Dominican Rep tourism news March April 2000 (in spanish and english)

> DR1 Daily News - Friday, 7 April 2000
> ********************************************************************
>
>
> 4. Humpback beached in Miches
> An enormous humback whale, in advanced state of decomposition, has become an
> attraction on the beach at Miches. The beach on the southern shore of the
> Bay of Samana, has long been a favored lookout point to observe the behavior
> of humpbacks, who call the bay home during the winter months.
>
> The whale's head was first observed at high tide ten days ago by Miguel Gil,
> a local fisherman. "The animal was, like, sad, and wasn't moving much.
> But we didn't approach it," said Gil, fearing that a sudden movement could
> swamp his rowboat. The behemoth measures 40 feet in length, and its girth
> is more than 6 feet. The flukes measure almost 20 feet.
>
> Local environmental groups have expressed concern that seeping whale
> oil might damage the beach, which has long been a prime viewing area to
> observe the whales which make Samana Bay their winter playground.
> Those living nearby are beginning to catch a whiff of the tons of decomposing
> blubber. But the odor hasn't put off lots of local women who boldly approach,
> knife in hand, to slice off a piece of no-cost hair conditioner.
>
> 5. Tourism increase triples thus far in 2000
> The RD has tripled it's the increase in tourist arrivals during the
> first quarter of the year. According to Minister of Tourism, Felix Jimenez,
> January, February and March have witnessed a 25% increase over the same
> period last year. Early 1999 tourism fell sharply in the aftermath of the
> devastation wrought by Hurricane Georges the previous September.
>
> Jimenez predicted that by year's end, the total number of visitors
> would easily exceed 3 million, some 400,000 more than last year.
>
> Ministry figures largely corroborate figures recently released by the
> National Association of Hotels and Restaurants (ASONAHORES), which
> noted a 24.6% increase for the first two months of this year.
> Currently, the DR hotel capacity is in excess of 50,000 rooms,
> and hotels are enjoying a high occupancy rate.
>
> Tourist-generated income would "probably exceed US$3 billion."
> the minister said. Tourism income is an essential component of the
> DR's economic strength. During 1999, 231,775 workers were directly
> employed in the industry.

- DOMINICANA / Bolsa Turística del Caribe 2000
Gran expectativa suscita entre los profesionales del sector turístico
caribeño la 4ª edición de la Bolsa Turística del Caribe
(BTC), que tendrá lugar del 3 al 6 de mayo en el Centro de Convenciones
del Hotel Dominican Fiesta, en Santo Domingo
(República Dominicana). Al igual que en sus anteriores ediciones, la BTC
2000 contará con sesiones profesionales, citas
personalizadas, mesas redondas, presentaciones de productos turísticos
y actividades adicionales de interés para sus
participantes, que estarán constituidos por representantes de
mayoristas, turoperadoras, agencias de viajes, hoteles, líneas
aéreas, transportadoras, rentadoras de carros, asociaciones turísticas,
empresas de servicios, medios de comunicación,
proveedores de servicios y público en general.
<http://www. www.btc.com.do>
Email: <info@btc.com.do>

*******************************************
- CTO / IV Conferencia Anual de Turismo Sostenible
KAREN FORD-WARNER fue nombrada hace dos años subsecretaria general de la
Caribbean Tourism Organisation, cargo
desde el cual asiste al secretario general en áreas específicas, como la
administración de las oficinas regionales de la CTO, así
como de las áreas de comunicaciones, del programa de turismo sostenible,
de las membresías y del desarrollo de la
Organización en todas sus formas.
Sobre la celebración de la 4ª Conferencia Anual de Turismo Sostenible,
que fue aplazada para finales de octubre, Karen
comenta: «En esta conferencia nosotros mediremos el estado del turismo
caribeño en el comienzo de este nuevo siglo y la
dirección que va a tomar en el futuro. También vamos a analizar
críticamente la industria del turismo enfocando el mercadeo, el
transporte, y otros asuntos relevantes en esta región.»
++ Indiana Monteverde

