Q & A with Felix Jimenez, Dominican Republic Tourism Secretary

The Dominican Republic’s travel industry posted an 8.4 percent increase in 2006 in terms of international arrivals and hopes to go that figure one better this time around. In the first two months of 2007, the country has put more good numbers on the board and heads for a successful first-quarter homestretch. The Caribbean nation keeps improving the tourist infrastructure and raising the quality of its hotels in a bid to draw in far more visitors.

Q.- How’s the Dominican travel market faring in the first quarter of this year?
A.- The stats we have for the month of January speak of a growth in the neighborhood of 6 percent, very similar to last year’s. In 2006 the country posted good numbers as far as tourist arrivals are concerned, peaking 8.4 percent. I believe this year’s facing some tough drawbacks like the U.S. passport regulations for American citizens traveling to the Caribbean and Latin America. Nevertheless, we haven’t endured big problems because of that, not so far. I must say February has also chalked up good figures, hotels are sold out, around 90 percent occupancy, and that trend’s supposed to go on steadily in the months of March and April. We expect to rake in a 7 percent overall increase in the first quarter of the ongoing year.

Q.- Hotel infrastructure in the Dominican Republic has been on a roll since the new administration took over. What’s the current status of the country’s roads and new highways? How is the beach recovery process going?
A.- As to the beaches, we’ve finished the recovery of Puerto Plata, Cabarete and Juan Dolio. As a matter of fact, that piece of news is making the round among a number of Spanish hoteliers. Beaches in Juan Dolio and Puerto Plata, for instance, can actually hold a candle to any of the country’s finest foreshores right now.

The program for building new roads and highways is going well. Last year, the country wrapped up a $65 million investment plan, and that included the construction of new highways in La Otra Banda de Macao –due out in March- and the one in Puerto Plata.

We’re also planning on a couple of roads for Higuey and La Otra Banda that will allow visitors to rent a car in Punta Cana and drive all the way to La Romana in less than a hour or make a two-and-a-half-hour drive to Santo Domingo. We hope to get that road ready to roll in the summer of 2008. The other two roads to be built will hook up the El Catey –Samana’s new international airport- with Las Terrenas.

This infrastructure development and improvement plan is ambitious and far-reaching. But the best part is that all of them will be ready by the summer of 2009. In the same breath, there’ll be some sea changes coming up in all of the country’s tourist circuits over the course of the next two years.

Q. Are there any immediate plans in the pipeline to improve access between Santo Domingo and the capital’s international airport?
A.- This road or highway is already finished. There’s just a few short stretches to be completed and signaled. With that view in mind, we’ve also pieced together a new signaling plan for all of the Dominican Republic’s tourist zones and circuits. That will include all highways and roads stretching from Santo Domingo to Punta Cana, from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata, and on to Samana, as well as from Santo Domingo all the way to Barahoa.