The Dominican Republic was the big winner at the 2022 International Tourism Fair (FITUR) held in Madrid all last week. How big? Commitments for US$2.0 billion in investments is a good start. Dominican and foreign companies signed agreements to invest more in tourism in the country.
The signing of new air and tour operator agreements and the renewal of older agreements was impressive. Tourism Minister David Collado renewed the agreement with Iberia Airlines to promote the Dominican Republic as a destination from the 90 cities served by Iberia. The promotions include in-flight videos, the Iberia magazine Ronda Iberia, as well as promotion on the Iberia website. It also includes additional seats on new frequencies to the DR.
Another deal was signed with the Corte Ingles Travel Agency, one of the largest in Europe, which guarantees 200,000 visitors to the DR this year.
Yet another aspect of the FITUR, was the agreement between Spain and the Dominican Republic regarding air traffic. This agreement was the result of over a decade of work, and the result of the analysis of many bilateral agreements. Officials of the Civil Aviation Board (JAC) and their counterparts from Spain signed the agreement.
Jose Ernesto Marte Piantini, president of the JAC, highlighted that Europe represents 18% of the total travel market, second to North America.
The revised Spain-Dominican Republic aviation agreement establishes:
Fares will be freely imposed by the airlines.
Capacity will be set according to market requirements.
Unlimited Fifth Freedom air traffic rights for combined passenger and cargo flights, up to 25 weekly frequencies.
The airlines may omit intermediate points or beyond on one or more flights.
Each party may enter into marketing arrangements such as code-sharing, block-space agreements with an airline or airlines of either party or a third country.
Another agreement announced in FITUR was signed with the German airline Euro Wings, for two weekly flights to Puerto Plata, starting on 29 January. And that of Rainbow Tours that is starting this year with three weekly flights from the three main cities of Poland to Puerto Plata.
The Dominican Republic stand was perhaps the most visited with long lines of people waiting to visit. The Dominican stand was voted the Most Outstanding at FITUR 2022. Of course, Punta Cana was in the mind of all the avid Spanish traveling public that queued at the Dominican stand. But te promotions this year focused on Pedernales, the Colonial City in Santo Domingo, Miches in the East, and Costa del Ambar (Puerto Plata) in the North.
And, as if that was not sufficient, the government announced on Saturday that at least six well-known hotel chains are looking at Pedernales as a new destination. This list of countries likely to be the first to invest includes: Hilton, Marriot, Sunwing, AmResorts, Iberostar, and Karisma Hotels & Resorts. Reporters were told by the executive director of the Directorate General of Public-Private Alliances that the presentation of the Pedernales Master Plan took place at the FITUR and attracted the interest of many hotel company executives. A first phase of the Pedernales tourism development plan contemplates the construction of 4,700 hotel rooms in the Cabo Rojo beach area. The plan is conceived to be highly eco-friendly with just 30 rooms per 10,000 square meters (hectare) the lowest density in the country.
During the event, the Dominican Republic was recognized for being the tourism destination that has best managed the pandemic in the Americas, with the highest vaccination rate in Central America and the Caribbean, and for breaking records in tourism inflows in the Central American and Caribbean region.
President Luis Abinader and Tourism Minister David Collado received a recognition during the WTO Awards ceremony for the support of the Presidency to the Ministry of Tourism and the active participation of the President in activities of the tourism sector, the management of the pandemic and the effectiveness in the vaccination of tourism workers with tangible benefits in the Dominican community and society.
Read more in Spanish:
Ministry of Tourism
Ministry of Tourism
Ministry of Tourism
Ministry of Tourism
Ministry of Tourism
Ifema
Civil Aviation Board
Listin Diario
25 January 2022