> DR1 Daily News — Tuesday, 28 March 2000
>
> 2. Cruise ship traffic increases at Santo Domingo ports
> The Dominican Port Authority outlined yesterday in a press conference its efforts to improve services offered at the ports of Santo Domingo. Mary Kasse, deputy director of the Port Authority, said that cruise ship traffic is up. She said that in the first two months of the year, cruise ships have made 325 stops at the San Souci (east side) and the San Diego (west side) docks of the Port of Santo Domingo. This is up from 298 ship stops in 1999. She explained the cruise ship season primarily runs from November to April. She says statistics show some 211,991 tourists visited Santo Domingo by sea.
> She said the government has a plan to get Carnival Cruise Lines to return to Santo Domingo. The ship discontinued its stops because of river dredging problems, and garbage generated by the many slum areas located alongside the river, up from the ports area. The garbage flows downstream when it rains.
> The Port Authority also said that given deficiencies of the service provided by the Municipality of Santo Domingo, they have taken upon themselves since last September to keep the liter off the streets from Calle Estrelleta to Calle Padre Alba, including the Plaza de España area, and the Plaza Montesinos monument. Tree planting on the eastern bank of the river is also part of the efforts to make the most of the otherwise lovely environment.
> Alfa Méndez, also of the Port Authority, said that the government estimates the cruise ship activity generates about US$1 million a day (transfers and taxi fares, shopping, port area jobs, etc.)
>
> 6. Travel up 24.6% in 2000 over 1999
> The National Hotel & Restaurant Association (Asonahores) reports travel to the DR increased 24.6% during the first two months of the year. Travel is up more than usual primarily due to an increase in hotel rooms to fill and the country recovering from the effects of Hurricane Georges in September 1998. More than 4,000 hotel rooms hit the market at year’s end 1999, mainly in the Punta Cana and La Romana beach areas. Furthermore, January-February statistics for 1999, were inordinately low, reflecting the effects of Hurricane Georges on travelers to the DR.
> The number of foreign tourist arrivals, according to Central Bank sources, were 487,881 in 2000 up from 391,511 in 1999, for the 24.6% variation.
> By airport of arrival, this breaks down as:
> Las Americas: 133,209 (2000), up from 112,269 (1999), 18.7%.
> Puerto Plata: 165,030 (2000), up from 147,650 (1999), 11.8%.
> Punta Cana: 179,434 (2000), up from 124,127 (1999), 44.6%.
> La Romana: 8,252 (2000), up from 5,573 (1999), 48.1%.
> Cibao (Santiago): 1956 (2000), up from 1,892 (1999), 3.4%.
> The average hotel occupancy for the first two months of the year was 84.1%, up 5% from 1999.

> > 1. Tourism up 18.5% in January
> 8. Chopping up a crocodile
> 9. Hotels will not pay city tax, says Asonahores
9. Book on Dominican flora

12. New route to get to the Pico Duarte
El Caribe newspaper highlights the efforts of the National Parks
Department to improve ecotourism excursions in the DR. Director of
National Parks Omar Ramírez announced efforts are advanced so that his
department can open a new trail up to Duarte Peak, the highest in the
Caribbean. Last year, 3,500 foreign and Dominican tourists made their
way up to the 3,175 foot peak. The most used routes are the Mata
Grande-San José de las Matas or Jarabacoa-Manabao-La Ciénaga routes. But
the National Parks Department says that a new route, through the Parque
José del Carmen Ramírez will be a shorter 28-kilometer hike.

