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Culture & Development ...........| P16
A long awaited boost for one of the country’s key economic sectors
Dominican coffe cherries
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Following an ambitious seven-pillar strategy, the Dominican Republic is investing in a more technological, cost-efficient, sustainable and export-oriented agricultural sector. The Ministry’s determined support has directly contributed to the outstanding dynamism and growth of the country’s industry.
“Our main goal with this administration
is to produce more with less”, states Minister of Agriculture Limber Cruz.
While the Dominican Republic is recognized for its worldclass agricultural products like tobacco, bananas, cane sugar, cocoa and avocados, a special focus on the agricultural sector was long overdue. The Ministry’s strategy is based on seven lines of action: financing, water, local roads, training and technical assistance, research, safety and commercialization. “We worked hard to establish these fundamental pillars to help the agricultural financial policies, because as an industry it had been left behind”, recalls Minister Cruz.
The first step was securing government financing to guarantee food security during the pandemic and counteract the decrease in the tourism sector’s demand of rural products, the Ministry received over US $80 million at a zero tax rate, in addition to credits at normal 6 to 8% rates, benefiting thousands of small and medium-sized producers. “We had to help our farmers and the government responded accordingly. As a result, despite the global context there was never a food shortage and we could set production programs for the short, medium and long term”, assures Minister Cruz.
Another pillar is water. After the government created the Commission on Water to prevent water scarcity and fight drought in low rain areas, the Ministry of Agriculture started implementing short-term projects like water wells, reservoirs, and drip irrigation systems. On the other hand, having adequate roads to transport rural products has always been a key demand, so the Ministry is working on the restoration and completion of over 1000 km of roads. Regarding training and technical assistance, they are offering thousands of virtual and onsite courses in its eight regional offices. These programs are supported by a digital platform that connects technical experts and producers with the Ministry.
As for research, the Ministry invests on recovering plant and animal laboratories, introducing new resources like artificial insemination and embryo transfer to reproduce the best genetic varieties of milk and beef, as well as expanding crop varieties with pest-free seedlings to boost production. Like Minister Cruz explains, “research is crucial if we want to produce more goods of better quality. We have already accomplished a boost in productivity with the new varieties of crops like rice, of which we had one of the best crops in fifteen years.”
Another fundamental pillar is commercialization, and the Ministry has implemented a double approach by targeting the internal and external markets. For the internal trade they work closely with platforms like the Price Stabilization Institute (INESPRE) and Merca Santo Domingo to guarantee fair prices for both producers and consumers. “When we started, there were a lot of products at an all-time high. We visited farmers to gather these products directly and avoid intermediaries, payed a little more to motivate them, and brought these products to the market at affordable prices”, assures Minister Cruz.
For the external markets, the government has placed a strong focus on increasing agroexports by offering a great price-quality ratio. Their strategy is two-fold. They take advantage of the country’s free trade zones and trade agreements, and they focus on producing high-quality, internationally certified organic products that are highly competitive globally. Consequently, agricultural exports have grown, trade to the United States increased by 37%, and new markets are opening with the exportation of cigars, coffee and fruits to the Middle East. For instance, YSM Capital recently became the first local company exporting Dominican fruits to the UAE. Their pineapples, mangoes and avocados are now being distributed in Emirati supermarkets, whilst dates being imported from the UAE. With all these initiatives, the government’s plan to relaunch agriculture as one of the main pillars for economic growth is going in the right direction. Right now, as Minister
Cruz states, “the biggest challenge for the agricultural sector is to penetrate large markets without forgetting about local supply. We want agriculture to be a more efficient sector, and since we have been here, we have accomplished a lot.”
Minister Limber Cruz visiting the Linda Group tomato plantation
Actively supporting Dominican productive sectors
The industrial sec-
tor has grown 14.3% year on year, contributes 24% of total government tax revenues and has increased sales by 25% in 2021 making the Dominican Republic, one of the fastest growing economies in the Caribbean and Latam region. Behind those numbers, the policies and programs of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce have played a crucial role.
In 2021, the Ministry enacted several laws aimed at boosting productivity and foreign direct investment such as the Customs Law which adapts the legislation to international trade agreements and generates greater legal security for foreign trade actors; the Regulatory Improvement and Simplification of Procedures (Zero Bureaucracy); or the Special Zone for Comprehensive Border Development, which provides incentives to border provinces. They have also launched the 2030 Digital Agenda to promote digital transformation in the country with projects such as “Dispatch in 24 hours” which allows customs to dispatch goods in 24 hours at the country’s ports, it used to be up to 6 days. The Ministry has approved 71 free zone companies and 5 industrial parks, with a projected investment of US $146.27 million for the former and US $42.67 millions for the latter.
Moreover, the Ministry plans to boost free trade zones by improving permissions for special regimes, promoting productive chains and investment, strengthening infrastructure and access to financing.The Dominican Republic is a pioneer in implementing the free trade zone model; in the last 10 months these zones registered record export numbers, representing 61% of the total exports, and about 180,000 direct jobs. “For more than half a century, this sector has contributed to the economic and social development of the country and, despite the pandemic, it continues to show extraordinary results with a 30% growth, 77 free zone parks and more than 700 companies”, states Minister of Industry and Commerce Victor Bisonó.
The country has preferential access to the main international markets as a result of its trade agreements with 50 countries, potentially reaching nearly 900 million consumers in the United States, Europe, Central America and the Caribbean. Furthermore, aligned with productive development policies, the government will implement the National Plan for the Promotion of Exports of the Dominican Republic 2020-2030, to expand and improve its exportable offer. They also launched the National Strategy for the Export of Modern Services to boost exports of the creative economy, like the audiovisual industry.
The Ministry is also keen on improving the country’s position in the Doing Business and in the Global Competitiveness Index by implementing several initiatives such as the Single Window for Formalization launched in 2013 to facilitate the opening and formalization of companies; the Single Investment Window to simplify investment processes; the Single Window for Construction Permits to reduce time, costs and procedures; or the Electronic System of Secured Transactions to promote the financial inclusion of MSMEs. It is also important to mention the presidency led national dialogue to discuss key reforms and the National Competitiveness Strategy that is expected to be launched soon.
Without a doubt, through all these policies and programs the Ministry has actively contributed to the Dominican Republic’s excellent position as a potential investment destination. As Minister Bisonó says, “the Dominican Republic is synonymous with opportunities and good investment.”
CACAO PODS
Thanks to its new processing plant, Grupo CONACADO is paving the way for the future.
With an annual production of
about 72.000 tons and revenues of US $212 million, there is no doubt cocoa is one of the country’s main
exports. Even more, the Dominican Republic produces about 60% of the world’s exported organic cocoa, making it a global leader in this sector. However, behind those impressive numbers lie some challenging facts: cocoa is still a rather traditional industry that depends highly on the weather, 80% of its producers are small farmers close to retiring, and the younger generations do not seem too keen to replace them. That is why Grupo CONACADO, the leading holding company in the production, processing, and marketing of cocoa in the Dominican Republic, is intent in modernizing the sector and making it more attractive to the younger generations. Working under the guidelines of their star project “the farmer of the future” or “Farmer 4.0”, the aim is “to make this sector appealing for young people. We want new farmers with fresh ideas, to train them and provide them with the required technology to boost production and productivity while also creating a comfortable and economically sustainable living environment”, says Isidoro de la Rosa, president of Grupo CONACADO.
