Dolio, 60 in Bávaro-Punta Cana, 9 in Bayahibe and La Romana, 38 in Puerto Plata, 14 in Samaná, 6 in Santiago and 2 in Río San Juan.

The first stars- the ones that are in the frontages of many establishments inSanto Domingo-were delivered in 1984. Subsequently, a reclassification had been announced several times, but without results.

Al Momento, by Pimentel Muñoz, 10.03.08

Dominican Republic’s leading performer gets its top award

El Soberano

The grand national figure of the performing arts, Juan Luis Guerra, wins the Dominican Republic’s top show business award, El Soberano, for the third time, in addition to five other prizes in different categories in the Casandra awards held last night.

I want to receive this Soberano in the name of the Sovereign of sovereigns, the Lord of lords, said Guerra when he received the recognition in the National Theatre last night.

The Casandra, staged by the association of show business writers grouped in Acroarte, is sponsored by the Dominican National Brewery.

Dominican Today, 11.03.08

Dominican Republic improves security score

Annual Latin Security Index

MIAMI.- The Dominican Republic improved its score on the annual Latin Security Index developed by FTI Consulting Ibero America for Latin Business Chronicle. Each country receives rating from 1 to 5 with 1 representing a non-dangerous country and 5 representing a very dangerous country. Not one single country in Latin America received a 1. The safest places received 2. Seven countries receive a 3, while eight receive a 4 and one receives a 5. Cuba was not included in the ranking due to unreliable data.

The Dominican Republic saw its danger level fall from 4 last year to 3 this year, one of only three nations in Latin America to improve its level.

Special Holy Week of Las Terrenas

Held Promises !

The main streets of Las Terrenas will be asphalted for the Holy Week

As Mr. Alexis, Las Terrenas Mayor specified, in our interview of past January, the progress of the water run-off works and the repair of Las Terrenas streets only depended on the weather conditions.

The promise is thus more than held since with three months in advance, asphalting started last weekend on the sea front, 27 de febrero Street, in the entry of the village, starting from Hoyo Cacao, the road of Sánchez, in front of the gasoline station Esso (la bomba) and continued to the crossing of the Cosón road and in front of Supermercado Tangui (Past Rey) at the beginning of the week.

Yesterday asphalting began again on the second half of the Carmen Street and until first half of the Duarte Street(Main Street) after the bridge and on one way.

Alexis specified that this work was realized jointly by the public Town council, the Public works Ministry and the engineer responsible for the works.

He also explained that everything was made in order to complete this work of Las Terrenas streets covering before the Holy Week; it’s to say on Friday, period of great multitude of tourists but especially of Capital Dominicans.

Not less than 100 asphalt trucks will be necessary to completely cover each street of the village.

We have to expect that the Main Street and the Carmen Street will be blocked today Thursday between the two bridges.

Friday morning the Main Street will be closed from the Leonardo’s bridge (once Abundio) until the Tangi supermarket (Past Rey).

It is thus advised to avoid obstructions to circulate in two wheels. Thank you for your comprehension.

For this year the festivities of the Holy Week will proceed in Punta Popi with, like every year, typical Dominican and musical environment guaranteed. Besides for the visual art, painters, sculptors lovers, the Festival del Arte de Las Terrenas will take place every day since Friday 14 until Sunday March, 23 in the Paseo de la Costanera.

In brief, in Las Terrenas this weekend, we’ll have every thing to satisfy you: large and beautiful sun, beaches always beautiful, always clean and which the whole world envies us, new roads, great quality bars and restaurants and activities to have fun in Punta Popi !

Isn’t life beautiful in Las Terrenas ?

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Dominican tourism grows

9.14 percent in first two months

This year Dominican Republic’s tourism industry could grow more than in 2007, with 725,238 travelers visiting the country in the first two months, or 9.14 percent more than the same period a year ago.

Tourism minister Felix Jiménez said Central Bank figures show that 372,002 tourists came to the country in February, 2008, or 13 percent more than the same month last year.

The highest percentage of tourists come from Canada (14%), followed by the United States (10%) and Europe with (2.1%).