21/3/00
9. Book on Dominican flora soon for sale A second edition of the book by
Henri Alain Liogier, discoverer of the Flor de Bayahibe, an endemic
flower, will be released tomorrow during a ceremony at the Central
Bank. The second edition of the Botanical Dictionary of the Dominican
Republic contains common names for the flora available in the DR. It
features 80 color photos, 290 drawings and abundant information on the
flora of the island of Hispaniola. The presentation of the book is
scheduled for Wednesday, 22 March at the Salón Salomé Ureña de Henríquez
of the Central Bank. The Jardín Botánico Nacional, the Centro para el
Desarrollo Agropecuario y Forestal and the Plan Nacional Quisqueya Verde
sponsored the book. Mr. Liogier is one of the most knowledgeable people
in the world on Cuban, Puerto Rican and Dominican flora. He has been an
associate researcher of the New York Botanical Garden, University of
Harvard and Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. He has researched
the flora of the Dominican Republic since the 60s.

> DR1 Daily News — Thursday, 2 March 2000
>
> > 1. Tourism up 18.5% in January
> Minister of Tourism Felix Jiménez said that air arrivals to the DR in January were up 18.5% when compared to the same month last year. He said that some 237,540 tourists visited in January 2000, up from 200,485 in January 1999.
> Jiménez also mentioned that travel was up from the following destinations in 1999 compared to 1998:
> Germany (450,000 travelers in 1999), increased 16.3%
> Canada, up 30.8%,
> France and Italy, up 23%
> US up 18.6%
> Switzerland 2.2%
> Argentina 2.3%
> Sweden 78.7% (this market is just starting)
> Punta Cana continues to be the fastest growing port of entry, increasing 37.4% in 1999 compared to 1998. This reflects the boom in hotel rooms in the area.
> Arrivals using La Romana Airport grew 36.2%, also reflecting an increase in the number of hotel rooms in the area.
> Traffic to Las Americas International Airport was up 8.38% and to the Puerto Plata International Airport was up 5.2%.
>

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> DR1 Daily News — Wednesday, 1 March 2000
>
> 8. Chopping up a crocodile
> A National Parks inspector denounced that 11 men, using machetes (cane knives), axes, daggers and sticks cut up an unknowing crocodile in Mella, in the southwestern Independencia province. Janeiro Martínez said that he begged the men to desist, but he could not convince them. He said since he was unarmed, he could not stop the men. The men had found the crocodile peacefully resting in the waters of Gancho Machaca canal that connects through Cristóbal Canal with the Enriquillo Lake, original home of the American Crocodile, a protected species in the DR. The head of the crocodile measures 39 centimeters, so the crocodile is estimated to have been eight to ten years old.
> Andreas Schubert, of the National Parks Department, said that groups of crocodiles have been migrating from Enriquillo Lake to Cabral Lagoon, a 40 kilometer distance. To make the crossing, the crocodiles are using the irrigation canals in the area. The residents of nearby towns are concerned for their safety. Some eight crocodiles have been sighted.
> He explained, "It is useless that we round up the crocodiles and bring them back to the Enriquillo Lake. They will make their way across again. What we have to do is educate the people living in adjacent communities so they accept the crocodiles as part of the environment. The people need to learn to live with the crocodiles."
> He said that the National Parks Department will immediately organize a series of encounters with the communities to this end.
> He said that the crocodiles will not attack humans unless they are threatened. Nevertheless, he said that they should not be taken for granted and care should be taken in their presence.
> In 1995, a farm worker in Neiba, also in the Southwest, spent three months in jail for having killed a crocodile, a protected species.
>
> 9. Hotels will not pay city tax, says Asonahores
> Arturo Villanueva, executive vice president of the National Hotel & Restaurant Association, said that the Municipality of Santo Domingo is wrong when it attempts to collect an additional 10% tax to hotels catering to tourists. He said that hotels already pay 23% in taxes. He said that by law the 10% tax is to be levied only on motels catering to romantic outings, and not on tourist hotels. The Municipality of Santo Domingo says that hotels in the National District owe it RD$400 million for the concept. Asonahores said that every time there is a new Mayor the 10% tax issue is brought back until it is proven that the tax cannot be levied on tourist hotels.
>
Received on Tue Apr 11 12:00:43 2000