Santo Domingo, DR
The Ministry of Tourism (MITUR) and the Dominican Port Authority announced that starting next Sunday, the ban that the Dominican Republic had on receiving ships and cruise ships resulting from the coronavirus pandemic will be lifted.
“We can tell you today that the Dominican Republic is ready,” said Tourism Minister David Collado.
Collado affirmed that the strategy to reopen the sector had been carried out following the World Health Organization’s health security protocols (WHO). These have been endorsed by organizations such as Safe Travel and Bureau Veritas.
“The protocols are working and ready to be applied in the ports of the Dominican Republic,” he said.
The director of the Dominican Port Authority, Jean Luis Rodriguez, emphasized that “after so much time, it is time to sail but safely,” referring to the protocols that will guarantee foreign and Dominican tourists’ security.
Rodriguez mentioned that the resumption of operations for the entry of ships and cruise ships increases the possibility of developing new destinations to receive a significant number of tourists in the country.
The first ports that will be enabled for this purpose will be San Souci, located in Santo Domingo, Amber Cove, in Puerto Plata, and La Romana, some being able to receive up to eight cruise lines.
Tourism and the economy
The Minister of Tourism said that more than 500,000 Dominicans live directly from tourism, representing 15% of their gross domestic product (GDP).
Also, he highlighted that the growth of the country’s sector in October had been 50%.