Deadly Storm Does Not Deter Dominican Republic from Meeting Tourism Agenda

Tropical Storm Noel pummeled the Dominican Republic early this week, leaving at least 41 dead, 38 missing, over 50,000 evacuated and some 14,500 people sheltered in refugee centers, over 39 communities cut off by flood waters and 12,636 houses affected by the flooding , as reported by the Emergency Operations Center (COE) at press time.

Noel also barreled across Haiti reporting at least 18 storm-related casualties. Haitian Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis said $1.5 million had been set aside to assist storm victims. In Cuba, where some 15,000 people were evacuated, dozens of homes were damaged or destroyed, and floods cut off several areas. Local radio reported that numerous coffee fields were under water.

Despite the devastation, major plans are being carried out however to revive the country’s booming tourism trade that boasts the highest tourist arrivals the first quarter of 2007 recorded at 1,510,341, also the highest in European and Canadian air arrivals at 506,898 and 355,917 respectively.

According to Deputy Minister of Tourism, International Affairs Luis E. Simo, the island is going full throttle with developing its golf, health, cultural and eco-tourism as well as, pumping key investments in several infrastructure projects such as roads and water treatment plants.

This year alone, the Dominican Republic has earmarked $26 million in international promotion with an additional $5 million for promoting its golf offerings. In the last four years, the country has become a popular golf destination with the opening of three Jack Nicklaus golf courses in a prime real estate capital such as Cap Cana.

While the tourism department has set aside big bucks for yet its biggest campaign with the US media, over CNN, most of the Dominican territory will move ahead following the damage caused by Noel.

Fortunately, La Romana, Valverde and Samana were not mentioned by the COE in their last tropical storm report. It looks like it’s business as usual for the tourism mecca of the Spanish Caribbean.