NOVEMBER 2008

Taxes and price of the plane tickets

New standard coming into effect

The airline companies are obliged starting from now to include all the airport taxes and the fuel surtaxes in the prices of the plane tickets, in order to avoid misleading publicity, this in agreement with a new European directive which just came into effect.

With this initiative, the European Union want to fight the practice to present plane tickets prices in promotion without the taxes, which are only added at the time of the reservation.

The objective is that the users know from the beginning; the real prices, without hidden taxes and that they can thus compare those of the various companies, which will support competition, as explained Jens Mester, spokesman of the union.

The standard establishes the principle which the posted price must be that which will be really paid by the passenger at the end of the process of reservation.

That means that the companies which operate a flight from an airport of the European Union will have to also indicate in their tariffs on Internet, the final price which will have to be paid; what will include the tariff, the taxes and the royalties, the surtaxes and the obligatory and foreseeable rights.

The vice-president of the European commission and the chief of Transport, Antonio Tajani, declared in an official statement that it is essential that all the actors obey same to the same rules; because it is a condition of liberalization in Europe; which offers more possibilities to the passengers and to the low costs .

Fair competition is the success key: thanks to the transparency in the prices, the passengers will know in advances how much they will have to pay and be able to make their choice with full knowledge of the facts he added.

Turismo Extra.com, by Ingris Macros, 03.11.08

Success for the canine vaccination campaign of Samaná

Supported by the Tourist Cluster

SAMANÁ. - As Samaná grows and emerges as new Dominican tourist destination, the canine population of this area reproduces silently while multiplying and while being able to transform itself into a threat for the inhabitants and the visitors.

For the majority of them, these dogs survive thanks to waste and thanks to the charity of the restaurants and of tourists and people who are passing through the zone.

While living like this, the dogs can sometimes become dangerous because of their aggressiveness and they are especially exposed to the diseases like the leptospirosis and the rage, which can then be transmitted to the human.

Independently of « Project Samaná » which twice per year sterilizes the dogs, the cats and other big animals and of the Association of the Friends of the Animals of Sosúa, Inc., there are only few actions in the zone to avoid the uncontrolled reproduction of these animals.

Since year 2006, a group of volunteers concerned by the wellbeing of everybody decided to improve the health of the Community of Samaná while starting by dealing with the health of the animals, and with very little investment, they organized vaccination campaigns against the rage and treatment of the scale and parasites, treating an average of 750 dogs per year.

This year, « The Anti-rabid Campaign Samaná 2008 », took place on November 1 and 2, in the green zone of the Malecón of Samaná, where the dogs were controlled, vaccinated, bathed, treated and identified with a yellow collar as proof that they were attended and counted according to the international standards regulating this type of campaign.

This initiative received the support of the Tourist Cluster of Samaná, which independently of the interest for the wellbeing of the dogs, seeks to make become aware of the health and the safety of Samaná, as María Cristina Corporán, executive director, explained.

In addition to the Cluster, the campaign received the support of The Agency of the United States for the International Development through the Dominican Alliance for Sustainable Tourism, of the Secretariat of Public Health and Social assistance (SESPAS), of the Bahia Cruise Services company, the Town hall of Samaná, the Association of the Friends of the Animals of Sosúa Inc, Jose Acevedo, deputy of Samaná, and of « Project Samaná ».

Listín Diario, by Patricia Reinoso, 10.11.08

Samana becomes an inexpensive option in the Caribbean

An idyllic peninsula

Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, home to the Caribbean’s largest collection of hotel rooms, has plenty of inexpensive picks, particularly if all-inclusives are your game.

But with the opening of a new airport on the north coast at Samana, an idyllic peninsula that used to take hours to reach, has become more accessible.

The peninsula was once an island itself.

Today, lowlands connect the finger of land to the mainland, although it still has the feel of a separate destination.

With terrific beaches, the Caribbean’s best whale-watching (humpbacks from mid-January to mid-March), good diving, a 164-foot-high waterfall, and a wealth of quality inns and restaurants, Samana is a region that merits attention.

Las Terrenas has several dozen inexpensive to modestly priced lodging options, plenty of restaurants are within walking distance, and the beach is just across the street.

Dominican Today, 12.11.08

Families evicted from Los Haitises National Park get paid

A Special Commission created by decree to conclude the process

The Environment Ministry yesterday handed out RD $6.5 million to 119 families who were evicted from the Los Haitises National Park, after that protected area’s creation in 1992.

It’s the second delivery this year and adheres to a mandate of a Special Commission created by decree to conclude the process to compensate the families evicted, despite having properties within the park.

Heading the activity were Protected areas and Biodiversity vice minister Eleuterio Martinez, and Financial and Administrative vice minster Ricardo Contreras, who said before the end of November RD $6.9 million more will be give to another part of those evicted and a total of 900 families will be given RD $4 million more in December.

Martinez said the compensations are minimal in comparison with the assets that those who lived in the national park have sacrificed. He added that the rest of the funds they’ll distribute this year will be for other beneficiaries, such as those in the village Pilancón and others in Monte Plata province (east).

Dominican Today, 24.11.08