OMG!!! reduce taxes????

chic

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Nov 20, 2013
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Dominican Republic Tourism Forum set for 6 April 2016
The European Chamber of Commerce in the Dominican Republic has announced it will be hosting the Dominican Republic Forum to promote the country as a tourist destination. Special guest speakers will be Minister of Tourism Francisco Javier Garcia and ambassador Alberto Navarro, head of the European Union delegation in the Dominican Republic. The event is scheduled to take place at the JW Marriott on 6 April 2016. The theme will be discussing the potential of the Dominican Republic for becoming the hub of the Caribbean, and center of multi-destination tourism.

The conference is taking place at a time when leading US airlines have announced they will begin flying to Cuba.

Upon making the announcement, chamber president Hans Witsenboer advocated for less taxes to attract more tourists. He said that air arrivals pay charges of US$93.50 per air arrival. He proposes to reduce this to US$33.50 to encourage more visits.

Witsenboer said that to encourage cruise ship visits, the government considerably reduced the taxes charged for sea arrivals. A total of 300,000 are already expected this year, with prospects to increase to 600,000 in 2017 and one million by 2018.

Likewise, Gustavo de Hostos, member of the European Chamber of Commerce board spoke in favor of the Dominican Republic making the case with the fellow signatories of the European Participation Agreement (EPA) for unifying taxes with Caricom countries so that a visitor should not have to pay in each of the countries similar taxes as those paid in the DR. He said that if taxes were reduced, the Caribbean could become a multi-destination region for tourists coming from China and India. He said that the same taxation scheme that applies to visitors by sea should also be applied to air arrivals.

http://elnacional.com.do/dicen-impuestos-frenan-el-turismo/

http://eurocamarard.org/rd-multidestino-turistico/

9. EmTech Dominican Republic in November 2016
Panelists will discuss technology issues for Dominican audiences at EmTech Dominican Republic, a gathering of experts, entrepreneurs and academics to be organized by the Spanish-language edition of MIT Technology Review in Santo Domingo on a yet-to-be-announced date in November 2016. The event has the support of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the O&M University in Santo Domingo. Jose Rafael Abinader, rector of the O&M University made the announcement together with Kathleen Kennedy, director for MIT Technology Review. EmTech Dominican Republic would coincide with celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the O&M University.

The Emerging Technologies, or EmTech conference has been the benchmark for MIT experts for more than a decade and this is the first time it is held in the Dominican Republic.

Kathleen Kennedy, who visited Santo Domingo to make the announcement. described the MIT Technology Review as an innovation catalyst. The event serves to establish dialogue and present testimonies about emerging technologies. Recent advances in energy, health, transport and information will be presented.

MIT Technology Review's mission is to equip audiences with the intelligence to understand a world shaped by technology. "We identify the technologies and innovators with the greatest potential to change business, society, and the world for the better," said Kennedy.

"EmTech MIT brings this journalism to life. It's an opportunity to discover future trends and begin to understand the technologies that will drive the new global economy. It's where tech, business, and culture converge, and where you gain access to the most innovative people and companies in the world," she added.

http://www.metrord.do/noticias/tecnologia-del-mas-alto-nivel-engalanara-rd/ftwpci---pVrAwQwZpeJVw/

10. Dominican movies: RD$260 million at the box office
Dominicans like their movies. The DGCine government department says that findings of the report "Development of the Dominican Movie-making Industry" show that Dominican films captured one of every three moviegoers last year. There was also a 300% increase in foreign investment in films made in the Dominican Republic.

The report found that Dominicans spent RD$260 million on watching 19 Dominican films that opened in 2015. Movie houses sold 1.4 million tickets last year, as reported in Diario Libre.

http://www.diariolibre.com/revista/...-el-ano-2015-rd-260-millones-NB2982780estudio

11. Aymeric Chauprade defends Christophe Naudin
French Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Aymeric Chauprade has come forward to defend aviation and security expert Christophe Naudin, accused by the Dominican Republic prosecution of complicity in the escape of two French pilots. A National District court ordered three months pre-trial custody for Naudin yesterday, Thursday 10 March 2016.

The MEP has admitted his responsibility in the escape of French pilots Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos from the Dominican Republic. They had been convicted and sentenced to 20 years in jail, but were under house arrest awaiting appeal.

Chauprade posted an almost 10-minute video on YouTube with an open letter in Spanish to President Danilo Medina where he argues that the Frenchmen did not receive a fair trial. Chauprade said that while four Frenchmen were convicted to 20 years in jail in August 2015 more than 30 Dominican suspects were released from responsibility. The Frenchmen were later arrested in France where they now face several charges in connection with the so-called Air Cocaine case. Chauprade also mentions in the video that Naudin has worked in security for the French government.

