DR1 Travel News - 31 October 2017

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Hurricanes affect tourism: Travel down 13.3% in September
Another good year for Russian travel
DR resorts make Conde Nast Traveler Best in the World 2017 list
Tanama Lodge opens in Punta Cana
Whala! Bayahibe opens in November



Hurricanes affect tourism: Travel down 13.3% in September
Hurricanes Irma (7 September 2017) and Maria (21 September 2017) affected travel to the Dominican Republic. Central Bank tourism statistical report reveals that in September, 47,701 less visitors arrived, which translates to a 13.3% decline compared to September 2016. A large number of flights had to be cancelled from numerous destinations, affecting arrivals of tourists.

Despite the decline, travel for January-September 2017 is up 4.1% overall, with 187,225 more visitors than for the same period in 2016. Tourist visits for the period is at a preliminary 4,711,486, including 4,120,362 foreigners and 591,124 non-resident Dominicans.

57.7% of tourists come from North America (Canada, US and Mexico). 24.9% comes from Europe, 12.3% from South America and 4.8% from Central America and the Caribbean. Only 0.3% comes from Asia and the rest of the world.
Travel from Europe is up a significant 17.6%, primarily due to increases in the number of arrivals from Russia (+94,870), UK (+13,907), Germany (+11,570), Spain (+8,200), Portugal (+5,941), Ukraine (+5,714) and Switzerland (+4,964).

Visits from North America, nevertheless, were only up 2.2%, with 43,472 more travelers from Canada and 8,374 more from the United States.

Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) continues to be the main port of entry, with 2,790,729 passengers, and 67.7% of the foreign arrivals. Punta Cana International received 160,027 additional travelers, for a 6.1% increase over the January to September period. Next was Las Americas International (SDQ) with 16.8%, Puerto Plata International Airport (POP) with 8.7%.

95% of the visiting tourists said they were coming for leisure and recreation. Only 1.6% said they came for business, or 64,598 visitors. 93.5% of those polled said they stayed at a hotel. 53.3% were in the age range of 21-49 years, with 53.3% being female and 46.7% men.

https://www.bancentral.gov.do/publi...nforme_turistico/informe_turistico2017-09.pdf


Another good year for Russian travel
Russia is a significant tourism source market for the Dominican Republic. Recent figures show a 90% surge in Russian visitors to the Dominican Republic in 2016 with 136,200 arrivals recorded, compared with 71,500 the year before. Already from January to September 2017, arrivals from Russia are up 94,870 compared to the same period in 2016.

January to September 2017 travel from Ukraine is also up, some 5,714 more visitors.


DR resorts make Conde Nast Traveler Best in the World 2017 list
The November 2017 print edition of Conde Nast Traveler magazine lists five Dominican resorts among the top 60 chosen for the Caribbean region. These are: Sanctuary Cap Cana (97.3 / 11th), Casa de Campo (95.98 / 18th), Iberostar Grand Hotel Bávaro (94.74 / 27th), Barceló Bávaro Palace (92.52 / 41st), Tortuga Bay (89.19 / 50th).

https://www.cntraveler.com/readers-choice-awards/caribbean-atlantic/caribbean-top-resorts
http://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php/163795-Conde-Nast-Traveler-Best-in-the-World-2017-(DR)


Tanama Lodge opens in Punta Cana
With a themed White Party, Tanama Lodge, a 300-room condo-hotel opened in Punta Cana. The Tanama Lodge offers lodging in one, two or three bedroom apartments.

Javier Bonnet, president of Grupo Bonnet, highlighted the promise of good yields for the investors in the property, built under the rules of the Mortgage Market and Trust Law 189-11 in the Dominican Republic. The law allows for a security trust to secure the performance of determined obligations of a settler or a third party.

https://es-la.facebook.com/TanamaLodge/


Whala! Bayahibe opens in November
Whala! Bayahibe is welcoming guests beginning on 1 November 2017. The 280-room property is located at Bayahibe Beach. The hotel chain HM Hotels is managing the combined Sol and Blue Dominicus Hotels, says Spaniard Antonio Horrach Moyá, director general of HM, a family run hotel chain. HM has 13 hotel –nine in Mallorca, two in México and two in the Dominican Republic (Bayahibe and Bávaro beaches).

Whala!Bayahibe is 1.4 km from Dominicus beach and 3.2 km from Bayahibe beach. The hotel offers its guests free shuttle service to either of the beaches.

http://www.whalahotels.com/