In order to achieve this goal they have partnered with longtime associates, Dutch company Royal Duyvis
CONACADO Processing Plant, San Francisco de Macoris
Wiener, to open a state of-the-art cocoa processing plant that will produce cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, cake, powder and other by-products, as well as its first chocolate production. Being one of the world’s leading manufacturers within the global cocoa, chocolate and nuts & seeds processing industry, Royal Duyvis Wiener has manufactured and provided all major equipment and expertise to facilitate the complete production process. On the first phase of the line, cocoa beans are broken and pre-sieved, after which the uniquely designed winnower separates shells and nibs. Later comes the most prized piece of equipment and epicenter of the processing plant, the alkalizer and patented roaster combination, a ground-breaking roaster that defines the flavour and colour of the end product. The plant also counts with a second grinding line to guarantee the adequate separation of alkalized and natural products, three Royal Duyvis Wiener presses, with an option to extend as production increases in the future, as well as a classic state-of-the-art Classifier Mill with stabilizing silos to grind the cocoa cake. This combination of a new and efficient processing line and the premium natural cocoa harvested by CONACADO not only guarantees the fineness, colour and stability of the end product but allows them to further expand such quality to a wide range of new alkalized products. As De la Rosa explains, this plant “will be the most advanced in the Dominican Republic, Central America, and the Caribbean. It will guarantee an added value for the generations we want to draw in, along with the promotion of artisan
chocolate, with the promotion of artisan chocolate. This new generation will develop personal projects to promote purely Dominican chocolate while increasing chocolate tourism.” In addition to the plant, Grupo CONACADO currently has an agreement with the French Development Agency to promote Cacao forest, an agroforestry system based on the mix of cocoa and forests that has been historically implemented in the Dominican Republic. Since past innovations like cocoa mono-cropping gained popularity but lead to deforestation and other risks to biodiversity, their project aims to return to traditional farming systems but supported with modern technologies so it can foster real sustainable development. “We are demonstrating that traditional farming can be something appealing for the younger generations with the help of new technologies”, assures De «With the help of new technologies, la Rosa, explaining that this project’s success is crucial due to its high social impact, as some 42,000 families benefit from it and traditional farming there is an entire commercial and industrican be something al infrastructure that depends on it. appealing for In the future, De la Rosa expects Gruthe younger generations» po CONACADO will continue producing high-quality cocoa and expanding to new by-products and new markets. Currently 70% of their exports go to Europe, mainly DE LA ROSA to Italy, England, Belgium, and the Netherlands; and the remaining 30% go to the United States, a historically low-price market that is changing favorably as the high-quality organic niche prospers. Furthermore, once the new plant starts producing, they expect to add the China and Arab markets into the equation, as well as expanding their presence in Japan. Long gone are the days, back in 1985, when the German and Dominican governments cooperated to create the Confederation of Dominican Cacao Farmers. Their idea was
to provide credit and technical assistance to small cocoa farmers so they could reach different markets and better prices. Nowadays, CONACADO has become a world export leader and is further modernizing the cocoa industry to provide younger generations the technology needed to continue growing, There is an exciting future ahead. As De la Rosa proudly states, “this organization is my greatest satisfaction, the chocolate sector had never been this organized, furthermore being a global leader in organic cacao, a sector that didn’t exist before makes us very proud.”
An exciting new adventure for Dominican Republic’s top tourism pioneers
In a joint venture with DP World, they will develop the biggest free trade zone and logistical park in the Caribbean.
Loading Process - Punta Cana International Airport
Adesire to innovate and open new
paths is one of Grupo Puntacana’s
trademarks. For the last 52 years, they have been a leading force in the sustainable development of Dominican Republic’s eastern region. What began as a small hotel in a secluded area of virgin jungle and pristine beaches later joined the first hotel chain operating there, Club Med Punta Cana. Grupo Puntacana transformed the region by opening the first private international airport in the world and thus propelling its touristic development. Nowadays, they are a successful business group with more than 12 companies covering five different areas, International Airport, Real Estate, Hospitality, Services and Social Responsibility, all sharing the same pioneering ethos.
Their latest project, the construction of Punta Cana Free Trade Zone, the first air, maritime and land logistics center and free zone park in America, is certainly a huge step further in that direction. “The mission we have pursued is to conquer different markets. We are always looking for new opportunities. We currently have a new project in Punta Cana to continue growing and keep being the pioneers”, assures Frank Elías Rainieri, President and CEO of Grupo Puntacana, explaining that they plan to operate air traffic from Europe and the United States to Punta Cana, so cargo can leave by sea or air to other destinations, achieving efficiency, cost reductions and allowing the products to arrive with better quality in less time to their final destination.
Overall, the project will create more than 15,000 new jobs and is expected to occupy an area of 546,617.45 m2. It will house an Air, Maritime and Land Logistics Center to handle import, export, transshipment and parcel cargo logistics operations with more than 8000 projected jobs; a Fuel Center designed to supply heavy duty aircraft with a 2 million gallons capacity; a Maintenance, Repair and Over-
FRANK ELÍAS RAINIERI PRESIDENT CEO GRUPO PUNTACANA Punta Cana International Airport
ahaul area that will accommodate 8 positions to carry out cargo, commercial and private aircraft maintenance processes requiring over 1800 new employees; a Free Trade Zone that will facilitate the creation of different businesses, such as manufacturing and service industries, projected to generate more than 9,700 direct and indirect jobs; and administrative offices that will include the operations of the General Directorate of Customs (DGA), DP World and the Free Trade Zone. “It is a huge project that we are starting to develop in Punta Cana. It will contribute to the sustained economic growth of the area, creating thousands of jobs and positioning Punta Cana and the Dominican Republic as a leader in international trade and foreign investment”, explains Rainieri. Moreover, Grupo Puntacana is also investing in the development of Miches a new and unique tourist destination. Being an authentic Dominican fishing town located in El Seibo province, an ecotourism hotspot of mountains and beaches only 45 minutes away from the airport, they expected it to become a different touristic product with a much lower density than Punta Cana, more focused on the environment and local ways of living. As Rainieri explains, the hotel resorts that will be built in the area “will have a strong interaction with the town, in contrast to what happened in Punta Cana, where there was no town, it was created around the hotels. In Miches, there is culture, there is an opportunity for tourists to come and enjoy the Dominican culture and gastronomy. ” While they have recently started building a 540-room hotel in the area and two more are on the way, they expect that within the next five to ten years it will have more than 8 to 10 thousand hotel rooms, making it the second biggest tourist region in the Dominican Republic.
Another project is to maintain Punta Cana International Airport’s top quality and further improve its services. Not only it is the biggest and most important airport in the country, it has been ranked for the 5th consecutive year as the best airport in the 5-15 million
passengers’ category in Latin America and the Caribbean by the Airport Service Quality (ASQ). Behind such an achievement is the same pioneering mentality that characterizes all Grupo Puntacana’s business ventures. Investing in top notch technology at the e-gates or kiosks, passengers now spend as little time as possible being able to self-check-in, go through customs and have fastspeed Wi-Fi. Furthermore, in what certainly is a stroke of genius that will bring a competitive advantage to the country, they will implement a pre-authorization process so that passengers flying into the United States can go through American migration services in the Dominican Republic and be able to enter the United States as locals, allowing them to travel to over 50 American cities that do not have immigration services. “At the Punta Cana International Airport, we do not handle business as if it was an airport. We handle it as a hotel, a place of service, with a first-world class passenger experience”, assures Rainieri. On the other hand, they are also expanding their corporate social responsibility projects. Apart from the three educational centers and four free clinics they sponsor, they now work on major environmental projects like transforming their energy matrix, restoring more than 10km of the «This project will position Punta Cana coral bar and fostering the reproduction of native fish and birds. “A business cannot be successful if its community is not sucand the Dominican cessful. We have to push our community Republic as a leader in to prepare and adapt to the times”, says international trade and Rainieri, showing once again how their foreign investment» FRANK ELÍAS RAINIERI company’s ethos permeates all their activities. In the end, it is this mentality that has allowed them to both grow as a company and promote the country’s development. “We are the Singapore of America. We have a socially and politically stable country, with very strong legal security, where longterm insured investments are possible. Being so close to the United States and with so many flight connections to Europe, Russia and the Middle East, we enjoy an enviable geographic location that makes us a suitable place for investment in free trade zones.”
A pioneering and progressive company leading the logistics industry in the Dominican Republic
Steering the shipping industry since 1924, E.T. Heinsen continue to offer efficient and reliable sea, air and land transportation services.
