Chinese nationals are authorized to travel here after the signing of diplomatic relations between the Dominican Republic and the People’s Republic of China in 2018. Nevertheless, there has been skepticism as to whether the Dominican Republic will be able to attract a share of the 149 million Chinese tourists. New business actions may facilitate thousands of Chinese tourists traveling to the country. For instance, Chinese investment is buying up stakeholders in the Dominican tourism industry.
Thomas Cook has just agreed to sell the majority stake to China’s Fosun Tourism, part of the Fosun International conglomerate. Thomas Cook is a long-standing vendor of Dominican vacation plans that start at United Kingdom airports. The BBC reports that the deal will put control of at least 75% of their tour business and 25% of the airline business in the hands of the Chinese giant.
In 2015, Fosun Tourism Group acquired the France-headquartered Club Med. Nikkei Asian Review reports that China is now Club Med’s second-largest market after France, with 240,000 guests from the greater China region in 2018, up from 20,000 in 2009. Fosun Tourism chairman and CEO Jim Qian of Fosun says the challenge is still to lure overseas Chinese tourists to the beach. Around 149 million Chinese traveled abroad, but 80% visited major cities like Paris, London or Milan. Under Qian the company is building “an ecosystem” of family-oriented travel services, with the combination of Thomas Cook, Club Med and Cirque du Soleil services. He says thousands of Chinese have studied in Europe, where they have expanded their vacation interests. Fosun is targeting those potential customers for Club Med.
Nikkei Asian Review explains that Fosun’s 939 million euros (US$1.1 billion) takeover of Club Med had been years in the making. Fosun has also purchased Canadian circus company, Cirque du Soleil for US$375 million and online flight navigator Skyscanner.
In the Dominican Republic, Club Med operates in Punta Cana and later this year it will open Club Med Miches Playa Esmeralda, a new resort north of the Punta Cana eastern coastline. Cirque du Soleil runs here jointly with Club Med. The company has announced it will be presenting its Bazzar show first at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana from 29 January through 23 February 2020.
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3 September 2019