2000 Travel News Archive – Page 43

The National Hotel & Restaurant Association (Asonahores) reports travel to the DR increased 24.6% during the first two months of the year. Travel is up more than usual primarily due to an increase in hotel rooms to fill and the country recovering from the effects of Hurricane Georges in September 1998. More than 4,000 hotel …

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Gilda Jovine, Miss Universe Dominicana 2000, and Claudia Santaella, Miss Mundo Dominicana were chosen the Dominican representatives to the leading world pageants. Gilda Jovine is a blonde, 19-year old, advertising student, who represented Constanza. Claudia Santaella is a brunette, 19-year old, professional model who represented the National District (Santo Domingo). Winners of special awards were: …

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El Siglo newspaper cites a Bloomberg News Services report that says the Meliá Bavaro was sold to Best Hotels of Tarragona, Spain by Sol Meliá, S.A. The sales price was US$61 million, according to the item. The Meliá hotel chain still has two other properties in Punta Cana, the Tropical and the Caribe. It also …

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El Caribe newspaper highlights the efforts of the National Parks Department to improve ecotourism excursions in the DR. Director of National Parks Omar Ramírez announced efforts are advanced so that his department can open a new trail up to Duarte Peak, the highest in the Caribbean. Last year, 3,500 foreign and Dominican tourists made their …

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Minister of Tourism Felix Jiménez confirmed that cruise ship traffic to Santo Domingo has declined due to the garbage and contamination of the Ozama River. Slum areas and industries border the river. When the levels of the river increase, the river sucks in the garbage, which flows downstream to the port areas. Both the Port …

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