The Ministry of Tourism is focusing on the healthy growth of the Russian travel market for Dominican tourism. Russian travel was up by 14.38% in the first eight months of the year, with 10,516 tourist arrivals from that far-off destination, 1,330 more than the total for last year.
Tourism Minister Felix Jimenez traveled to Leisure Fair 2006 in Moscow, where he met with representatives of leading Russian tour operators and airlines, including Transaero Airlines, South Cross; Capital Tours, General Tez Tour, General Forthtour, that participate in the Moscow-Punta Cana charter flight. There is talk about extending the charter beyond the winter months, and adding flights to the Puerto Plata and Samana airports.
The Minister said that Transaero has also shown an interest in using the DR as a hub for southbound flights to Brazil and Argentina.
Jimenez mentioned that the Ukrainian market has also grown, and the Russian and Ukrainian markets combined provided 18,000 passengers in 2006. During the fair, Jimenez also met with tour operators from Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan that have shown an interest in the DR as a tourist destination.
The Ministry of Tourism also reported that Bernadita Abbott, Deputy Minister of Tourism for the North Coast, accompanied the minister. Also representing the DR were representatives from the companies Ninfa Tours, Travel Service Rusia, Otium Tours, Caribero, Club Caribe, Princess Hotels, Punta Cana Resort, Cap Cana and Altabella Hotels, among others.
As part of the fair’s activities, the Ministry of Tourism held a dinner-conference at the Hotel Marriott Tverskaya in Moscow. The Minister was accompanied by Deputy Minister Bernardita Abbott, Petra Cruz, director for Europe, and Galina Lyssenko, director for the Russian Federation.
Tourism Minister Jimenez also pointed out that the country has attracted a further 6,000 tourists from other Eastern European countries.