According to Johnny Bernal, president of the National Hotel and Restaurant Association (Asonahores), hoteliers made 285,000 new bookings during the Fourth World Exchange of Dominican Tourism (Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange), as reported in Diario Libre. The DATE annual convention this year was held in Barcel?-B?varo, Punta Cana. Bernal explained that the event brought 60 tour operators from the United States, Canada, Europe and Central and South America face to face with hotel owners and other tourist-related businesses. The weekend meeting resulted in the signing of agreements for new charter flights and increased flights by American Airlines and Air France to the north and east of the Dominican Republic.
?Compared to former years, we experienced a great increase in the buyers from the United States and Canada, the two countries that make up 70% of the of the attendees to this event?, said Bernal. In one of the most positive reports, American Airlines, which had announced an 8% reduction in its worldwide flights, increased its flights to 14 per week to Punta Cana, and Air France increased its number of flights to 13.