Among the European countries Russia leads with 9.3 percent, followed by Belgium (7.2%) and England (2.7%).

Jiménez said the jump in visits is the result of more government spending on advertising, at an average of US $23.3 million in the last three years.

The official said in addition to publicity, middle-class tourism, the sector which most visits the country, is responsible for the growth.

Dominican Today, 14.03.08

Road Santo Domingo-Samaná: work in progress

The investment for the work exceeds 120 million dollars

The building work of the Santo Domingo- Samaná road have quite advanced and 80% are terminated according to an official statement of the Secretariat of Public works.

This road will have two ways of 3.65 meters each one, will have a total of 12 bridges and four intersections on its way, in addition to 3 toll stations.

Work is under the responsibility of the concessionary company Autopistas del Nordeste C por A, whose executive president is Armín García.

On the way, work of compaction and asphalting is carried out in a continuous way on several sections at the same time.

Progress are made in the same way in the installation of the toll cabins in the two missing stations, one at kilometer 16 and the other one at kilometer 84 of the crossing Rincón de Molinillos respectively, while the first, very close to the entry of the motorway Las Américas is operational.

The amount of toll will be fixed according to the covered kilometers and according to the type of vehicle.

The speed of traffic will be 80 kilometers per hour, while decreasing between 60 and 50 kilometers in Los Haitises.

The Santo Domingo-Samaná road will arrive to Cruce de Molinillos

The way is directed Southern north, from kilometer 20 of the motorway Las Américas, while passing to the East of Monte Plata and to the West of Bayaguana and of Los Haitises, for a total of 106 kilometers.

The principal shareholders of this company are two construction and management of concessions Colombian groups and two Dominican companies.

In addition to the construction, the contract includes the responsibility to maintain it in good conditions.

In exchange, they obtain the right to install small businesses, services and other facilities along the way, for the period of the concession, which is of 30 years.

The second stage of work will extend from the Santo Domingo-Samaná road to Cruce de Molinillos.

This one was granted to the company Boulevard Turístico del Atlántico.

Its execution is planned over two years for an investment of 103 million dollars and will take into account the installation of tolls in Nagua and Sánchez.

This second stage consists of the rebuilding of 99 kilometers of the motorway Nagua-Sánchez-Samaná-Las Terrenas and the construction of a way of 24 kilometers from Las Terrenas towards the West, forming a circle at the level of the El Catey airport, over an overall length of 123 kilometers.

Diario Libre, 16.03.08

Dominican north coast beaches closed on rough seas

The COE prohibits the beach’s access during the next 48 hours

The Emergency Operations Center (COE) emitted a green alert for six municipalities and prohibited bathing and swimming on the beaches on the northern coast of the country during 48 hours because of sudden rises of sea and tide level, with three meters high waves in the North-East.

Green alert was issued for Monte Cristi, Puerto Plata, Samaná, Nagua, Cabrera, Rio San Juan and the coastal plain of Miches.

The organization indicated that there would be also strong wind gusts and falls of temperatures associated with a frontal system and a low pressure.

The COE also maintains this warning for the small boats operating along the coasts that must stay in port to avoid any incident.

The meteorologist Rafael Cabrera explained that the bad weather was due to a frontal system, which was located this Monday afternoon in the Bahamas and that is associated with a low pressure system in the west of the Bermuda islands.

He explained that these two phenomena are moving quickly North-East.

We are waiting for this disturbance on tomorrow Tuesday in our sector and sudden rises of the sea and tide level are forecasted during the next 48 hours, he added.

He also explained that strong rains were not forecasted.

Al Momento, 17.03.08

Yellow alert for seven provinces

The beaches are closed

A yellow alert was issued for seven provinces of the East and North areas by the National Commission of Emergencies (CNE).

The alert in these provinces is due to a frontal system, associated to a low pressure which will cause strong winds and abnormal waves, according to the bulletin of the National Office of Meteorology (Onamet).

Colonel Manual Juan Méndez, director of the Emergency Operations Center (COE), informed that the alert which is maintained until Friday affects the provinces of Monte Cristi, Puerto Plata, El Seibo, Altagracia, Hato Mayor, Samaná and María Trinidad Sánchez.

