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Tourism in the Dominican Republic set yet another record last month, with a total of 519,349 tourist arrivals. 

Fo the year, the country has reported 4.263 million tourist arrivals, according to Tourism minister David Collado. 

The November total was a 197 percent improvement over November 2020, and, more crucially, a 12 percent improvement over the same period in 2019, before the pandemic. 

“Every time this process of our tourism recovery is more solid and more evident,” Collado said.

Collado said he predicted that the country’s tourism performance for the remainder of the year would be “formidable.”

Punta Cana continues to be the country’s primary tourism hub, accounting for 53 percent of visitor arrivals last month — itself a 16 percent jump over November 2019. 

Collado said all of the country’s major airports: Punta Cana, Santo Domingo and Santiago, have all recovered their pre-pandemic performance. 

The country, which had a unique, randomized testing protocols for arriving passengers throughout much of the pandemic, has benefited of late from the loosening of foreign restrictions, most notably in Canada — long a top source market for the country and now beginning to recover. 

In July, for example, just 1,000 Canadians came to the Dominican Republic; in November, that number climbed to more than 40,000. 

In other words, the Dominican Republic remains the Caribbean’s highest-volume tourism destination — and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. 

— CJ

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TRS Turquesa Hotel, one of the Palladium Group’s high-end all-inclusives in the Dominican Republic, is a great draw for both couples and girls’ getaways.

Caribbean Journal recently visited the chic resort in Punta Cana to see how exactly the resort was able to dominate both markets.

TRS Turquesa Hotel is an adults-only hotel located on Punta Cana’s popular Bavaro Beach. There are 372 fully-fitted suites with 24-hour room service.

There are four a la carte restaurants and five bars exclusively for guests staying at TRS Turquesa Hotel.

CJ stayed in room no. 5506, a Junior Suite Swim Up room. Guest staying here can enjoy the swim-up pool from the terrace of your suite in Punta Cana. It comes with two chairs on the terrace and two chairs in the pool. On the terrace is a table and an ash tray for anyone looking to enjoy a poolside stogie.

This 473 square-foot room offers a butler, a king size bed, a combined living area with a sofa bed, a terrace with a Balinese bed, a hydro-massage bath and a Nespresso coffee maker. It also comes with 24-hour in-suite service with an a la carte menu.

In fact, all suites are equipped with meals and beverages, in-room mini bars, as well as 24-hour butler service.

Some on-site activities include yoga, volleyball, and archery, while water sports include windsurfing, diving and snorkeling.

Also, the Zentropia Palladium Spa & Wellness offers a modern gym, Turkish bath, pool, a vapor bath, a beauty Salon and massages.

Guests here gain access to three private pools and a swim-up bar, as well as a private VIP section on Bavaro beach. There is shuttle golf cart service to any of the facilities across the neighboring five-star hotels.

All guests staying at TRS Turquesa can enjoy all the pools at the Grand Palladium Punta Cana Resort & Spa, the Grand Palladium Bavaro Suites & Casino and the Grand Palladium Palace Resort & Spa, as well as another exclusive pool.

The star of the resort, however, is the beach. Guests looking to take a stroll will find an array of small beach shacks serving cheap drinks and hand rolled cigars.

Our favorite restaurant here was Kusko, which offers a blend of Japanese and Peruvian culture. Other notable dining options here include Helios, which serves seafood; Bamboo, which serves Asian specialties including Indian food, and La Adelita, which offers a la carte Mexican dishes.

For dinner mixed with some of the best live entertainment Punta Cana offers, we highly recommend Chic Cabaret & Restaurant.

Along with a multi-course culinary experience, guests will be treated to live musical performances featuring Paris’ Moulin Rouge, 1950’s rock ’n roll music, today’s pop and Latin hits, and more.

The dancers, the costumes, the ambiance all had a New York City Broadway musical feel to it.

Following the show is a two-hour after party open for all to enjoy. Tickets to the Chic Cabaret & Restaurant are complimentary for TRS Turquesa Hotel and TRS Cap Cana Hotel guests.

Mandatory COVID Tests

Guests are tested the day before they leave. The COVID tests costs $25 per guest. The rapid tests are conducted by using cotton swabs in and around the nostrils. Results are confirmed in about 20 minutes.

If guests test positive, they are removed from their room, which would then need to be vacated for at least four days. The guests are brought to a separate building where they must quarantine until they test negative.

A document confirming a negative test is emailed to the guest about 20 minutes after the results come in. That document can either be uploaded on the phone or can be printed out at the hotel. CJ needed to show proof of the negative test to check into our return flight.

For more, visit TRS Turquesa.

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Frontier Airlines is at it again, with the fast-expanding low-cost carrier set to launch another big expansion to the Caribbean. 

This time it’s to Cancun on the Caribbean coast of Mexico, where Frontier is launching three new routes early next year. 

Beginning Feb. 17, Cancun will kick off three new routes to Cancun, which has been among the most popular destinations in the Caribbean amid the pandemic. 

That includes thrice-weekly service from Hartford, Conn. to Cancun set to launch on Feb. 17. 

On Feb. 18, Frontier will launch three weekly flights from Buffalo to Cancun, followed by the Feb. 19 launch of once-weekly service from Providence to Cancun.

It’s the latest in what has been an impressive growth push for the carrier, which has made the Caribbean a core area of focus in the last two years. 

The new Cancun routes follow several other 2021 launches to Cancun, including three weekly flights from Dallas-Fort Worth; four weekly flights from Orlando; and year-round, thrice-weekly flights from Frontier’s increasing base of operations at Miami International Airport. 

“Frontier’s unique model is structured to meet the needs of every flyer with affordable fares and customizability,” said Daniel Shurz, senior vice president of commercial at Frontier Airlines, in a statement. 

Cancun has continued to see massive tourism growth since the onset of the pandemic, in large part thanks to the most liberal entry protocols of any destination in the wider region. 

Which is to say — Mexico has no health-based entry requirements and does not require testing or vaccination.

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It’s unquestionably one of the most naturally beautiful islands in the Caribbean. But when you think about Saint Lucia, the beach isn’t often the first thing that comes to mind. Indeed, many of the island’s most noteworthy places to stay aren’t actually on the beach, like three-walled hillside retreats like Ladera or Jade Mountain and rainforest eco-hotels like Fond Doux and Boucan. 

But Saint Lucia is home to some rather beautiful stretches of sand — and the hotels to match. 

Here are our eight favorite beachfront resorts in Saint Lucia.

The Landings Resort and Spa It’s arguably the most complete resort in Saint Lucia, and this superb property on the northwestern coast of the island is also blessed with a spectacular beachfront location. But it’s also a residential resort – with a mix of one, two and three-bedroom villa suites that offer the comfort of your own private villa and the convenience of a luxury hotel. And in the new age of tourism, that’s become one of the biggest priorities for today’s travelers. 

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