Hotel and airline news, windsurfing competition and more
• DR hotel and spa makes Condé Nast Traveler’s 2007 Hot List – twice
• Donald Trump’s apprentice to oversee Trump at Cap Cana
• International celebrities attend inauguration of Cap Cana’s marina
• Delta Airlines names DR its fourth largest destination outside US
• Air Dominicana scheduled to begin service to US in 2008
• American Airlines proposes new DR routes
• Cabarete to host windsurfing competition this June
• Santo Domingo–Samana highway near completion
• Santo Domingo’s Natural History Museum re-opens after renovations
• Santo Domingo’s Sans Souci Port sees impressive first season arrival numbers
• Dominican players proceed to top major league baseball rosters
DR HOTEL AND SPA MAKES CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER’S 2007 HOT LIST – TWICE
This year’s Condé Nast Traveler’s Hot List, a listing of the world’s best properties, spas, restaurants and nightlife, featured both a hotel and spa in the DR. Tortuga Bay, a boutique property located in Punta Cana and designed by fashion icon Oscar de La Renta, made this year’s hot hotels list and Tortuga Bay’s Six Senses Spa was featured in the hot spas list. Sivory, a boutique hotel located in Punta Cana, was featured in the 2006 Hot List as one of the world’s best hotels. For more information contact Tortuga Bay at (809) 959-2262 and Sivory at (809) 552-0500, or see their listings under Dominican Republic – Accommodations at www.caribbean.com.
DONALD TRUMP’S APPRENTICE TO OVERSEE TRUMP AT CAP CANA
This year’s winner of Donald Trump’s television series “The Apprentice” will oversee the construction of Trump at Cap Cana, the newest development at Cap Cana located on the DR’s east coast. The Trump development will include a beach club, condominium hotel, private villas, a golf course and 68 private estates. Known as Trump Farallon Estates at Cap Cana, the 68 estates will be the first project the apprentice oversees. The apprentice, a 32 year-old Los Angeles defense attorney, chose the Cap Cana project over the option to supervise the construction of Trump Towers, a luxury apartment complex in Atlanta. For additional information call 1-800-785-2198 (US) or (809) 955-9501.
INTERNATIONAL CELEBRITIES ATTEND INAUGURATION OF CAP CANA’S MARINA
Singer Julio Iglesias, fashion icon Oscar de la Renta and Trump offspring Eric and Ivanka were among thousands who attended the inauguration of the first phase of the Cap Cana marina. Held on April 28 at Cap Cana, the festivities celebrated the marina, which now has capacity for 72 yachts up to 60 feet in length. Once completed, the marina will feature 500 slips with capacity for yachts up to 150 feet. Donald Trump also attended the event and launched the Trump Farallon Estates, a residential complex of 68 private estates located within the Cap Cana development. Trump again visited Cap Cana this month to initiate the selling of the 68 private properties belonging to Trump Farrallon Estates. For additional information call 1-800-785-2198 (US) or (809) 955-9501.
DELTA AIRLINES NAMES DR ITS FOURTH LARGEST DESTINATION OUTSIDE US
Delta Airlines recently named the Dominican Republic its fourth largest destination outside of the US, with seven daily flights to Las Americas, Punta Cana, Puerto Plata and Santiago airports from the US. The DR is surpassed only by Mexico, Canada and Germany.
AIR DOMINICANA SCHEDULED TO BEGIN SERVICE TO US IN 2008
Minister of Tourism Felix Jimenez recently announced that Air Dominicana will begin service to the US and Central America in 2008. The Dominican government is a minority partner in the company, which has plans to offer charter service from the east coast of the DR and various cities in the US (additional details to be announced).
AMERICAN AIRLINES PROPOSES NEW DR ROUTES
American Airlines recently announced plans to introduce new routes to and from the DR. The routes, which are pending authorization from the Dominican Civil Aviation Board, would begin on July 1, 2007 if approved. New service would include San Juan to Samana; Santo Domingo to Port au Prince, Haiti; Santo Domingo to Curaçao; and Santo Domingo to Caracas, Venezuela.
CABARETE TO HOST WINDSURFING COMPETITION THIS JUNE
The Cabarete Classic Windsurfing Regatta will be held at Cabarete Beach June 26 to 29. Open to windsurfers of all levels from around the world, the competition judges on freestyle techniques. Known as a recreational event as well, many establishments on Cabarete Beach offer equipment for rent and encourage participation from non-competitors during the event.
SANTO DOMINGO–SAMANA HIGHWAY NEAR COMPLETION
Currently under construction, the highway that will link Santo Domingo in the DR’s south-central region to Samana on the northeast coast is slated for a January 2008 completion. The new highway will cut travel time between the two areas to nearly one hour and 45 minutes, half of its current travel time of three and a half hours.
SANTO DOMINGO’S NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM RE-OPENS AFTER RENOVATIONS
The Natural History Museum, located in the Plaza de la Cultura in Santo Domingo, recently re-opened after four years of extensive renovations. The new museum educates the public through its seven distinct divisions – earth, minerals, ecology, biogeography, marine creatures, birds and planetarium. The Natural History Museum aims to serve as a research centre while conserving the DR’s natural heritage.
SANTO DOMINGO’S SANS SOUCI PORT SEES IMPRESSIVE FIRST SEASON ARRIVAL NUMBERS
The director of Santo Domingo’s Sans Souci Port recently reported that 40,000 non-resident visitors entered the port during its first season of operation (October 2006–March 2007). In addition to the new port, a second phase of construction, which includeS a marina and residential development (opening date to be announced), is underway. The director of Sans Souci Port also announced that beginning in October 2007, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Legend of the Seas and RCC’s Millenium have scheduled Sans Souci as a port of call.
DOMINICAN PLAYERS PROCEED TO TOP MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ROSTERS
The DR remains the country, outside of the US, with the most players in Major League Baseball. In 2007, 98 Dominican players are on the rosters of the National and American League teams. This is followed by Venezuela with 51 players, Puerto Rico with 28, Canada with 19 and Mexico with 13 players.
Rich in history, the Dominican Republic’s first tourist was Christopher Columbus in 1492. Since then, it has developed into a diverse and luxurious destination offering both Dominican and European flavours to more than one million US visitors each year. At 10,000 feet, the Dominican Republic is home to the highest point in the Caribbean. It also features some of the best golf courses and beaches in the world, the largest marina in the Caribbean and is a chosen escape for celebrities, couples and families.
For your FREE on-line Dominican Republic travel guide, visit www.caribbean.com.
Disclaimer: The information in this article/release was accurate at
press time; however, we suggest you confirm all details and prices
directly with vendors.
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