TEDDY HEINSEN CEO of E.T. HEINSEN
International shipping line Hapag-LLoyd in Puerto Caucedo
If the shipping industry is one of the
pillars holding Dominican Republic’s economy, E.T. Heinsen is certainly one
of its founding members. Throughout the last years, it has consistently worked to expand and improve how cargo transportation is done, efficiently connecting the country with the rest of the world. A family business since its inception, it started as a shipping company and stevedore agency for a few European lines. As commerce with Europe increased considerably in the next decades, so did the number of lines they represented, reaching up to ten lines in the 1970s. Later on, when lines started facing shortages due to global financial constraints, they decided to diversify investing in port development and logistics in Rio Haina. “Our diversification was mainly toward ports because we saw a considerable expansion capacity” says Teddy Heinsen, Director of E.T. Heinsen and president of the Shippers Association of the Dominican Republic.
Just as they predicted, in the last 15 years the port sector has grown considerably, receiving over US $900 million in investments, and shaping the evolution of the company in turn. Serving as cargo intermediaries, they represent various international shipping lines, such as Hapag-Lloyd, they also move consolidated cargo from anywhere in the world and deconsolidate it in their own warehouses in the Dominican Republic. With more than 36.000 m2 of storage in their private terminals in Rio Haina and Caucedo, they specialize in cargo consolidation (LCL), Full Containers (FCL), Full Consolidated Containers (CFCL) and Loose Cargo (B/B). “The business as we knew it has changed significantly, it is now focused on logistics. The entire process requires an investment in trucks, warehouses, and refrigerated warehouses, we have grown greatly in that aspect”, says Heinsen. Indeed, one of their most exciting new projects is Frio Box Logistics S.A.S, a 10m high and 19,200m2 refrigerated warehouse dedicated to cold chain storage, logistics and conservation. Using state-of the art technology, it has been designed to comply with the highest international standards, managing all logistics and allowing clients 24/7 visibility, its third phase will be completed in 2022.
Furthermore, E.T. Heinsen not only specializes in maritime transport and logistics. They also have their own land transportation system through their sister
company “Transporte Impala”, which provides container transportation services all around the country with its GPS-controlled trucks. Moreover, they have expanded into air transportation services, being representatives of Lufthansa Cargo and Condor Airlines, as well as offering handling services and sales in air operations, including quoting cargo services from any airport in the world, thus maximizing the efficiency and speed of the logistics chain. “Many passengers arrive at Punta Cana and Puerto Plata Airport, and soon we will have direct flights from Frankfurt to Santo Domingo. We also ship a significant amount of air cargo from Europe to Santo Domingo, so our business involves cargo and passengers”, explains Heinsen. They have also invested heavily in air procedures and X-ray machines, especially in Punta Cana International Airport, where customs used to check, resulting in undue time delays and expenses. New customs procedures such as the new system for authorized economic operators (AEO) accredits some importers in order to save time. “When you are an importer with that certificate, there is no need to go through the typical time-consuming process. You just have to pay your taxes, and you will be able to unload your containers. It is crucial to ease the commerce processes”, assures Heinsen. E.T. Heinsen is focusing on innovation by further improving the transparency of the logistics process «Our for their clients. As Heisen diversification explains, “the client needs to was mainly toward ports because we saw a considerable be able to track their cargo during the whole transportation process”. In line with this, the new customs law exexpansion pects to ease the relationship capacity» between customs, importers and exporters by giving clear, concise and updated. It establishes that containers need to be picked up during the first three months and updated guidance on the upcoming cargo manifests with two days notice before ship arrival. “That way, the client will
«We also ship a significant amount of air cargo from Europe to Santo Domingo, so our business involves cargo and passengers» be able to work on the customs paperwork before the cargo arrives. That is something the law did not allow before, and it simplifies imports and exports processes”, says Heinsen. In the future, all these improvements will not only make their business more profitable, they will continue to serve the country’s economic interests, just as they did 90 years ago. Since current overcapacity in ports will allow a smooth expansion during the next 5 to 10 years, and international shipping lines are analyzing how they can change lines locally to other minor ports, there are certainly many reasons to be optimistic. “I see great potential in the Dominican Republic becoming an international hub, not only by offering storage opportunities and adequate laws, but also by attracting international firms to the country”, says Heinsen confidently. Port terminal aerial view CONTACT US www.etheinsen.com
A technology-savvy and forward looking logistics company
Investing on technological development to become the logistics platform of choice in the Dominican Republic.
“Technology is the future of logistics”,
assures Miguel Melo, CEO of M.C.
Logistics. Being one of the country’s top companies in the management of logistics services, they are keenly aware of the importance of using technology to maintain a good flow of information with clients and guarantee an efficient supply chain. Since its beginnings in 2005, the company identified the need to bring information to the market in a time when logistics were a traditionally manual sector and those in charge were acting passively. “We started to make things happen instead of just being receptive agents”, says Melo.
This innovative spirit has led them far. Today, they are the first logistics company in the Dominican Republic offering clients a native App that not only tracks their orders but allows them see the entire cycle from its placing to its dispatch. Clients can request services digitally and deal with different requirements, from customs to risk management levels, without going to a warehouse, port, or airport. “Our added value is that we understand supply chain flows and processes. We think the client must see the order’s status because of how unstable the supply chain has been lately. A conscious client can make the right decisions on time. That is why information is one of our pillars; it has given us a competitive edge”, assures Melo.
This is the initial phase of the supply chain. The next step, as Melo explains, is to digitally integrate their suppliers and stakeholders. In this regard, they will soon start a project with stakeholders to promote electronic data exchange so they can communicate with the shipping agents in real-time. In this way, while the stakeholder works on the ships, they can transmit the data required by the authorities. “We are copying, or rather, learning from what airlines do. Nowadays, immigration is handled with passports containing the information of the airport of origin. We are working on something like that: electronic data exchange with our partner companies on a global scale”, says Melo. Furthermore, as they document every step of the chain, they are meeting and exceeding the requirements that regulatory bodies ask for, and at the same time offering their clients the tools that they usually lack. Additionally, they will start implementing electronic payments using platforms that will allow clients to place their orders online directly from the App. Given all these facilities, it is no surprise that so far they have a diverse and satisfied customer portfolio, most of it small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). “The clients that are now part of our portfolio have grown with us during these past 16 years”, says Melo. Moreover, given the global supply crisis brought by COVID-19, they have not only managed to keep their clients by continue working during the pandemic, but recover quickly, and even improve their performance: “We have a team of motivated and energetic professionals, and our vision towards technology has given us a competitive lead in the logistics sector in the Dominican Republic”, says Melo proudly.
However, as it is usually the case, even more so in the past year, these achievements have also been accompanied by particular challenges. On an international level, the challenge has been related to the supply chain breakage of ships and airplanes in Europe and Asia, and of land transport in the United States. As Melo explains, there is a problem with ships and airplanes: with the maritime industry the demand has exceeded the offer, while the air industry is facing an international pause with tourism, which has caused a shortfall on air freight carriers. “When a chain component breaks, even if it is just one, it causes a domino effect in the entire chain. All these factors have created the perfect storm that we have today”, assures Melo. Fortunately, on the local level, past challenges are now opportunities that the government is seizing to improve the integration processes between the international and local chains, and currently they do not face other challenges than those normally associated with the daily management of their companies.
Busy cargo port Photo by Chuttersnap on Unsplash
In the future, backing the government’s vision, M.C. Logistics wants to turn the Dominican Republic into a regional platform that connects Latin America, the Caribbean and the rest of the world, taking advantage of the country’s unbeatable geographical position and well developed infrastructure. “Thanks to our location and a group of visionary leaders, 20 years ago our country began investing and expanding its logistics infrastructure. Other countries in the region have fallen behind. Right now, and during the next 20 years, it is our turn”, assures Melo, add«Logistics, for ing that to continue having this us, is where technology meets infrastructure» competitive edge the Dominican companies need to build a united front to attract investors and profit from the ideal scenario they have today: ports and airports that have not met their capacity yet, warehouses that only have 60% of their volume occupied. “That is what infrastructure means. If you ask me how we define logistics, I would say it is the blend of technology and infrastructure”. Given the company’s line of business, they seem to be not only in the best possible location, but also in the most capable hands.
