Increased air service, hotel updates and infrastructure improvements
• Spirit Airlines adds flights to the DR
• New Barcelo Punta Cana resort opens
• Tortuga Bay newest member of Leading Hotels of the World
• Jack Nicklaus inaugurates Cap Cana golf course
• Coral Hotels & Resorts separates from Hilton brand
• Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites to open in Santo Domingo
• Construction of Moon Palace Casino, Golf & Spa Resort in Punta Cana underway
• DR invests millions in remodelling of Playa Dorada hotels
• Juan Dolio Beach and property regeneration underway
• DR to upgrade standard of service for tourists
• Government invests in water treatment plant for Cabarete
• New Samana highway to reduce travel time to/from Santo Domingo
• DR economy shows significant growth
• Robert De Niro's "The Good Shepherd" partially filmed in the DR
SPIRIT AIRLINES ADDS FLIGHT TO THE DR
Beginning December 1, Spirit Airlines increases its flights to Punta Cana from one to four routes per day. For reservations call 1-800-772-7117 (English), 1-800-756-7117 (Spanish) or 1-888-751-2275 (in the DR).
NEW BARCELO PUNTA CANA RESORT OPENS
On November 1, the Barcelo Punta Cana Resort (formerly Breezes Punta Cana Resort, Spa & Casino operated by SuperClubs) added its eleventh Dominican hotel property to the Barcelo Hotels & Resorts family. The new resort, located at Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana, features 795 guest rooms, seven restaurants and convention facilities.
TORTUGA BAY NEWEST MEMBER OF LEADING HOTELS OF THE WORLD
Tortuga Bay, Puntacana Resort & Club's new boutique hotel, was recently awarded with a certification from the Leading Hotels of the World. The certification is attributed to Tortuga Bay's exacting standards of quality and its impeccable, personalized design by Oscar de la Renta. For reservations call 1-888-442-2262.
JACK NICKLAUS INAUGURATES CAP CANA GOLF COURSE
Jack Nicklaus, a professional golfer and course architect, recently visited Cap Cana to celebrate the inauguration of his signature golf course, Punta Espada. The inauguration included Nicklaus' stroke-by-stroke commentary on the course, as well as an opening ceremony for Punta Espada's new club house. For more information call 1-800-785-2198 (US) or 1-809-955-9501 (rest of the world).
CORAL HOTELS & RESORTS SEPARATES FROM HILTON BRAND
After a three-year relationship, Coral Hotels & Resorts and the Hilton Hotels Corporation announced their joint decision to de-brand. The decision, a mutual agreement, was effective on October 31, 2006. The Coral by Hilton hotels, including Boca Chica, Juan Dolio, Bayahibe and Puerto Plata have been purchased by a sister company of Air Europa, a Spanish airline.
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS HOTEL & SUITES TO OPEN IN SANTO DOMINGO
InterContinental Hotels Group recently announced its plans to open a Holiday Inn Express in Santo Domingo. The Holiday Inn Express, slated to open in late 2007, is the second hotel by InterContinental Hotel Group in the area (InterContinental V Centrario is the first). The 145-room, seven-storey hotel will boast a spa, outdoor pool and business centre.
CONSTRUCTION OF MOON PALACE CASINO, GOLF & SPA RESORT IN PUNTA CANA UNDERWAY
Mexico-based Palace Resorts will enter Punta Cana with a new facility, the Moon Palace Casino, Golf & Spa Resort. The hotel, an investment of US$250 million, is being constructed in two phases, with phase one to open in August 2007 and phase two in December 2007. The beachfront property features 1,743 rooms and a convention centre that can accommodate up to 2,560 people.
DR INVESTS MILLIONS IN REMODELLING OF PLAYA DORADA HOTELS
Villa Dorada and the Jack Tar Village, two hotels in the Playa Dorada complex on the Dominican Republic’s north coast, are currently undergoing remodelling. The renovations, intended to increase traffic to the Playa Dorada complex, represent a total investment of more than $5 million. Reopening dates for the two properties will be announced later this year.
JUAN DOLIO BEACH AND PROPERTY REGENERATION UNDERWAY
Juan Dolio, located in the Dominican Republic's south-central region, is currently experiencing beach and property regeneration. The project's efforts include the lengthening of Juan Dolio's beach and the addition of white sand. Juan Dolio's regeneration is in addition to the completion of improvements to Long Beach in Puerto Plata, as well as plans for the regeneration of Cabarete Beach.
DR TO UPDRADE STANDARD OF SERVICE FOR TOURISTS
In order to regulate hotel and restaurant practices in the Dominican Republic, the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is initiating a certification program. In addition, the HSMAI will attempt to bring together business and information opportunities that effect the professional community, as well as the tourist sectors.
GOVERNMENT INVESTS IN WATER TREATMENT PLANT FOR CABARETE
In an effort to maintain the cleanliness of Cabarete's water the government of the Dominican Republic has initiated construction on a water treatment plant in the popular north-coast city. The plant is expected to be completed by September 2007 and is funded by a $5 tariff added to the country's existing tourist tax.
NEW SAMANA HIGHWAY TO REDUCE TRAVEL TIME TO/FROM SANTO DOMINGO
A toll-based highway currently under construction in Samana will connect the city to Santo Domingo, decreasing the travel time between the two cities by up to two hours. The project, an investment of approximately US$162 million, will utilize Las Americans Expressway and work in conjunction with Samana's new airport, El Catey. The project's expected completion date is December 2007.
DR ECONOMY SHOWS SIGNIFICANT GROWTH
The Central Bank recently reported that the Dominican Republic’s economy has increased 11.3 per cent in the first nine months of this year. The DR has also experienced an increase in the number of tourists coming to the country, with an expected four million in 2006, an increase of 400,000 compared to 2005. The Central Bank reports that Americans make up 1,241,670 of those tourists.
In addition, the DR has had a recent increase of foreigners buying second homes in the country. This is attributed to the country's major property developments such as Cap Cana and Roco Ki, both which specifically target North Americans looking to retire.
ROBERT DE NIRO’S “THE GOOD SHEPHERD” PARTIALLY FILMED IN THE DR
Directed by Robert De Niro, "The Good Shepherd," partially filmed in the Dominican Republic, will premiere December 22, 2006. Starring actors Matt Damon, Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie, William Hurt and Billy Crudup, "The Good Shepherd" details the history of the CIA. Portions of the film were shot in the Dominican Republic's south-central region, which was designed to depict Havana for the movie.
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