Dominican Rep tourism news

> 9. New minister of Tourism favors building more hotel rooms
> 1. Delta evaluates service to DR in 2001
> 2. United Airlines agrees to purchase US Airways
> 3. JMC Air flies into Puerto Plata
> 9. 3 million visitors forecast for 2000
> 11. Caribbean Tourism Organization chapter in DR
> 13. Baby turtles to hatch in front of Dominicus beach

> ********************************************************************
> DR1 Daily News -- Wednesday, 7 June 2000
> ********************************************************************
> 9. New minister of Tourism favors building more hotel rooms
> Ramon Alfredo Bordas, interviewed in Puerto Plata by El Siglo
> newspaper said that he is in favor of doubling the number of hotel
> rooms available in the DR. The DR is today the Caribbean's largest
> destination, with more than 45,000 hotel rooms.
> At the same time, Bordas, a private investor himself, said he will
> endeavor to attract tourists with a higher spending power and has
> plans to increase advertising abroad. He said other priorities will be
> improve hotel staff training, increase cruise ship tourism and improve
> the environment in tourism zones. Bordas said one of his priorities is
> to increase the number of jobs in tourism. He favors increased
> investment in sewage and potable water facilities in tourism zones.
> Bordas began his career in tourism being one of the first Dominican
> hotel investors, when together with a group of friends he invested in
> Heavens, a resort in the Playa Dorada complex. He moved on to work
> with the Allegro all-inclusive modality hotel chain. Allegro is in
> the process of being sold to the Spanish hotel chain, Occidental.
>

> ********************************************************************
> DR1 Daily News -- Thursday, 25 May 2000
> ********************************************************************

>
> 1. Delta evaluates service to DR in 2001
> Delta Airlines is evaluating service to the Dominican Republic in year
> 2001. Christine Frias, a spokesman for the airline, says that the
> airline considers both Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata attractive
> potential opportunities. Delta Airlines announced only last week that
> it will be expanding its service to Latin American and Caribbean
> destinations. The airline has plans to provide service to 13
> destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean with 19 daily flights.
> The airline highlights that this is the single largest international
> expansion in its history and that it is committed to the region. New
> points to be added are Mexico, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Trinidad,
> Barbados, Puerto Rico, and the company will be code sharing with Air
> Jamaica on flights to Jamaica.
> "Delta is extremely excited about this additional service into Latin
> America and the Caribbean. We are looking forward to being a premier
> provider of U.S.-Latin America and Caribbean service," said Jorge
> Fernandez, director - Latin America. "Today we proudly offer service
> on our own aircraft and those of our codeshare partners to more than
> 50 destinations in 13 Latin American countries."
> Delta Air Lines also recently announced having reached and agreement
> with Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts to enable guests of these hotels to
> gain Delta SkyMiles. Sol Meliá operates several hotels in the
> Dominican Republic.
>
> 2. United Airlines to purchase US Airways
> The announcement that the boards of directors of United Airlines and
> US Airways have approved a merger agreement is good news for the DR.
> Latin America and the Caribbean stand to gain as it would increase the
> number of direct flights to the US and more alternative through Miami,
> according to United. Today one US carrier, American Airlines,
> basically controls traffic to the DR and there is a scarcity of seats.
>
> For years now, United has announced its interest in the Dominican
> Republic, but flights haven't materialized. Just recently, US Airways
> announced it had filed with the US Department of Transportation for
> daily flights to Santo Domingo as part of a general Caribbean
> expansion plan. United's financial clout behind US Airways
> consolidates that airline as a major player for the Caribbean market.
> A US$4.3 billion cash purchase was announced.
> The merger combines United's extensive east-west system with US
> Airways' comprehensive north-south routes, creating what promoters are
> calling the first truly efficient United States nationwide network and
> the world's largest airline.
> Nevertheless, a Wall Street Journal story says that the merger was
> objected by the United Airlines pilot syndicate and could face
> opposition by groups that site a monopoly is being created. The
> merger, they say would concentrate 80% US travel in three major
> airlines, affecting competition and consumer interests.
> For more information on the merger, see:
> http://www.united.com/site/primaryPR/1,10026,1528_602,00.html
>
> 3. JMC Air flies into Puerto Plata
> The Listin Diario reports the start of flights to Puerto Plata of JMC
> Air. The charter airline flies from England with 361 passengers
> capacity. The airline born of Caledonian Airways and Flying Colours
> Airlines is the second largest charter airline of England. It has a
> fleet of 28 airplanes, averaging 3.5 years, covering destinations
> around the world, said JMC Air spokesman, Steve Young. It serves 11
> routes in the Caribbean during the summer and winter, including
> Antigua, Bahamas, Cancun, Orlando, Tobago. The new flight is expected
> to contribute to the strengthening of the UK market to the DR.
>
> 4. Corde director wants to go ahead with airline privatization
> Eduardo Selman, director of the government holding company Corde,
> insists on finalizing the tender for the privatization of Dominicana
> Airlines (CDA). President-elect Hipólito Mejía requested that this
> tender be suspended. Selman told the Listín Diario that four companies
> had pre-qualified for the tender. He did not release the names of the
> companies. He said that the suspension of the tender set for 30 May
> would cause the state to benefit from negotiations that lead to the
> reduction of the millionaire debt of the airline.
> The tender process is coordinated by the Commission for the Reform of
> Public Enterprises (CREP) which in the past suspended several of the
> processes.

> DR1 Daily News -- Wednesday, 24 May 2000

> 9. 3 million visitors forecast for 2000

> Minister of Tourism Felix Jiménez forecast that more about three
> million persons will visit this year. Visitors are expected to spend
> US$2,950 million on their Dominican sojourn. In a story featured in
> the Listín Diario, Jiménez forecasts that 2000 will be a great year
> for the DR tourism industry. He said arrivals were up 18% in the first
> four months of the year.
> He announced the Ministry's participation in the Festival del Merengue
> 2000 that will take place in Central Park, New York on 9 June starting
> at 3 pm.

> 11. Caribbean Tourism Organization chapter in DR

> Reyson Pimentel is the president of the newly created Dominican
> Republic chapter of the Caribbean Tourism Organization. CTO is the
> leading tourism organization in the Caribbean.
> Other members of the board are: Teddy de Lara, vice president; Miriam
> Cambiar, secretary; Fidelina Pimentel, membership director; Luisa
> Cabral, public relations; and Alexandra Victoria, director of the
> marketing. The Dominican chapter seeks to educate young Dominicans as
> to the importance of tourism. The CTO Dominican Chapter will start its
> programs with the implementing of the "Getting to Know Tourism"
> program in public and private schools nationwide, especially in areas
> that receive large numbers of tourists.
>
> 13. Baby turtles to hatch in front of Dominicus beach

> The Listin Diario reports that in seven to eight weeks, or by mid
> July, 80 to 100 leatherback turtles will hatch on southeastern
> Dominicus Beach, in front of the Club Viva Dominicus. The mother
> turtle laid her eggs there on 14-15 May. The mother turtle is
> estimated to weigh over 600 kilos. Scientists believe she was born at
> Dominicus beach about 100 years ago and returned to lay her eggs. Club
> Viva Dominicus has fenced in the area where the turtle lay her eggs,
> to protect these from onlookers and predators. The newspaper says that
> the hotel is keeping a close watch on the mother in order to shut off
> illumination near the beach to avoid disorienting the baby turtles
> when they are born. The baby turtles have been known to follow the
> lights and not head into the water as they are supposed to. The hotel
> has assigned a day and a night watchman to keep a close eye on the
> mother turtle.
Received on Sun Jun 18 17:09:05 2000