Several projects of Nodo
World-class logistic solutions adding value to local and multinational clients
First-class facilities, digital traceability, all-in-one services and internationally experienced personnel make Nodo one of the best Dominican logistic companies.
“O ur strategy is based on providing world-class services, all in one place”, highlights Guillermo Alba, Founder of Nodo and CEO of Alba Sánchez. Whether it is services related to customs, transport, storage, added value for the transformation of relabeled and repackaged products, and/or the distribution of these products locally and regionally, Nodo is ready to supply tailor-made solutions. Strategically located in Santo Domingo, only 8.4 km from Rio Haina Port, their state of the art 43.000 m2 storage facilities were purposely designed to meet all their clients needs. “Every little detail was taken into account. We have first-class facilities with fire protection and digital traceability systems that allow our clients to know the status of their merchandise from anywhere
in the world. These systems have been integrated from the beginning to provide our clients a traceability that not many agencies can offer”, assures Alba.
Nodo was born out of Alba Sánchez’s vision to diversify into logistics services when the government issued new legislation “reassuring local and international business people that the sector is supported by a legal framework, so their transactions with us are guaranteed”, says Alba. Moreover, despite being a fairly recent company, a key factor to Nodo’s success is the international experience of its personnel, especially in the management area, which qualifies them to provide agile responses and assistance to their clients. As Alba explains, “we have specialists with international training and experience with many big multinational companies, so if we were to gather all these years, we have more than sixty years of experience among our management positions.” Nowadays, when the Dominican Republic strives to become the new regional logistics hub, thanks to its privileged geographical position and excellent sea, air and land connectivity, the need for companies offering worldclass logistic services like Nodo becomes all the more important. That is why, as Alba proudly says, “we serve both local and multinational companies that wish to profit from this marvelous location to distribute their products on a regional and global scale. Our company contributes to the economic development of the country and to its trustworthiness on an international level by providing first rate services in logistics.”
CONTACT US www.nodo.global
Construction
Always working with the highest standards and on the front foot in terms of innovation, Albá Sanchez has built some of the country’s most important road and horizontal construction works.
Several projects of Contemega in Santo Domingo
For almost four decades, Alba Sán-
chez has gained its place among the most important companies of the Dominican Republic’s construction
sector. The company has grown greatly due to the professionalism of its workforce and its continuous evolution and innovation, advancing hand in hand with the country. “One of our main values is that we are always innovating, and this has contributed to the country’s own development. For instance, the Dominican Republic has developed cutting-edge technology for the construction of infrastructures, as a consequence it is not necessary to bring trained people to work in construction projects”, assures Guillermo Alba, CEO of Alba Sánchez and founder of Nodo.
Alba Sánchez was founded in 1984 by engineer Alfredo Alba Sánchez, one of the most prominent figures in the construction of infrastructure works since the 1950s. After a few years working on successful road construction tenders, Alba Sánchez began producing controlled quality aggregates, construction materials and hot asphalt concrete to supply its own projects. In the late 1980s, the success of its production led them to new investments in the aggregates industry to supply other clients, thus creating their first division, Aggregates.
Later, when the Dominican Republic became world headquarters of the Fifth Centennial of the Discovery of America, the renovation of the city that ensued from these celebrations stimulated new growth in the asphalt sector, further consolidating Alba Sánchez with new production plants to provide to the market’s increasing needs. This eventually led them to create two new divisions, Asphalt and Transportation, their services cover the principal needs of the horizontal construction market. According to Alba, “we are focused on all things related to urban development. We have paved the main roads of Santo Domingo and our country, and we are located all across the Dominican Republic.”
Indeed, throughout this period, Alba Sánchez has developed some of the most important horizontal construction works of the Dominican Republic. Among their extensive project portfolio, they have built main public roads like the Duarte Highway and the Santo Domingo bypass, as well as private sector projects like «One of our main values is that we are always innovating, and this has contributed to the country’s own development» «You do not have to be a politician to contribute to your country. You can do so privately through your businesses, creating projects that will grow and give more visibility to the Dominican Republic»
the rebuilding of Port Caucedo’s pavements, currently owned by Dubai Ports, the main runway of Punta Cana Airport, and the Urbanización Lagos, both owned by Grupo Puntacana. They have also built the runways of María Montez Airport (Barahona), San Isidro Airport and Las Américas Airport, and lately they have started international projects with the construction of Pont Sondé Mirebalais, one of Haiti’s main new roads.
The success of these projects reflects a key aspect of Alba Sánchez’s philosophy, recognizing their clients as one of their fundamental pillars. As Alba explains, “the trust that our clients give to our services is very important for us. Port Caucedo is an example, we have become their favorite supplier to build infrastructures and provide asphalt concrete services as well as pavement to all their roads. This serves to consolidate Alba Sánchez as an internationally recognized firm.”
Furthermore, since Alba Sánchez is a company that is always growing and looking for new niche markets, a few years ago they decided to diversify into logistics and created Nodo, a world-class, all in one logistic solutions provider. “The Dominican Republic is focusing on the logistics sector, and at Alba Sánchez we are determined to contribute to this growth, while also providing solutions to companies on a global scale”, says Alba.
In the future, they look forward to new opportunities which are expected to arrive as the Dominican Republic becomes a strategic business partner to the United Arab Emirates, a relationship that has had a solid start with the presence of companies like DP World, which has invested in facilities such as ports and freetrade zones in the country. “The Dominican Republic can act as a meeting point for any company that exists in Dubai to provide its services to the Americas. We have the advantages of near-shoring, communications and time zones that will make transactions easier”, assures Alba.
For the time being, Alba Sánchez is proud of their growth and diversification, the great projects they have developed over the years and the role they have played supporting the economic development of the Dominican Republic. After all, as Alba says, “you do not have to be a politician to contribute to your country. You can also do so privately through your businesses, creating projects that will grow and give more visibility to the Dominican Republic. I am very proud of all our achievements, and this feeling is shared by everyone in our company Alba Sánchez.”
For more than 30 years, Hageco has been developing innovative projects with the highest standards in the commercial, turistic, industrial and residential sectors.
Downtown Center / Commercial CONTACT US | www.hageco.com
Tienda Garrido / Commercial
“W e build structures as if they were for ourselves”, says Michel El-Hage, CEO of Hageco Engineers
and Architects, when asked about the reason
behind their success. From the design, construction, and promotion, Hageco offers their clients a complete experience adapted to each project’s specific needs, with the latest technologies and highest quality standards.
Being leaders in the sector, they have built throughout the years some of the most modern and versatile buildings in the Dominican Republic, contributing not only to their growth as a company but to the development of the country’s thriving construction sector.
Their excellence is not only confirmed by their clients´ satisfaction but also by the relevance and importance of the developed projects, some of which have obtained several awards from the Dominican Chamber of Construction (Residential and Commercial sector) and the Cemex Building Award. These have highlighted Hageco’s innovation, relevance, and outstanding building standards.
Coming from a family of Lebanese merchants, El-Hage learned from an early age the values of hard work, discipline, and responsibility. “I also learned to make sure that everything you do is made with excellence, and to treat clients the right way, no matter your job or industry”. This same philosophy has accompanied him all along his professional life, since his early days when he was a recently graduated civil engineer who started building his first projects, until today being one of the most accomplished businessman in the country..
“The key to remaining strong in a competitive world, with a high professional level, is to prioritize client satisfaction. That is how we measure success”, assures ElHage, emphasizing the importance of building trust to maintain a solid reputation. Another reason behind Hageco’s achievements is their diversification. Their varied portfolio includes shopping centers, corporate buildings, hotels, housing departments and industrial warehouses, among others. On the other hand, having a clear business vision has also been a key factor in the company’s success. As Hageco’s CEO explains, this vision is related to “Vertical Integration”. That is, being capable of developing projects with their own equipment and resources, keeping outsourcing to the minimum. In order to develop this strategy, they acquired a large fleet of heavy equipment and machinery that is managed by specialized employees, and entered a strategic alliance with Steeltec, a company specialized in the development, manufacture and commercialization of metallic structures. Having control of these resources has allowed them to improve execution «The key to remaining strong times and increase technical developments, thus adding value to their projects. “At high-level projects, you cannot in a competitive rely heavily on third parties. And if you world, with a high outsource, keep the activities under professional level, your control. At Hageco, we have our is to prioritize client satisfaction. That is how we measure success» MICHEL EL-HAGE Supermercado Nacional / Commercial
MICHEL EL-HAGE
own equipment and a metal factory to manufacture our structures, so we depend less on others”, says El-Hage.
