Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism January / February 2014

 Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism January / February 2014 Media Memo News: • JetBlue Adds Nonstop Routes From Ft. Lauderdale to Punta Cana • Delta Announces Direct Flights From New York to Santo Domingo and Santiago • Dominican Republic Named A Best Budget Destination in 2014 • Colonial City Featured in Frommer’s List of Top Destinations in 2014 • Dominican Republic Properties Dominate TripAdvisor’s 2013 Travelers’ Choice Awards • Two New Blue Diamond Properties Open to the Public • Westin Puntacana Resort & Club Opens • Dominican Hotels Receive Prestigious Ratings From AAA • Casa de Campo to Host 2014 Dominican Republic Open • Casa de Campo Recognized at 2013 World Travel Awards • Barceló Bávaro Beach Resort Awarded Green Certification • Eden Roc at Cap Cana Joins Relais & Châteaux • Grand Palladium Bávaro Suites Resort & Spa Unveils Renovations • Sirenis Aquagames Waterpark in Punta Cana Now Part of All-­‐Inclusive Package • Coral Gardens Undergoing Restoration • Casa de Campo Featured in Long Island Tennis Magazine’s 2013 Tennis Travel Destination Guide • Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club Sister Resorts Announces New VIP Benefits JetBlue Adds Nonstop Routes From Ft. Lauderdale to Punta Cana JetBlue added a new nonstop route from Florida’s Ft. Lauderdale / Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ). Beginning May 1 through June 18, travelers will be able to enjoy daily flights departing FLL at 11:20 a.m. The new flights will further improve accessibility to the island country for U.S. travelers who are looking to enjoy unparalleled natural beauty, world-­‐class resorts, internationally ranked golf courses and more. www.JetBlue.com Delta Announces Direct Flights From New York to Santo Domingo and Santiago Delta Air Lines introduced five new flights from New York’s JFK International Airport (JFK) to Santo Domingo’s Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) and Santiago’s Cibao International Airport (STI), available June 5 through Oct. 29. Daily flights to STI depart from JFK at 7 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 12:35 p.m., 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. and 11:59 p.m., and flights to SDQ depart at 7:30 a.m., 12:05 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 7:45 p.m. The flights are a reflection of the continuously expanding tourism offerings in the country and are currently available for booking. www.Delta.com Dominican Republic Named A Best Budget Destination in 2014 Budget Travel named Dominican Republic a must-­‐visit destination in 2014 for those traveling on a budget. Ever-­‐growing in popularity, the country offers affordable stays in a variety of settings – from all-­‐inclusive resorts to quaint boutique hotels – with access to the island’s pristine natural attractions and untouched beaches. www.BudgetTravel.com Colonial City Featured in Frommer’s List of Top Destinations in 2014 Frommer’s listed Santo Domingo’s Colonial City as a rich cultural and historical site to discover in 2014. Built shortly after Christopher Columbus’ arrival to the island, the Colonial City is the New World’s oldest permanent European settlement and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site is filled with historical buildings and attractions – such as Plaza de España, Alcázar de Colón and Fortaleza Ozama – that visitors are encouraged to explore. www.Frommers.com Dominican Republic Properties Dominate TripAdvisor’s 2013 Travelers’ Choice Awards TripAdvisor included three Dominican Republic properties in its 2013 Traveler’s Choice Awards. Samaná’s Luxury Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado Don Pablo Collection and Punta Cana’s Iberostar Grand Bávaro Hotel and The Reserve at Paradisus Palma Real were listed in both the “Top 10 All-­‐Inclusive Resorts, World” and “Top 10 All-­‐Inclusive Resorts, Caribbean” categories. Winners were chosen based on the highest rated all-­‐inclusive resorts on the site, according to the reviews and opinions of international travelers. www.TripAdvisor.com Two New Blue Diamond Properties Open to the Public December saw the opening of the East Coast’s newest Blue Diamond properties, Memories Splash Punta Cana and Royalton Punta Cana. The adjacent family-­‐friendly all-­‐inclusive properties have more than 1,000 rooms and allow guest access to either property. Amenities include beachfront access to Bávaro Beach, free admission to the Caribbean’s largest on-­‐site waterpark, several high-­‐quality reservation-­‐free dining options and more. www.BlueDiamondResorts.com Westin Puntacana Resort & Club Opens The Westin Puntacana Resort & Club is now open to visitors on the country’s East Coast. The first of the Westin brand in the country, the 200-­‐room property was developed by Grupo Puntacana and provides visitor access to Puntacana Resort & Club’s high-­‐end facilities in addition to Westin’s restaurants, Six Senses Spa and three on-­‐site bars. www.StarwoodHotels.com Dominican Hotels Receive Prestigious Ratings From AAA Twelve of the country’s hotels received prestigious Four Diamond and Five Diamond ratings from the American Automobile Association (AAA), North America’s premier hotel rating system. Tortuga Bay received a Five Diamond rating, while Casa de Campo, Casa Colonial Beach & Spa Hotel, Catalonia Royal Bávaro, The Bannister Hotel, Dreams Palm Beach Punta Cana, Dreams Punta Cana, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, Paradisus Palma Real Resort, Paradisus Punta Cana, Sivory Punta Cana Boutique and Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana received the Four Diamond. www.AAA.com Casa de Campo to Host 2014 Dominican Republic Open Casa de Campo, the Caribbean’s top golf resort, will host the 2014 Dominican Republic Open this May as part of the PGA TOUR Latinoamerica. 