Jet A1 (aviation jet fuel) in the DR carries the highest taxes in the entire Caribbean.
Thomas Cook and Thomson try to "tank" as much fuel as they can, because believe it or not, it's cheaper for them to carry their return fuel all the way across the Atlantic than it is to buy it here!
Why can't Leonel see that if he reduced the tax on jet fuel, then the airlines would buy more of it, therefore keeping tax revenues the same?
But no, he would prefer to strangle the golden goose.
Another factor is that both TCX and TOM have reduced their number of flights to the DR this year. Although what flight availability they have is selling well. Most flights this summer are already booked full.
The DR cannot afford to rest on it's laurels. UK customers want value for money and will vote with their credit cards. With so many exotic holiday destinations to choose from, the DR has some serious competition.
It seems to me that most of the investors who invested in the resorts on the north coast want to make a large profit, then take the money and run. How many resorts (apart from Coral Marien) have had any major refurbishments lately?
The DR is no longer a cheap long haul holiday (unlike Cuba). It's prices are on par with Barbados, but Barbados has a lot more to offer in terms of luxury. The peso is being kept artificially high, which in my opinion is doing serious harm to this country.