DECEMBER 2008

Cruise ship company denies it stops Dominicans at beach

Cruise ship company denies it stops Dominicans at beachIt admitted applying certain security measures

BREAKING NEWS: The foreign company Bahia Cruise Services denied that Dominicans are banned from entering certain beaches at Samaná, mainly Cayo Levantado, as the province’s ex senator Milton Ray Guevara denounced.

It admitted applying certain security measures in the areas where boats are received, to guarantee the physical integrity of the visitors, as well as of the ships and its crew.

We have never prevented Dominicans or individuals of other nationalities from entering Cayo Levantado and a convincing example is that every weekend hundreds of Dominicans visit the island and in whale season thousands of people participate in the excursions, said company general manager Federico Andres Schad.

He said Harbor Security (Cesep) and Tourist Police (Politur) agents apply certain security measures without exception to guarantee the safety of the visitors, as well as of the ships and crew, as Cayo Levantado’s case.

Schad said if such measures weren’t applied the international the image of the country and Samaná would be jeopardized, because the passengers come to enjoy our attractions in a peaceful atmosphere.

Dominican Today, 01.12.08

Samaná waiting for 230 thousand tourists in cruise liners season

Samaná waiting for 230 thousand tourists in cruise liners seasonFederico Schad projects the arrival of 110 ships

BREAKING NEWS :  With the simultaneous arrival of two cruise liners boats, the Grandeur of the Seas of Royal Caribbean and the Norwegian Spirit of the Norwegian Cruise Line, Samaná inaugurated its 2008-2009 cruising season, period when it is projected to receive more than 230 thousand passengers for a total of 110 cruising ships.

This information was offered by Federico Andrés Schad, managing director of the main tour operator, saying that this season will accommodate one of largest liners than ever come here to date and one from the largest of the Royal Caribbean line, the Explorer of the Seas with a capacity for 3.500 passengers

This represents the confidence which the cruise companies put in our province he indicated. Schad expressed that the current season will exceed of 13 percent the preceding one which had received 97 boats, a great success for this under-sector which benefits to tourism industry of Samaná.

He explained that the cruise liner boats make the promotion of the zone in all their publicity campaigns so that the public wishes to come to Samaná and to enjoy a prolonged stay.

The executive stressed that Samaná was one of the cruising destinations which had the greatest growth in the country and analyzed what this impact represents on the economic level for the area.

Cruising boats produce a great quantity of direct and indirect employments, an important marketing activity with the sales of excursions, of craft industry, the taxis, the maritime transport, as well as consumption in the restaurants, among other products and services which the tourists wish he detailed.

He repeated that a priority of Bahía Cruises Services was the tourist safety in order they can enjoy their stay freely and quietly.

Samaná Live, 09.12.08

Fernández inaugurates the Santo Domingo-Samaná road

Fernández inaugurates the Santo Domingo-Samaná roadDíaz Rúa announces work for 900 million dollars

BREAKING NEWS: RINCÓN MOLINILLO, Samaná. - President Leonel Fernández inaugurated yesterday the Santo Domingo-Samaná road built for 154 million dollars, at the time of a ceremony during which he also announced for January the beginning of work of the second phase of the work, the Atlantic Boulevard.

The secretary of Public works, Víctor Díaz Rúa, predicted that the official start-up of this way would open the doors to a tourist pole which will count approximately 15 thousand hotel rooms and where will work more than 20 thousand direct employees and an average of 40 thousand workers related with the services and the activities derived from the economic development of this area.

He stressed that the users of Juan Pablo II road would save an average of two hours and more than 100 kilometers of road.

Díaz specified that the way will also benefit Bayaguana, Monte Plata, Nagua, Sánchez, Las Terrenas, El Limón, San Francisco de Macorís, Cabrera, Río San Juan and Gaspar Hernández, and that it will be also a connection with the province of Puerto Plata.

The way had been conceived under the first government of President Leonel Fernández and had been put in the international tender public No.06-98, of which the winner was the Consorcio Autopista del Nordeste, C. por A., chaired by Armín Acuña.

The project started on March 1 of year 2006 and was terminated on May 30 of this year.

Within the framework of the event, Díaz Rúa explained that during the current management of Public Works, one will invest 900 million dollars in the program of the concessions relating to the public ways, which includes the construction of new sections and the repair of the roads in bad condition.

Among the infrastructures, it quoted the Duarte Corredor, which would aim at solving the problems of congestion in six of the principal intersections of Santo Domingo, as well as the Autopista del Coral, final link of a section of 173 kilometers which will reduce to less than two hours the communication between the Capital and the tourist centres close to the international airport of Punta Cana.

During the ceremony, the president of the consortium Dominican-Colombian Autopista del Nordeste, García Acuña, read a message of the president of his country, Álvaro Uribe Velez, in which he congratulates the Dominican authorities for the construction of this important work.

Samaná Live, 15.12.08

Concession for the new Santo Domingo-Samana road

Concession for the new Santo Domingo-Samana roadThe new road would run from Nagua to El Catey airport

BREAKING NEWS: Congress approved a bill for the private concession for the construction of the road linking the new Santo Domingo-Samana road with Las Terrenas, a beach enclave.

This west-east road would be an alternate route to the present winding road that crosses the peninsula south to north.

The concession would be for US $160 million.

The company would charge tolls.

The new road would run from Nagua to Rincon de Molinillos then to Sanchez, Santa Barbara de Samana, El Limon, Las Terrenas and the El Catey airport, a 124 km circuit.

DR1, 17.12.08

First open sky aquarium in Samaná

First open sky aquarium in SamanáThe Nautilus Eco-Marine Park

BREAKING NEWS: Samaná. - With an investment of approximately 10 million pesos, the Cayena del Mar group, inaugurated in the Samaná province the Nautilus Eco-Marine Park Aquarium.

This center of marine exploration is dedicated to transform itself into one of the principal attractions for the tourists who visit the Bay of Samaná looking for new experience with the nature.

Nurse sharks, spotted (Chuchos), American and yellow rays, groupers, trumpets fish, starfishes, corals, morays, lobsters and many other species find are living in this large water park.

Currently the park has two aquariums with three meters depth and both have an extension of 18 x 24 squared meters.

These aquariums ensure a funny experience for all the family, affirmed Carlos Melchor, Business manager of the Nautilus.

Te aquarium was created with the purpose of contributing to the protection of the environment, of promoting and stimulating the education on the protection of the marine ecosystem and to support local and international tourism.

The Nautilus Eco-Marine Park is located between Cayo Levantado and Cayo La Farola, at two kilometers of the Bay, and it is the first open sky aquarium in the entire zone.

Samaná Live, 22.12.08