Closing of the beaches

He reiterated that the beaches located in the communes of Miches, Sabana de la Mar, Las Terrenas, Sánchez, Rio San Juan and of Cabrera will not open to the public as long as the alert issued by Onamet will be maintained.

The small boats and the fragile crafts should stay in port.

Winds and strong swells

Onamet informed of the presence of abnormal waves and strong breakers as well as of high probability of penetration of the sea in the low coastal zones.

The cold front was located over the central part of the country with an East/West orientation, while the circulation of the low pressure already influences the whole northern coast.

Al Momento, 19.03.08

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Russian Tourism increased by more than 60%

« Dominican Republic, a country open to the world »

The number of Russian tourists coming for holiday in Dominican Republic increased by more than 60 percent and reached 26.500 people, informed today the spokesman of the Tourism ministry, Galina Lysenko.

The spokesman, official representative of the Dominican tourist ministerial portfolio in Russia and in the Community of post-Sovietic countries, quoted these data at the time of the opening of the forum « Dominican Republic, a country open to the world » taking place in the Chamber of Commerce of Russia.

According to Lysenko, the increasing attraction of the Caribbean country among the Russians is due to two factors: they can travel to Dominican Republic without preliminary obtaining a visa and they have a direct flight during the twelve months of the year of operated by the Russian company Transáero from Moscow to Punta Cana.

Currently this air line operates two weekly flights (to Punta Cana, principal Dominican airport), but as from next October, one projects to increase them to three , said Lysenko, according to the Interfax agency.

He also underlined the change of preferences of the Russians regarding the season of their holidays on the Dominican beaches, because during the previous years the majority of the travellers came in this country in winter.

However, as from last summer, the Dominican beaches also attracted the Russian visitors during the estival period, which makes it possible to advance that this country is already a tourist destination during all the year , he underlined.

According to forecasts’ of the Domininican Toursim ministry, this year at least 30.000 Russian will visit the country, because only for last January, some 4.000 Russian travellers enjoyed the beaches of the island.

El Nuevo Diario, 20.03.08

The Sea penetrates in five communes

Beaches of the Northern coast closed

Because of the strong sudden rises of water, the sea penetrated in some zones of Cabrera, Río San Juan, Gaspar Hernández, Montecristi and Cortecito de Bavaro, this is why yellow alert is maintained for these communes, informed this Wednesday in the afternoon the director of the Emergency Operations Center (COE), colonel Juan Manuel Méndez.

The civil servant moreover said that the bathing on all the beaches located on the Atlantique coast is prohibited until further notice.

Members of the Armed Forces will prevent that the bathers use the 132 beaches and « balnearios » which were closed by the National Commission of Emergencies (CNE) during this Holy Week, informed Méndez.

Bathing up to 6 p.m.

He said that on the other beaches the help organizations (Armed Forces) will ensure that nobody is bathing after six o´clock in the evening . He indicated that the people can go swimming only from seven o´clock in the morning to six o´clock in the evening to be in compliance with this provision.

The civil servant said that the assistance and first care organizations aim to reduce to its minimal expression the number of mortal victims during the break of the Esater Week 2008.

On its side, the National Office of Meteorology (ONAMET) informed that the sudden and abnormal rises in water level will continue from Monte Cristi to Cabo Engaño, and maintains the alert level because of the strong winds, the abnormal waves and the penetration of the sea in the coastal zones of Nagua, Cabrera, Puerto Plata, Río San Juan and Miches, among other cities.

The tourists could not go swimming

Thousands of tourists traveling in the Northern area could not enjoy the bathing on the beaches of this littoral because of the strong swell recorded in this zone.

The strong waves on the beaches of Sosúa and Cabarete, in Puerto Plata, Río San Juan, Gaspar Hernández, Samaná, Cabrera and Nagua exceed the five feet height (approx. 4,50 meters).

Al Momento, 20.03.08

Fist day of Spring in the Northern hemisphere

Sunny Easter Friday

According to the last bulletin of the National Office of Meteorology, they forecast that for today Friday, we will enjoy sunshine thanks to a high pressure system located over the Northern Atlantic, which continues to influence the weather conditions by limiting the development of the rains.

