Dominican Tourism

ORLANDO, Fla., PRNewswire.- Hard Rock International and Palace Resorts announced an agreement to bring the world’s first “ultimate all-inclusive” Hard Rock Hotel & Casino to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Slated to be re-branded in Spring 2010, the 1800-room Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana will combine the distinctive atmosphere and unparalleled guest experience of the Hard Rock brand together with the five-star Moon Palace Resort all-inclusive experience.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana’s expansive 121-acre property rests on Macao Beach, one of the most beautiful, palm tree-lined beaches in the Caribbean that overlooks perfectly clear blue waters on the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic. The property will combine Hard Rock’s signature “Rock Star” suites with Moon Palace Resort’s signature all-inclusive luxury accommodations, including double Jacuzzis and double showers. The property will also feature an extensive collection of Hard Rock’s authentic music memorabilia, highlighting both international and local artists, as well as incorporating diverse music genres throughout. (more…)

Santo Domingo.- The long awaited announcement by Venezuelan tycoon Gustavo Cisneros on the construction of an ambitious project in Dominican Republic’s northeast came today, called Tropicalia, at a cost US$2 billion.

He said it’s an ecological, sustainable tourism project located in Samaná Bay, Miches, El Seibo province, expected to become one of the Caribbean’s most exclusive tourism destinations and a force aimed at revitalizing the impoverished zone’s economy.

Speaking in the American Chamber of Commerce’s monthly luncheon in the presence of president Leonel Fernandez and numerous business leaders, Cisneros said his group will initially invest US$485 million during the first three years and from now on an additional US$1.5 billion in the next 20 years. “The final result will be measured with the creation of 3,000 short term jobs, 6,000 new ones in the medium term and 14,000 positions in the long term.”

The tycoon said his motivation to build Tropicalia was to materialize a socially and economically balanced project of tourism development, based on sustainability and cultural inclusion.

SANTO DOMINGO.- Tourism minister Francisco Javier Garcia Tuesday said investors want to build two tourism projects in Pedernales (southwest) at a cost of more than RD$8.5 billion, which would mark the start of the new resort region’s development.

The Tourism chief said the same development is expected for the Montecristi zone (northwest), where investors will soon announce projects and investment amounts in that region. (more…)