April 2015 - Guzmán Ariza | The Dominican Republic Law Firm

5.4 % More Tourists Visit the DR in March

In March 36,624 more tourists visited the Dominican Republic compared to the same month last year, for a total 537,640 non-resident travelers, including 61,120 Dominican expatriates and 476,520 foreign tourists. 95.8 % of visitors said the purpose of their visit was leisure.

Travel in the first quarter of the year (January to March) showed 77,050 more visitors from North America and travel from South America was up by 20.1 %. Travel from Europe showed a decline in the number of Russians for 44,598 for the first quarter compared to the same period in 2014. Excluding the Russians, European travel was up 7.2 % from January to March 2015.

The Central Bank attributes the increase in travelers to more visitors coming from the United States, which is experiencing economic recovery. It says that the tourists are also attracted by the international promotion campaigns carried out by the Ministry of Tourism and the private hotel sector to consolidate the country’s leadership in tourism in the Caribbean.

[April 2015]

Cirque du Soleil Starts in Punta Cana in June

Club Med Creactive by Cirque du Soleil debuts at Club Med Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic in June, according to a report in USA Today. The program for adults and children to learn circus skills as part of the Club Med vacation plan under the supervision of instructors trained by Cirque du Soleil is on schedule.

Circus training has always been part of Club Med Punta Cana since its start in 1978. By involving Cirque du Soleil, the resort adds a new dimension to the entertainment package. “This new concept will leverage, for the benefit of Club Med guests, the expertise and knowledge of Cirque du Soleil, who are unrivaled innovators in the realm of circus artistry,” said Henri Giscard d’Estaing, Club Med’s CEO.

Club Med, a pioneer of the all-inclusive resort concept when it debuted 65 years ago, has provided circus instruction for more than 25 years.

[April 2015]

Foreign Workers Will Not Receive a Cédula de Identidad

Foreign workers who receive temporary residency in the Dominican Republic under a labor contract will not receive a cédula de identidad (Dominican ID).

Those applicants who receive a temporary residency card for labor purposes and later on wish to establish permanent residency, will be allowed to apply for a change of category at the Immigration Department, as long as they can prove strong links to the country.

The Immigration Department is currently working with public and private entities so that the residency card will be accepted as the only identification document for foreigners admitted under this category.

This new resolution came into effect in February 2015. The decision was made considering the fact that temporary residents under these conditions usually return to their country of origin after the working relationship/project is finished.

[March 2015]