In the next ten years, Hageco aims to keep growing at a planning and industrial level. They know that industrializing the business will make them more efficient, allowing them to reinvest the earnings in the company and keep growing. In the same line, they are also promoting digitalization in all stages of the building process. “Technology and digitalization are helping us be at the forefront of the industry and will continue to be a cornerstone of our sustained growth”, assures El-Hage. Furthermore, as part of their growth strategy, they plan to continue investing in their human capital. It is a matter of pride that their 120 direct collaborators and associates have been working with them for an average of 15 years, and as Hageco keeps growing with more than 800 indirect workers at present, they want them to thrive in their professional careers too. “These people are the key to delivering exceptional customer service, making us stand out in this business”, assures El-Hage.
Since the construction sector is at the forefront of the country’s economy, representing 14% of the GDP and generating over 400,000 direct jobs and 1.2M indirect ones, investing in the sector’s human capital becomes a crucial element. As El-Hage explains, “construction is a “multiplier industry.” It impacts all the activities that revolve around it from the beginning to the end of the project: material suppliers, services, wholesalers. They all benefit and create jobs in turn.” Given the steady growth both Hageco and the construction sector have seen in the last decades, there is no doubt they will continue to play a key role in increasing the country’s prosperity. Like El-Hage confidently says, “numbers sustain that the Dominican
Republic is a good place for foreign investors to do business. They can trust to have the support of developed construction companies to fulfill their needs.”
Triatec Este / Residential
45 Park Tribeca
“We are proud to have a long-term
relationship with our clients, which we have built through excellent client service”, says Rafael Aybar Medrano, President of Constructora
Aybar. Indeed, since Constructora Aybar’s foundation in 1987, one of the keys of their success has been the relationship they build with their clients. As Aybar recalls, it all began while offering private touristic residences to high-level clients, who liked their services so much they started recommending them within their social circles. With time, this word-ofmouth clientele opened up new business horizons: “we started offering luxury residential services, and they ended up wanting us to work with them in their enterprise projects too”, assures Aybar.
Being both constructors and developers, Constructora Aybar has fully expanded into commercial and industrial building, working with clients like Banco Popular, Marítima Dominicana and MercaSID, plus several banks, stores and clubs, among many others. Simultaneously, they continued developing projects for the tourism sector, building hotels such as the Colonial Zone and Casas del XVI, as well as touristic residences in Casa de Campo, Punta Cana, Cap Cana and Cana Bay, some of the most important tourist complexes in the Dominican Republic. So far, Constructora Aybar has executed more than 30 construction projects in the country, comprising over 50.000 m2 of civil, electrical and sanitary works, with an approximate cost of US $30 million. “One of our main goals is to keep being relevant in all segments, without disregarding any of them”, says Aybar, showing another reason behind their longterm success.
Currently, Constructora Aybar is developing hotels such as the Hyatt, the Club Med, Iberostar and Playa Serena, as well as 15 touristic villas in Casa de Campo and 7 villas in Punta Cana. They are also developing innovative mix-use projects like Distrito Piantini, which combines offices, restaurants, apartments and open spaces all in one single building; and Murales, a 41,500 m2 project that aims to renew the pier by making it a Wynwood-like park with murals
Luxurious and client-based construction services with the highest quality in the market
Constructora Aybar specializes on large tourist, commercial and industrial projects built with the highest standards and service.
RAFAEL AYBAR PRESIDENT AT CONSTRUCTORA AYBAR
made by artists, corporate towers and more than 700 apartments. “We love what we do, and that shows”, states Aybar proudly. In the future, they expect to continue evolving and improving as they have been doing in the past decades. According to Aybar, “before thinking about growth, we should think about being able to keep delivering quality, it is our main concern. «Before thinking We also believe offering good customabout growth, we er service to our clients is crucial.” The should think about being able to keep quality aspect is achieved by always choosing the leading architects, interior designers, suppliers and materials, delivering quality» all according to the type of project and the client’s preference. This commitment to the highest standards is particularly important in these uncertain times, when price variation has affected businesses worldwide, forcing many to sacrifice quality in order to lower costs and make margins. But for Constructora Aybar, putting quality and client
LUIS AYBAR VICE-PRESIDENT AT CONSTRUCTORA AYBAR
satisfaction first is an imperative they are not willing to leave aside. “We don’t want to lower the quality of our materials. The mission of the company speaks about delivering the best product, and we do our best to accomplish that. Even when we are challenged to find specialized workforce, we endure it by training our personal”, assures Aybar.
Given Constructora Aybar’s priorities, it is no wonder their clients keep coming back. As Aybar says, “what makes me feel proud is seeing our clients’ satisfaction with the projects that we deliver. Also, developing relationships with our clients is really fulfilling, since at the end of the projects they end up being friends.”
«We are proud to have a long-term relationship with our clients, which we have built through excellent client service»
Playa Serena
Innovative and refined real state solutions for the most demanding clients
With original concepts, high-quality materials and exquisite finishes, Contemega are recognized as one of the best construction, investment and project development companies in the country.
ERNESTO MEJÍA CEO of CONTEMEGA
ROBERTO LAMARCHE COO of CONTEMEGA
“Everyone is waiting to see what we
do next”, says Roberto Lamarche, Head of Operations at Conteme-
ga. For the last 20 years, Contemega has recognized the changing needs of the real estate market and turned them into innovative and successful projects. Combining construction and promotion, they have developed more than thirty projects, around 600 apartments, with investments of US $250 million. Their innovations go from design elements, like building materials and use of new technologies, to developing new concepts like mix-use buildings or hotel apartments with complete management services. As Lamarche explains, “one of our strengths has been identifying which niche markets needed attention and then working on that niche. We are constantly innovating because it is a competitive sector. We are always one step ahead. This has allowed us to achieve good results while also dreaming of new projects.”
For instance, the new governmental directives for Land Use Planning aims to create a more organized urban housing system and improve land use in populated areas; Contemega has already taken the initiative and started developing mix-use buildings that combine apartments, hotels, restaurants and offices all in one place. “You can have entertainment, go to work and do your daily activities in a single building. That is the trend right now in dense cities, we are one of the first companies working on it”, says Ernesto Mejía, President of Contemega. They are also developing progressive residential units such as their Attico Project, which combines the latest technology such as digital sensors, green energy solutions like solar panels and a two-level design. “The Attico Project is innovative because it is one of the first projects in the city where every apartment is a penthouse. For clients that want to live in a Regatta Altos del Parque Distrito Piantini
Regatta Attico house while having the comforts of a building, we have mixed those two elements in one tower”, assures Lamarche. Furthermore, although all Contemega’s projects are treated with the same level of detail and dedication, their investment project is one they feel particularly proud about. They build apartments intended to be used as hotels and offer investors all the required management services from the moment they buy them until they are ready to move in or resell them. “These projects aim to maximize in«We are always one step ahead. vestors’ profitability because we sell you the apartment and help you make it into a business, as it will compleThis has allowed ment the hotel supply in Santo Dous to achieve good mingo, , it also includes a restaurant results while also and rooftop bar”, explains Contemedreaming of new ga’s President. projects» Compared to other renting platforms, LAMARCHE Contemega adds value to their offer by supplying all management services, including booking, housekeeping and
Central By REGATTA
REGATTA Del Sol room service through their own channel managers. “There is a lot you can do besides Airbnb. It is like buying an iPhone to make calls, you can make calls with it, but it can also do so much more! So logically, anyone renting an apartment will prefer to have the commodities of a hotel and we can assist you with that”, says Mejía. Currently they are developing Central, their latest investment project located in downtown Santo Domingo, and given the success these hotel apartments have had so far they are confident it will not be their last. As Contemega’s Head of Operations states, “this project is close to our hearts because it is way more than just selling apartments to clients. We are involved, and we stay with them so they can make the most of their profits, that is our goal. We do not want to finish the project. We want to make sure that it keeps working.”
