Frank Rainieri: new restrictions against COVID-19 do not affect tourism
Employers are in favor of the measures
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The new restrictions imposed by the Government to stop the expansion of COVID-19 will not affect tourism, a sector that is in a process of recovery, according to businessman Frank Rainieri said Tuesday.
Rainieri, who is president of the Puntacana Group, said that the new orders do not influence the dynamism of the sector because hotels have their parameters and operating protocols, and he understands that if the Government imposed it, it is because it knows the numbers of the pandemic .
"Therefore, we are confident that if that decision was made it is for the good of the country, and we have to understand that the well-being of all goes above personal interest," said Rainieri.
The Punta Cana International Airport (AIPC) is exceeding 200 weekly flights, a figure that had only been seen prior to March, the month when COVID-19 entered the country, the businessman said.
On his side, Pedro Brache, president of the National Council of Private Enterprise (Conep), pointed out that since the pandemic began, this body has always been in favor of the health of the people.
"The indicators have spoken, I believe that the measures correspond to the situation in the Dominican Republic today," added Brache.
Both employers spoke after leaving the recognition ceremony "Solidarity Entrepreneurs 2020" held by Mercado magazine in a hotel in the capital.
The new measures seem to be going down well generally. No push back here and rather the opposite because evening drinking and socializing ignoring social distancing and masks by younger folks is seen as the big problem causing spread of the virus by most. And some fexibility for the family get together for 24th and 31st.
Tourism in the main areas will not be affected. Businesses in Santo Domingo already close at 7pm so no change there.
The big change is the sale of alcohol ban at 6pm.
The mobility allowance for 24th and 31st is causing some concern.
The measures may perhaps put a cap on big futher increases in case load if enforced, but frankly I don't see the curfew and maybe alcohol sales hour ban being lifted anytime soon in the New Year, and perhaps cases will still increase with family reunions and arrivals from infected countries without proper airport controls. I hope not.
It is tough for owners of bars and drinks etc. that rely on alcohol sales but that is not the end of the world! Restaurants are flourishing at lunch time and colmados will sell just as much as now as people stock up at home. The economy and tourism will keep ticking along at an improving pace.