Deputy Minister of Tourism Radhames Martinez attributed last year’s 6% growth in visitors to the Dominican Republic to economic recovery in source markets and consolidation of Dominican tourism. Speaking at the Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange, Martinez said that the DR growth is double the Caribbean average.
Martinez spoke of growth in the numbers of visitors from Germany, South American countries and the United States that represents 40% of foreign visitors. He said new markets such as Russia have continued growing.
He said that the country now offers visitors the opportunity to take a look all around. “Santo Domingo is now only two hours from Punta Cana,” he commented, acknowledging that most tourists fly into the east coast beach destination. As of 16 March of this year, the Punta Cana International Airport had reported a 13% increase in travelers since the beginning of the year. 64% of all tourists arrive via that airport.
Martinez said that tourists staying in Punta Cana could now come to visit the Colonial City.
“Santo Domingo will be at the top level of Latin American cities,” he commented mentioning the major urban renewal project underway.
He mentioned that Puerto Plata on the north coast has taken new steps to identify new cultural attractions and make them available to tourists, in order to prepare for the arrival of thousands of tourists once the new Carnival Maimon cruise ship terminal opens at the end of 2014.
Martinez is optimistic the trend will continue as investors make the most of the extended tax incentives for building new hotels, tourist attractions and remodeling hotels. The incentives now apply nationwide. He said the law would boost the city tourism, medical tourism and meetings, incentives, conventions and events segments.
Martinez stressed the importance of the excellent tourist roadways already in place in the eastern region of the country. He said that the Santiago bypass has cut driving time to Puerto Plata from Santo Domingo by half an hour, and that work would soon begin on the new connection to Puerto Plata to make the trip even shorter. Also being designed is the new bypass to Bani to open up new beach areas, such as Corbanitos, to investment, and the Montecristi highway from Puerto Plata.
“The country is headed in the right direction, there is more to do, but work is underway,” he said.
He commented that another strong point for the Dominican Republic is the government attitude toward open skies. Martinez himself is the Ministry of Tourism representative in this area. “In aviation there are no limitations to flights. All regular, charter flights are fast-tracked and approved”, he said, stressing that in terms of bilateral transport agreements, there is no problem.