In the future, Contemega plans to bring their housing projects to some of the most important touristic spots in the country, such as Punta Cana, Puerto Plata and Las Terrenas, so they can reach a more foreign market. “Right now, we are looking for projects like these to sell to the world. That is one of the reasons why we are going to the United Arab Emirates, to find the investors that will help us develop them. In Santo Domingo, visitors go to the city to work, and maybe never come back compared to beach visitors which have a high repeat rate, the world is our market”, assures Mejía.
For the time being, they are satisfied with what they have built in the last two decades. As Lamarche confidently states, ‘Contemega has had a careful and firm growth. We have a good reputation, we are successful on every project we start, and we stay there for our clients to assist them even after the project finishes. That evolution has put us among the top-trusted companies in the country and if clients feel certain about investing with us, then they will not need anyone else.”
Working towards a more efficient, diversified and sustainable energy sector
To promote diversification with renewable energies, expand the country’s electricity supply and reduce losses in the distribution network are some of the government’s main goals.
The Dominican Republic is deter-
mined to have an energy trans-
formation. To start, the country has committed to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by a third in accordance to UN’s 2030 development goals, since more than 71% of the electrical power generation depends on coal and natural gas. Those goals are in line with president Luis Abidaner’s diversification of the country’s energy matrix with cleaner technologies, a strategy that aims to increase the sector’s competitiveness and that is being implemented by the Ministry of Energy and Mines. “The government will bet on renewable energies to stop resorting to unstable, expensive and polluting power plants”, assures Antonio Almonte Reynoso, Minister of Energy and Mines.
In order to achieve this, the government is supporting a new law project that will modify the application of the 2007 Renewable Energy Incentives Law, restoring to the original 75% the level of fiscal credit for investments in renewable energies. “This new regulation will allow the energy trading contracts to be bid for competitively, hiring just the ones that will benefit the country”, says Minister Almonte. With this adjustment, they expect to reach their goal of increasing the contribution of renewable energy sources in electricity generation to at least 25% by 2030. Similarly, as part of its “Zero Bureaucracy” program, the government is committed to increasing transparency and speed in the process of granting permits for renewable energy investments. According to Minister Almonte, “wind and solar projects have to go through several people to be approved, generating delays, losses and uncertainty to investors. With this in mind, the government is making paperwork easy for renewable investments.” So far, since the Ministry started handing facilities to national and foreign investors for the installation of solar parks and wind farms, seven energy trading contracts have been signed, with five more wind power energy deals to be closed in the coming weeks. “We are on the way of substituting fossil fuels for power generation and reducing our dependence on electricity”, assures Minister Almonte.
On the other hand, several efforts have been made to increase the efficiency and coverage of the country’s electric power system. On February 2021, the government signed the Electricity Pact, a structural reform that aims to reduce losses in the distribution network, promote the financial reliability
of energy distributors and improve competitiveness and quality of life. They are also working on the expansion of the electric power system, which is expected to be ready by 2023, and on the installation of new energy generating plants fueled by natural gas. “These projects will help reduce stress in the country’s energy supply”, states Minister Almonte. So far, most sustainable energy projects have come from the private sector or from private-public partner«The government ships. Among them, it is worth highwill bet on renewable lighting those run by CEPM, the Consorcio Energético Punta Cana–Macao, a privately owned utility company that energies to provides energy to more than 65% of stop resorting the country’s touristic sector, and to to unstable, over 47.000 residential customers. In expensive and 2011, CEPM inaugurated the first 8.25 polluting plants» MW wind farm in the country, and two years later their international parent company InterEnergy Holdings (IEH) obtained a US $100 million equity investment from World Bank Group’s IFC to develop cleaner and more efficient energy sources in the Caribbean and Latin America. Last year, they also converted three major 730 MW electric plants fueled by diesel to natural gas,
CEPM Power Plant Evergo electric car charger
adding an extra contribution to the country’s transition to cleaner energies.
CEPM is also committed to sustainable mobility. They have installed over 300 units of state-of-theart electric vehicle charging stations nationwide and started converting their own fleet to electric vehicles, which they expect to be 100% electric by the end of the year. The company installing the chargers is Evergo, a sister company of CEPM as they are both part of the InterEnergy Group. “The private sector has played a pivotal role in helping the country reduce its carbon emissions by supporting renewable energy generation with solar, wind and biomass projects”, assures Roberto Herrera, Country Director of InterEnergy Group and Executive Director of CEPM.
In order to guarantee the continuity of this process of energy transformation, the Dominican government is actively seeking private investors interested by renewable energy initiatives, electrical power generation and distribution, and/or system maintenance projects. As Minister Almonte states, “the only way to move forward and continue strengthening the energy sector is through capital investment by the private sector. Investments that promote technological changes will lead to the generation of electricity and the use of renewable resources for the production of electric energy. Because of the country’s potential, there are great opportunities for everyone to win.”
Cooperativa Agropecuaria (COOPYUNA)
“G oing from a maintenance status to where we are today is something that makes us all proud”, says Ionnis Moutafis, Presi-
dent and General Manager of Falconbridge Dominicana, also called Falcondo, when reflecting about the outstanding evolution the company has gone through in the last decade.
Since its acquisition by Americano Nickel in 2015, Falcondo has managed to evolve from a 120 employee maintenance operation to being one of the country’s biggest exporters and employers thanks to its precise management, strict costs control, innovations in the mining and metallurgic methods, and cooperation between employees, stakeholders, government and local population. Their success is currently demonstrated by their two fully operative production lines, 2000 employees, and over US $400 million in exports coming from their operations in Bonao, where Falcondo manages one of the largest and most efficiently produced nickel deposits worldwide. “Our results and numbers, plus the atmosphere among our people and the surrounding communities, is what makes Falcondo successful”, assures Moutafis.
Behind those achievements, several innovating techniques developed by Falcondo in the last 11 years have contributed to maximize efficiency and reduce costs. One innovation is the application of selective mining in the first phase of operations. Instead of using the traditional big tracks, they hire contractors with smaller excavators and experts trained in portable analyzers, allowing them to go deeper without extracting large amounts of material that
Innovative and efficient mining adding shared value to the Dominican Republic
Groundbreaking techniques and an active participation of locals have made their ferronickel production more cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable.
later has to be disposed. “Starting with a lot less volume, you end up with the same nickel units, and have a great reduction of excavation, transportation, fuel and energy costs in the later stage of the process”, states Moutafis.
Another innovation is replacing naphtha, the traditionally used fuel, which has translated in reduced energy costs in the process plant as well as gas emissions in their chimney. Moreover, Falcondo aims to take this process even further by applying the new technology of electrostatic precipitators, that so far has only been used by three companies in the world, to minimize the visual impact of their chimney and thus reduce emissions. A third innovation is their granulation system. Before, the company used to produce ferrocenes, but they replaced them with ferronickel granules, proven to be more commercial and easier to handle. “With this system, we have a reduction in our costs because it is a lot less demanding in mechanical maintenance and consumables, so eventually it is more environmentally friendly too”, explains Moutafis.
