Continuing good news on hotel occupancy comes in today’s El Caribe. Hotel and Restaurant Association ASONAHORES says that the first three months of 2003 have seen a rise in hotel occupancy of 16.2%, compared to the equivalent period last year.
In March, the average figure was 81.2% ? an increase of 8.8% over last year. Punta Cana-B?varo, Romana-Bayahibe and Playa Grande were the three areas with the highest occupancy rates with 92.7%, 87.7% and 83.6%, respectively, followed by Boca Chica-Juan Dolio (77.1%), Sos?a-Cabarete (73.8%), Saman? (67.9%) and Santo Domingo (64.4%).
Today, President Hip?lito Mej?a will inaugurate the fourth Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE) at the B?varo Conference Center in Punta Cana, where 135 companies – including airlines, hotel and tour operators – national and international media, and the Dominican tourism authorities will meet.