The domestic travel industry is booming. Starting with the Christmas holidays and continuing in January, Dominicans are sure to enjoy long weekend leisure time fully.
The first long weekend in January 2023 was the New Year’s holiday. While the holiday time would have officially ended on Sunday, 1 January 2023, President Luis Abinader surprised everyone by announcing on 30 December that Monday, 2 January, would also be a holiday.
The next long weekend is right around the corner. Three Kings Day is not a holiday and falls on Friday, 6 January 2023. But it traditionally has always been a holiday, so many businesses will allow people to take off to celebrate with children. The Ministry of Labor has said that the Three Kings holiday will be celebrated on Monday, 9 January 2023, creating a long weekend.
Then comes the holiday celebrating the Dominican people’s religious protector, the Virgen de la Altagracia. This holiday falls on Saturday, 21 January. Expect those that can to take off the previous Friday.
The third holiday this month celebrates the birthday of Dominican forefather Juan Pablo Duarte and is moved to Monday, 30 January. Duarte’s birthday falls on Thursday, 26 January. The switch in working days creates another long weekend for the lucky to have flexible schedules.
The long weekends are also times when city traffic declines as thousands head for vacation destinations in the interior. In the cities, the long weekends are a good time to get shopping done, medical consultations or government-related proceedings given there will be more parking and less stress due to less crowding.
3 January 2023