Falcondo’s success is also supported by the current
favorable conditions of the metal markets, particularly the increase in the demand of nickel and zinc, that are now used to produce electric car batteries. As Moutafis explains, “it is the first time we have a direct interaction between the car industry and the metal producers. We have identified this opportunity, and the «Since we live here company today is on track of an investand have an everyday presence in the area, ment of more than US $80 million in this particular field of production.” On the other hand, one of Falconwe identify the real do’s trademarks and another key to their needs of the people, success is the emphasis they place on and through targeted working and creating shared values with social investment, local communities. Firstly, by integrating we build a beneficial relationship between the local population who have worked at the plant for years and combining their knowledge of ferronickel production with the foundation, the the expertise of foreign employees who company, and the also reside in the Bonao area. Secondly, people» their local content policy includes hiring people from the surrounding communities without demanding conditions they cannot meet, such as university degrees for certain jobs, as such they can improve their livelihoods, and strengthen the ties between them by becoming part of the company. Furthermore, Falcondo actively engages with the IONNIS MOUTAFIS PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER OF FALCONDO
communities by identifying the most relevant local issues and investing on them through their Social Responsibility Department and the Falcondo Foundation. Their focus has always been on high impact projects, such as the remodeling of a primary school center, the construction of a bridge linking two communities in the area, aqueducts and irrigation canals and tennis courts and sports stadiums, as well as the repair and maintenance of roads and the sponsorship of sports tournaments in several disciplines. According to Moutafis, “since we live here and have an everyday presence in the area, we identify the real needs of the people, and through targeted social investment, we build a beneficial relationship between the foundation, the company, and the people.”
In the future, Falcondo aims to continue researching and developing the mining industry in the country, particularly the raw materials associated with car batteries, as well as securing their energy needs by diversifying their supply. Being a company that privileges an innovative and efficiency-oriented approach to business, as well as a long-term commitment to their employees, stakeholders, management and local communities, Falcondo’s success in all its future endeavours is to be expected. As Moutafis confidently anticipates, “we feel very satisfied with how our investment has evolved up to now, and I believe our success will continue in the future.”
DAVID COLLADO MINISTER OF TOURISM
Working towards a more diversified, inclusive and sustainable tourism offering
With different types of tourism, unexplored areas, and closer relationships with local communities, Dominican tourism is opening up to fresh and exciting options.
Tourism has always been a staple of the Dominican Republic’s economy. Even in the post-COVID era, tourism industry accounted for over 11% of the country’s GDP. It is the main channel for attracting foreign investment, employs one out of five people in the country and brought more than 4.5 million visitors last year alone. What is new, however, is the Ministry of Tourism’s new direction.
First, the Ministry began strengthening the existing regulatory framework and implementing a public-private investment plan to diversify tourism and make it more sustainable and inclusive. In the next 10 years, they expect strong investments in different touristic locations, including new zones, with projects for all kinds of tourism, from adventure, sports and ecotourism to cultural, gastronomic and luxury offerings. As Minister of Tourism David Collado states, “our goal is to exceed 10 million tourists, diversifying our offer, welcoming visitors from new countries and consolidating ourselves as a sustainable destination.”
One of the main projects being developed is the revitalization of the Colonial City of Santo Domingo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, projected as a new space for investment, promotion of culture and integration with the community. Another project is the relaunching of the North Coast, with a plan that seeks to combine tourism, innovation and the film industry. Similarly, the Ministry is support-
Kitesurf in Cabarete | Photo by Ministry of Tourism © ing sports tourism in northern Cabarete Beach, one of the world’s best water sports destinations, as well as nautical tourism with ongoing fishing tournaments. They also promote the country as the main golf destination in the Caribbe«Tourism awaits an, with 28 first class golf courses. In addition, the Ministry is supporting the best decade in sustainable tourism in Miches with its virhistory, and we are gin beaches, and together with the Japaworking tirelessly nese Cooperation Agency, JICA, they began to create more and implementing their Community Tourism better jobs and strengthen our strategy, which so far has certified several businesses in the northern area. “We are developing a more inclusive tourism, closer to relationship with the the community, to strengthen the relationrest of the world» ship between tourism, export, culture and citizenship, as well as promoting all our products and our national brand”, assures Minister Collado. Above all, as Minister Collado states, “the most important objective is to recover 100% of employment throughout the value chain, by increasing the average occupancy rate above 75% and attracting new investments.” In order to achieve this, one of the Ministry’s long-term strategies is to develop the Middle Eastern tourism market. So far, major airlines like Turkish Airways will start flying regularly to the country, and others from Qatar and Israel are expected to follow soon. Given all the projects that are taking place, Minister Collado has many reasons to be optimistic “tourism awaits the best decade in history, and we are working tirelessly to be ready to lift more Dominicans out of poverty, create more and better jobs and strengthen Laguna de Oviedo | Photo by Ministry of Tourism © our relationship with the rest of the world.”
Dominican tourism pioneers keep moving the industry forward
Always open to new approaches, Grupo Puntacana sees a more environmentally sustainable and diversified tourism offering in the future.
It is all about persistence. 52 years ago,
when Frank Rainieri first arrived to Punta Cana, there were only fifty-three families there, and the tourism industry believed this area was too far away and not worth invest-
ing in. “It took a lot of persistence from us, but it also opened the debate for creativity and innovation”, says Simón Bolívar Suárez, Vice-president of Institutional Relations and Special Projects of Grupo Puntacana, recalling how they designed, built and ran the first international private airport in the world. “That was the first step for touristic development, because we had an airport before we had proper roads”, says Bolívar. As the airport started attracting European hotel companies to the country, both the company and the tourism sector grew considerably. “We reached 22% of total foreign investment, and we have kept on growing”, assures Bolívar.
Nowadays, Grupo Puntacana is improving their carbon footprint by gradually moving into renewable energies with their pilot program at Punta Cana International Airport, reducing their solid waste loss and improving the treatment of corals. In addition, with their new CEO Frank Elías Rainieri, they are ready to try a more diversified approach focused on ecotourism and sports in new locations. “Lately, tourists seem more interested in non-conventional activities that make their experiences unique. This allows us to explore diverse areas of the country that have not been seen as tourist zones before”, explains Bolívar.
Just like in the past, Grupo Puntacana is ready to face a new tourism reality. Only now, as Bolívar says, “it will require better technology and a sense of environmental self-awareness. We must offer a more diverse product and profit from the forgotten touristic resources we have.” Given Grupo Puntacana’s long history of creativity and persistence, we expect exciting new projects that will keep innovating the tourism industry.
Samaná, frontón beach | Photo by Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism ©
Boulevard del Atlántico Cave, Samaná | Photo by Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism ©
Building high quality and innovative integral solutions for the tourism sector
For over three decades, Cinter Construccion have been leaders in the construction, supervision and management of top quality, cost-efficient and green engineering building projects.
Cinter Construcción is one of the
leading and most progressive construction companies of the Domin-
ican Republic. Covering all phases in the development of their projects, from the design and construction to the supervision and management, Cinter Construcción offers their clients the best quality projects in a timely and cost-efficient manner. Their competitive advantage is based on working with the best specialized and professional teams, following strict ISO 9001 standards, and constantly incorporating new techniques and processes that allow projects to be developed in a more efficient and environmentally friendly way. They are pioneers in the application of the LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) in the Dominican Republic.
Since its foundation in 1988, Cinter Construcción has worked on a wide range of projects all over the country, from hospitals and schools to corporate offices and residential units. However, their main focus has always been hotels and tourism related projects such as bars and restaurants, currently 70% of their clients are international hotel chains. Cinter has been in the market for 33 years and has remodeled more
Waves Tower
Dominicus Residences
«Cinter has been in the market for 33 years and has remodeled more than 6,500 hotel units»
than 6,500 hotel units. We can say the company has significantly collaborated in increasing the hotel offer in the Dominican Republic”, says Carlos Vásquez, President of Cinter Construcción.
Despite the decrease in projects that came with COVID related restrictions, 2021 saw an important recovery for Cinter Construcción. Among the numerous projects they developed this year are the construction of the Costa Caribe Hotel and 223 apartments in Boca Chica, as well as completing ongoing projects for Marriott Hotel and other private sector works such as offices. Moreover, they expect 2022 will be a take-off year, as they have several confirmed projects set to begin. Among them, Cinter Construcción has signed contracts for 129 Villas in Puerto Plata, 117 apartments in Garden Residences, 200 apartments for sale within a hotel, 253 apartments in Dominico’s Residence, 160 villas of 180m2 in Mountain View, Wave apartments in Puerto Plata and the construction of the W Hotel with 201 rooms and 65 suites. And if that wasn’t enough, in the next six years they will work with the Dominican government to develop 9,125 affordable housing apartments for low-income residents in the northeast of Santo Domingo.