ONAMET maintains a warning concerning the abnormal waves with beaches closed from Cabo Engaño in the east to Montecristi in the west, including Puerto Plata, Miches, Macao, Lavacama, Sabana de la Mar, Samaná, Las Terrenas, Rio San Juan and Cabrera. Small craft are advised to stay port. Residents in coastal areas are cautioned to measures against possible flooding.

But, the waves level will decrease gradually as from this evening.

LTL, Editorial Staff, 21.03.08

Yellow alert discontinued on the Atlantique coast

Aquatic sports are still prohibited

The aid organizations discontinued on Saturday the yellow alert for the Atlantique coast, although they maintain the prohibition of the watery sports and the warning for small boats to remain in port.

The National Office of Meteorology (Onamet) discontinued the alert of possible penetrations of the sea in the low coastal zones, from Cabo Engaño to Montecristi.

Onamet reported that the maritime conditions improve gradually, although it predicts weak to moderate rains.

The Emergency Operations Center (COE) discontinued the yellow alert which was issued as for last Tuesday for the provinces of Montecristi, Puerto Plata, El Seibo, (especially Miches), Altagracia, Hato Mayor, (especially Sabana de la Mar), Samaná, (especially Las Terrenas and Sánchez), María Trinidad Sánchez, (especially Río San Juan and Cabrera) among others, because of very high and strong waves.

Listín Diario, by Deyanira Polanco, 23.03.08

Thousands of people back after Easter break

Back to daily activities

The country comes back this Monday morning to usual tasks, after people who take advantage of the Easter break to go on the beaches, on the river sides, in the « balnearios » and other entertainment places, returned in mass this Sunday from their respective destinations.

Only the students will enjoy an additional day because in almost all the public schools and private educational centers teaching was suspended until Tuesday.

The population will have to face the daily topics, like those of a possible strike call or mobilizations, about which Monsignor Nicolás Jesus López Rodriguez made comments, but that Fidel Santana, of the Alternative Social Forum, and Juan Hubieres, president of FENATRANO, contradict by saying that they do not know from where the rumor comes.

However, a call to a summit of the parties of opposition required by the Christian Social Reformist Party (PRSC), to establish a strategy regarding the potential use of the government resources in the re-election of President Leonel Fernández, worries the government, which ordered the quartering of the members of the Armed Forces, to face possible disorder.

The third bulletin « Semana Santa Reflexiva 2008 » informed that 25 people died and that 335 people were affected.

The provinces which recorded the most case are: Santo Domingo and Distrito Nacional, Santiago, Bonao, Monte Plata, El Seibo, Puerto Plata and Duarte.

The director of the COE, colonel Manual Juan Méndez, informed that the figures of dead and of wounded people during this Holy Week are the same projections as those of the last year.

The various bus stops were full of people who returned to their homes from the various provinces, and to the tolls, there were long lines of vehicles.

The COE carried out the « carreteo » in order to direct and to regularize the return of the citizens to their places of residence and to avoid accidents.

Members of the aid organizations were placed on the roads which link the north, south, east regions and other sectors.

El Nuevo Diario, by Ramiro Estrella, 24.03.08

More than 725 thousand tourists during the first two months of the year

Multitude visited Dominican Republic

The multitude of visitors in the various tourist destinations of Dominican Republic reached 725 thousand 238 people during the two first months of 2008.

According to sources’ of the sector, this behavior represents an increase of 9.1 percent with regard to the same period of the last year.

The authorities underlined the results obtained by the leisure industry so far, including the high levels of hotel occupation during the Easter break.

The data of the Central Bank reflect that during February, 372 thousand 002 tourists arrived in the country, an increase of 12.7 percent in comparison with the same month of the last year.

The greatest number of visitors came from Canada, with 13.9 percent of the total, followed by the United States (10 percent) and Europe with 2.12 percent.

On the old continent, the first country is Russia, with Belgium in second position.