144 international players will compete on the world-­‐renowned Teeth of the Dog course May 12-­‐18 in this 5th annual championship. Other upcoming tournaments at the property include the 40th Annual Casa de Campo International Pro-­‐Am (Jan. 11-­‐18), the 30th Caribbean International Pro-­‐Am I (Jan. 25-­‐Feb.1) and the 26th Caribbean International Pro-­‐Am II (Mar. 1-­‐8). www.CasaDeCampo.com.do
Casa de Campo Recognized at 2013 World Travel Awards At 2013’s World Travel Awards, Casa de Campo received top honors in four categories. Named World's Leading Golf Resort 2013 (its sixth consecutive win), Caribbean's Leading Golf Resort 2013, Dominican Republic's Leading Golf Resort 2013 (its tenth consecutive win) and Dominican Republic's Leading Resort 2013 (its ninth consecutive win), the resort continues to live up to its international reputation as a five-­‐star hotspot for golf aficionados. www.CasaDeCampo.com.do Barceló Bávaro Beach Resort Awarded Green Certification Barceló Bávaro Beach Resort was recently awarded green certification by Green Globe, a worldwide sustainability system for travel and tourism businesses. The certification is based on the resort’s performance in the categories of waste management, energy saving and biodegradable products, sustainable design and construction, regular staff training to enhance ecological awareness, shared information inviting guests to reuse towels and sheets, and restoration of the native ecosystem surrounding the resorts. www.Barcelo.com Eden Roc at Cap Cana Joins Relais & Châteaux Eden Roc at Cap Cana, Solaya Hotel & Resorts’ premier property, is now a member of Relais & Châteaux, a collection of the world’s finest hotels and gourmet restaurants. The first hotel in the Dominican Republic to be named to the group, Eden Roc at Cap Cana is the leading example of island luxury. The property is surrounded by a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course and encourages guests to treat themselves to the masterfully crafted cuisine, top-­‐notch bars and luxurious spa treatments available on-­‐site. www.EdenRocCapCana.com Grand Palladium Bávaro Suites Resort & Spa Unveils Renovations Punta Cana’s Grand Palladium Bávaro Suites Resort & Spa unveiled an expansion of 177 new guest rooms. Fresh suite décor reflects the atmosphere visitors are looking for in a tropical getaway, featuring handcrafted furniture and modern island accents. Also new to the property, a Mexican restaurant with an outdoor terrace now allows guests to dine while enjoying the island breezes. www.PalladiumHotelGroup.com Sirenis Aquagames Waterpark in Punta Cana Now Part of All-­‐Inclusive Package As of January, the Sirenis Aquagames waterpark was added to the all-­‐Inclusive package offered at Sirenis Punta Cana Resort Casino & Aquagames. Guests can now enjoy unlimited entry to the 46,000-­‐square-­‐foot waterpark during their stay. Park highlights include high-­‐speed water slides, themed pools and more. For more information visit www.SirenisHotels.com Coral Gardens Undergoing Restoration The Puntacana Ecological Foundation, University of Miami and Counterpart International are working together to restore coral reefs along Dominican Republic’s coasts. Nine years of research and multiple projects have made much advancement in the conservation of reefs throughout the country. After completion, the reef gardens will be available for all to enjoy via sustainable tours. Casa de Campo Featured in Long Island Tennis Magazine’s 2013 Tennis Travel Destination Guide Long Island Tennis Magazine listed Casa de Campo’s La Terraza Tennis Club in its 2013 Tennis Travel Guide. Called the “Wimbledon of the Caribbean,” La Terraza overlooks both the resort and Caribbean Sea and boasts 13 fast-­‐dry courts, 10 of which are prepared for night play. The tennis club is set to host the 37th Annual International Tennis Open in the fall of 2014 – an event that attracts more than 300 international players. www.CasaDeCampo.com.do Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club Sister Resorts Announces New VIP Benefits Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club Sister Resorts has announced a new VIP World benefits package for guests to better enjoy their stay. Among other perks, VIP World offers exclusive access to the VIP Pool, VIP Sports Bar, VIP Simply Gourmet restaurant and private check-­‐in to villas. The introduction of the new Lifestyle Excursion desk takes the hassle out of searching for vendors by helping members plan tours of the North Coast. www.LifestyleHolidaysSVC.com News releases, images and the press kit also can be accessed from the official DR Ministry of Tourism website: www.GoDominicanRepublic.com. For additional photos, b-­‐roll and more specific needs, please contact Jess Kulas, BVK Word for the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism, at jkulas@bvk.com. ###