He criticized the Dominican judiciary for accusing Christophe Naudin of people smuggling because the two French pilots who fled Dominican territory were not immigrants and the help they received was "an act of solidarity." Dominican prosecutors have also filed an Interpol arrest warrant for Chauprade and his assistant Pierre Malinowski for their role in the escape of the two French pilots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9qT9-Rj8mc

http://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...-responsabilidad-en-fuga-de-pilotos-franceses

12. Edmond Elias passes away
Edmond Elias, the president of EE Empresas, a leading nightclub and casino company, passed away yesterday, Thursday 10 March 2016 at the age of 84. He was also known as the owner of the long-established Maunaloa Night Club, and for the operation of bars, discos, gambling casinos, sports betting businesses and real estate promotion. He was the president of the Dominican Casinos Association for many years, and a founding member of the Coliseo Gallistico de Santo Domingo, as one of the country's leading cockfighting promoters.

13. Dominican referee selected for Rio basketball
Dominican Paola Cuello has been selected as a basketball referee for the summer 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. She will be one of five women in a team of 30 referees. She lives in her native Santiago de los Caballeros and is a niece of Alfredo Cuello, responsible for organizing the superior basketball tournament in Santiago.

Growing up in a basketball environment, she played professionally with the Urbano Gilbert team for two years. She took a first course with the Santiago referee association (Coabasa) and discovered her vocation. She obtained her international license in 2008 and since then has worked in several international tournaments. She is a Tae Kwon Do black belt. She is currently working as a referee with the Santiago Superior Basketball Tournament.

http://www.listindiario.com/el-deporte/2016/03/11/411248/primera-dominicana

14. Grupo Bonye booked for Hard Rock
Grupo Bonye and guests will now be performing on Tuesdays in March (on the 8, 15, 22, 29 of the month) at the Hard Rock Cafe in Santo Domingo's Blue Mall. The group is best known for its sunset performances every Sunday at the San Francisco Ruins in the Colonial City of Santo Domingo.

Tuesdays have been open to Latin music and dancing at the Hard Rock with no cover charge. The Latin Dance Nights begin at 9pm.

15. Punta Cana prepares for carnival
Grupo Puntacana celebrates its annual Punta Cana Carnival this Saturday, 12 March 2016 along Boulevard November 1st in Punta Cana Village opposite the Punta Cana International Airport. The celebration begins with a parade of international delegations, as well as a selection of the very best from the Dominican Republic.

The parade will include some of the top carnival troupes and is alive with colorful costumes and masks to showcase the country's cultural traditions and folklore to thousands of locals and tourists from around the world. A live concert will mark the official end of Carnival.

For more information phone (809) 959-2262 or go to www.puntacana.com

16. Soulfly at the Escenario 360
Soulfly, a heavy metal rock band from Phoenix, Arizona is on its Archangel World Tour 2016 and will be making a stop in Santo Domingo. They are booked for Saturday, 16 April 2016 at the Escenario 360 of the Galeria 360 shopping center in Santo Domingo. Tickets are RD$900 pre-sale and RD$1,200 at the door.

Read more about upcoming events at http://www.dr1.com/calendar

To read more news, see the DR1 News Archives at: http://dr1.com/premium/news/2016/index.shtml

I:cheeky::cheeky::cheeky::cheeky:
 

ju10prd

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Nov 19, 2014
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High airport taxes are the norm in the Caribbean. Where does the money go? In many instances with lower traffic volumes it goes to the running of the airport.

Punta Cana has very high volumes and one wonders where all the taxes go?
 

chic

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Nov 20, 2013
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High airport taxes are the norm in the Caribbean. Where does the money go? In many instances with lower traffic volumes it goes to the running of the airport.

Punta Cana has very high volumes and one wonders where all the taxes go?

well y is d.r the highest???
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,087
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The DR having the highest taxes is definitely a deterrent to tourism.

Will tourism to Cuba by US citizens hurt the DR? Of course. Nobody knows how significant that will be.
Right now, Punta Cana is still the "new" place to go. Soon, Cuba will be that new place. People like the new place.
Keep in mind, we are only concerned with the new ability of US citizens going to Cuba regarding the DR.
 

Blueceo

Member
Nov 1, 2015
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Punta Cana is actually privately owned and all the fees go directly to the Punt Cana Company. I have heard (don't know if it's true though) that they're making over $100 million dollars annually from their privately owned airport. Our Company worked with them on a project and we found out how they operate and were amazed at the money they are making. .
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
11,679
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The DR having the highest taxes is definitely a deterrent to tourism.

Will tourism to Cuba by US citizens hurt the DR? Of course. Nobody knows how significant that will be.
Right now, Punta Cana is still the "new" place to go. Soon, Cuba will be that new place. People like the new place.
Keep in mind, we are only concerned with the new ability of US citizens going to Cuba regarding the DR.

Although I?ve never been there, I?ve read that people/ tourist are flocking to Punta Cana for the AI?s.
I think Cuba has a long way to go before they can compete with what Punta Cana currenty has to offer these types of vacationers.