DR1 Travel News - 18 July 2017

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Big increases in travel from Europe
Angela Carrasco and Diego El Cigala in Puerto Plata
2017 Dominican Republic Jazz Festival
Beer bike tours in the Colonial City



Big increases in travel from Europe
Non-resident Dominicans and foreign travelers to the Dominican Republic continues to consistently increase. The most recent Central Bank tourism statistical report compiles data from January to June 2017 and compares this to the same period in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Over the three years, non-resident travel has increased 6.5-7%. Overall, from January to June 2017, some 3,241,671 passengers arrived by air. This is 198,517 more than for the same period in 2016.

The greatest increase in travelers was from Europe, with 123,703 more coming in the first half of the year, up 21.7%. The difference is due to rebound in the Russian travel market with 80,907 more travelers. Next in increases in arrivals were United Kingdom (+9,895), Germany (+6,656), France (+5,156), Switzerland (+5,062) and Spain (+3,893), among other countries.

Non-resident travel from North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) was up 4.3%, that is 71,045 more travelers. Travel from Central America and the Caribbean was also up, with 10,917 more air arrivals, or 9.8%. More tourists came from Panama (+5,436) and Cuba (+3,344).

Travel from South America, nevertheless was slightly down, reflecting declines in travel from Venezuela (-26,298) and Brazil (-222,582) attributed to the socioeconomic and political problems in those countries. There were increases in travel from Argentina (+18,640), Colombia (+9,032), Chile (+8,648), Peru (+4,924), and Uruguay (+2,781), among others.

Punta Cana continues to be the main point of entry for tourists to the Dominican Republic. The airport received 67.2% of all air arrivals in the first half of the year, or 1,927,730. Next airports in volume of arrivals were Las Americas (Santo Domingo) 16.2%, Puerto Plata (9.7%).

The Central Bank reported that Punta Cana International received 154,199 more travelers in the first half of the year, or 8.7% more. Puerto Plata followed with 37,419 more travelers, for a 15. 6% increase, and Las Americas (Santo Domingo) was next with 15,920 more travelers, or 3.5%.

https://www.bancentral.gov.do/publicaciones_economicas/consulta/8/0/Informe-del-Flujo-Turístico


Angela Carrasco and Diego El Cigala in Puerto Plata
Dominican singer Angela Carrasco and Spanish flamenco legend Diego El Cigala will be performing on 19 August 2017 in Puerto Plata. El Cigala has recorded 8 CDs and has won two Grammys and 5 Latin Grammy nominations.

The concert “Sentimiento y pasión” is set for 8:30pm at the new Puerto Plata Amphitheater on the Malecón of Puerto Plata at La Puntilla.

The 16th of August is a holiday in the Dominican Republic. While it falls on Wednesday, several may decide to take Thursday and Friday as vacation days as the summer vacations for students come to an end.

http://www.elcigala.com/


2017 Dominican Republic Jazz Festival
The 21st Dominican Republic Jazz Festival will take place from the 29th of October to the 5th of November in venues in Santo Domingo, Santiago, Sosúa, Cabarete and Puerto Plata. The festival was born in Puerto Plata but now has expanded to bring the best of jazz to other cities.

The event is organized by the Fundación de Educación Musical del Festival de Jazz de República Dominicana (Fedujazz) with the backing of the Ministry of Tourism.

The program calls for jazz performances on Sunday, 29 October 2017 in Santo Domingo with a concert dedicated to France. Musicians from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP) will participate along with the stellar performance of Riccardo del Fra.

The festival then continues from 1-5 November to venues in Santiago and Puerto Plata. On Wednesday, 1 November in Santiago: El Eco (Argentina) and Edmar Colon and Jonathan Suazo (Dominican Republic); Thursday, 2 November in Sosúa with Roni Eytan Quartet (Israel), Anat Cohen with the Berklee Global Ambassadors (Israel, USA), and Javier Vargas (Dominican Republic); Friday, 3 November in Puerto Plata: Trio da Paz (Brazil), Guy Frómeta Trio (Dominican Republic); Saturday, 4 November in Cabarete: Berklee Global Jazz Ambassadors Sean Jones and Brian Lynch (USA); Sunday, 5 November in Cabarete: William Cepeda (Puerto Rico), Marco Pignataro’s Almas Antiguas Quartet (Italy, Puerto Rico), and more.

The DR Jazz Festival shows are free and open to the general public. VIP tickets and priority seats are available for purchase, making a contribution to the Fedujazz. Contact Fedujazz for more details at 809 571-9350 or by emailing info@drjazzfestival.com

http://www.conservatoiredeparis.fr/...ts/les-enseignants-detail/enseignant/del-fra/


Beer bike tours in the Colonial City
Two companies are offering drinks and bike tours in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo. These are La Coroleta (Beer Bike) and Bike Party, as reported in Diario Libre.

The Beer Bike has capacity for 16 persons that can pedal away, while enjoying snacks, soft drinks, hydrating drinks, water or beer while touring the city. The company offers wi-fi service so participants can up load their photos and share the experience as they go along. A Go-Pro camera videos the tour and shares this with the participants. The tours for 30-45 minutes start at RD$400 per person.

Party Bike is a new product by Trikke Dominicana and has capacity for 14 persons. Soft drinks, juice and light beers are served. The duration is 1:30 minutes and costs RD$550 per person.