Al Momento, Source DTCUBA.COM, 25.03.08

Las Terrenas in the national press

Days in paradise

One says that it is never too late, then if the saying is true, and faithful to my principle to never reject the occasion of a voyage, I had any doubt to let me taken along to Las Terrenas, benefiting from the days off of the Easter Week, and to finally know one of the last places which remained in my list of small Dominican corners to be discovered.

However, while arriving over there, I had the feeling to have been long in knowing a place that others had adopted for a very long time.

Thus pointed out it to me a group of French people, who, there is more than twenty years, chose this village as a life place and who never planned to come back to the cold old continent.

Do you know the history of Las Terrenas ? ask me Jean in his approximate Spanish.

Although having some references, I must say no to him to listen to how twenty years ago, some adventurers (as a majority of French) were charmed by the paradisiacal beauty of this small village of fishermen.

There, they built their houses; they opened small hotels and anchored their life for ever to this piece of exuberant land embraced by a blue sea bordered of coconuts.

Thereafter, local tourism arrived and with it, an interesting symbiosis which made of Las Terrenas a very particular place.

It has in common, however, the same problems which afflict other Communities where tourism is a king: roads in bad condition, dusty lanes, lack of drinking water and especially lack of authorities to achieve the laws.

If, as repeated thousand times during the last decades, tourism is our principal option to develop us economically, the most logical would be to pay a greater attention to the development of these Communities which bring so many resources to the country.

We will take as a good predicts the construction of the new road of Samaná, which represents a considerable saving in time, since it will make it possible to come to admire the beauties of this province in only two hours journey from the Capital.

Let us bet on the development of our tourist zones.

They are worth it well, even for enjoying only a weekend, to the very close paradise.

Listín Diario, by Rosa Borg Gil, 28.03.08

Capture and sale of lobster prohibited in RD

3 months of protection

The Dominican authorities announced this Thursday the prohibition until next June 30 of the capture and the sale of lobsters, as protection measure.

During this period, indicated the Dominican Council of Fishing and of Aquiculture (Copesca), the capture and the sale of the species « espinosa » , « pinta » , « piedra » and « mamá langosta » is prohibited.

The Ministry of Agriculture required to the fishermen and to the administrators of super markets, hotels, restaurants and fish shops to abstain from selling and capturing lobsters during the three next months.

In the contrary case, it announced in an official statement that they will be sanctioned with sentence going up to ten years of prison.

Al Momento, 28.03.08

Viva launches several Dominican resorts

Viva Residence

The chain Viva Resorts launched last night its « Viva Residence » product aimed at the residential tourism market, to start in Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata and Las Terrenas, Samaná.

The real estate development will include Mexico, Bahamas and Brazil and will include Bayahibe, La Altagracia, in the country’s coast east.

The architect Antonio Imbert designed Viva Residence in Las Terrenas, with around 70 units among apartments and villas in front of the sea, clubhouse, gym area for children and lobby, with construction set to begin in May. Other comforts of the project will be a larger parking area to serve guests of the hotel Viva Samaná and of Viva Residence.

In a gala presentation in Santo Domingo’s Hotel Embajador, Viva Wyndham Resorts president Ettore Colussi said the offer includes several a la carte restaurants, modern spa, and a swimming pool which wraps internally around the project.

He said all the units have balcony or terrace, water heating system and a modern kitchen totally equipped with household appliances. Some of the properties have Jacuzzi or swimming pool and a private gazebo.

Colussi said Viva Residence started its offers for the public of Playa Dorada, home to the Viva Playa Dorada tourism complex. The project has 120, 56 square meter apartments, equipped with a queen bed, bath with marble finish, terrace, wet bar and servi-bar.

The Viva hotel chain executive said these properties have a swimming pool and Jacuzzi, discothèque, spa and gym, boutique, stores, casino, the complex’s golf course and the hotel’s services.

In all developments buyers will get deed of property, ordinary and extra maintenance for gardens and other areas, security services, private beach club, receptionist and manager, 24 hour water and electric, the possibility of renting and/or interchanging the units through a specialized network (rental pool) and a 10-year Viva Platinum membership.

Business leaders, tourism executives and government officials participated in the Viva resorts event.

Dominican Today, 29.03.08