Furthermore, as they continue to grow steadily, Cinter Construcción aims to implement new technologies that will allow them to maintain high construction standards without increasing their operation costs.
As Vásquez explains, “part of our growth strategy is to continue working with high quality while maintaining cost control. To achieve this, we want to develop the technological side of the business, so we will implement the PROCOR system, which allows all the modifications, visits, and plans to be together in a real-time platform to improve communication between areas and productivity.”
In the future, Cinter Construcción knows that in order to continue being leaders in the sector, they must keep making significant investments in the construction and renovation of hotels, as well as in the sustained qualification of its workforce. According to Vásquez, “the biggest challenge is to efficiently manage resources and projects while maintaining adequate quality and productivity standards. For this, it is necessary to have qualified personnel, and to focus towards innovation, quality, and growth, which is precisely what we are working on.”
Casas del XVI Bedroom Detail Orchid
A unique collection of carefully restored historic houses offers its visitors private, safe and personalized accommodation in the heart of the city.
Being the only one-of-its-kind in San-
to Domingo, Casas del XVI has accomplished what few hotels around the world have: to offer its guests not just a luxurious environment
but a truly singular experience. “It is more than a boutique hotel of special status; it is a project in Ciudad Colonial that has set a precedent with the restoration of the Dominican architectural heritage”, says the hotel’s manager director, Ignacio Peñalver, explaining that the hotel consists of individual houses –some dating as far back as the 16th century- that have been meticulously restored and combined into one inviting hotel experience, where stays can be arranged in the exclusivity of a complete house or in a traditional manner of a single room within the house, as is best suited to solo travelers or couples.
Part of their success as a luxury boutique hotel has a lot to do with how they understand luxury. As Peñalver explains, “for us, luxury is an experience to be felt, not
Casas del XVI - Casa del Diseñador and Courtyard «We can do much more than offer beautiful beaches. We have more attractions that will appeal to different visitors»
IGNACIO PEÑALVER
seen.” This singular approach is based on three main axes: privacy, uniqueness, and personalized service. Guests have full exclusivity of the historic houses, and therefore are free to use them as they will, while enjoying personalized services of private butler, concierge, chef and housekeeping. Unlike big hotel properties, the houses are only accessible to registered guests, who can enjoy a sense of serenity and privacy in exquisitely decorated surroundings. Similarly, regarding their outreach strategy, they privilege a more direct and purposeful approach. As Peñalver explains, “even during the pandemic we continued to work with a low-key profile.” All these peculiarities allow guests to “fully enjoy personalized treatment and tailor-made experiences during their visit”, assures Peñalver. Casas del XVI - Casa de los Mapas -Bedroom
Moreover, the hotel’s special configuration has proven particularly attractive during these times of global pandemic, as guests enjoy a safe hotel alternative thanks to the complete and exclusive access to the villas. This feeling of safety is also reinforced by the country’s efficient management of the COVID-19 crisis, which was done allowing the private sector to take an active part in the decision-making process. As of today, the Dominican Republic has achieved a very high rate of vaccination, soon to reach a 70% mark. “We have been able to apply safety and precaution measures, which have made possible a continuous and successful reopening with results that keep getting better. Other countries have not acted as fast as we have”, says Peñalver.
In the future, Casas del XVI plans to integrate even more activities in Ciudad Colonial by offering guests the chance to take part in traditional cultural enterprises such as taking pottery lessons in Casa Alfarera, joining espadrille-making tours, or visiting the booming offer of museums and exhibitions. “We support these high-valued initiatives; I get goosebumps from the idea of offering those opportunities to our guests”, assures Peñalver. Such initiatives are certainly in line with current public and private efforts to strengthen and diversify the tourism sector in order to go beyond the image of a sun and beach «It is more than all-inclusive destination and attract a a boutique hotel wider variety of visitors. of special status, it is a project in As Peñalver states, investing in the development and promotion of different types of tourism like cultural, adventure Ciudad Colonial and congress tourism, as well as ecotourbased on restoring ism, has become a more active approach, the Dominican as it certainly is the case for Casas del XVI architectural and other projects being undertaken by heritage» the Terra República Dominicana Real Estate Investment Fund, that is co-managed by its parent company Terra RD Partners and INICIA. “We have a long-term vision, we are cautious with every step we take. We make sure that every
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decision harmonizes with our purpose: to offer unique high-end accommodations while restoring the architectural heritage of this historical city”, assures Peñalver. By developing a unique business concept that profits from the country’s solid economic trajectory, this luxury boutique hotel has demonstrated that it is possible to stay true to your values and offer a one-of-a-kind luxurious experience to its well discerned guests.
Focusing on experience-based tourism and combining real estate administration, boutique hotel operations, and rental programs, HMS and its brand Mint Hotels and Residences, have created a new niche in the market.
“It is not about staying in a hotel
room with a pretty view and air conditioner. Any hotel can offer that. It is about diving into the culture, the taste, the community. You leave satisfied because you live an interesting experi-
ence, that is what Mint Hotels is about”, says Miguelina Butron, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Mint Hotels and Residences, when asked about the philosophy of their brand. They specialize in boutique hotels where high-quality services, exquisite cuisine and spectacular natural or cultural settings are a priority. As Mint Hotels and Residences’ CEO and founder, Abelardo Melgen Acra explains, “we realized that in the Dominican Republic the mainstream was the all-inclusive, so independent hotels could not add themselves to the market on their own, nor had the capital to do so. As a company, we gave them the opportunity to make themselves known internationally and began to pave the way for independent and experience-hotels.”
Mint’s hotels are located all around the Dominican Republic, surrounded by virgin beaches, mountains, rivers or city life, and guests can choose two or more destinations within one visit to create a truly unique experience. Their country-circuits include “Mint Retreat”, where guests stay at the exclusive Bannister Yacht Club hotel in Samaná, a coastal city in the northeast of the island, and experience days of relaxation at Mee Spa, yacht trips through beautiful Samaná Bay, and hiking to Salto del Limón, one of the country’s most scenic waterfalls.
Another circuit, “Three Destinations One Culture”, takes visitors to Regatta, an apartment condominium with hotel services in central Santo Domingo, to experience the cultural and gastronomic offer of the Capital and the “Ciudad Colonial”, the first city in the Americas, and then brings them north to Natura Cabana ecolodge, a nature lover’s paradise facing the Atlantic Ocean and surrounded by mountains. There guests can relish in the exquisite and locally harvested organic cuisine, have a relaxing spa experience, practice surfing or kitesurfing, go hiking, or enjoy yoga classes in the extraordinary sea-facing, tree covered YayaGym. “We have been able to come up with four combinations under Mint’s philosophy, to give visitors some insight into what this country is, a country that surprises you”, assures Butron. As a brand, Mint Hotels and Residences is part of HMS, Hospitality Management Solutions. HMS was created as an integral company, so both hoteliers and real estate developers could receive operational assistance to start 2008 global financial crisis, which in the Dominican Republic left a large number of prime properties that couldn’t be easily sold. Taking advantage of this situation, they came up with the idea to manage them as hotels, bringing the hospitality services into the real estate product. “We saw an opportunity to profit from all the unsold properties and came up with a concept of luxury hotels, so we reinvented the sector”, recalls Butron, who is also partner at HMS. Nowadays, HMS functions as their holding company, offering a variety of services like hotel operations and rental programs, consultancy, condominium administration, project conceptualizations, sales and marketing.
As time went by they saw the need to specialize, so they kept HMS as their holding and developed several brands for the different business they operated. That is how Mint Hotels and Residences was born, but also United Brookers, a real estate brand, and Mee Spa, a spa brand working in the Dominican Republic and Panama. In 2013, HMS opened a branch in Panama located in the most important building in the city, and they currently manage 25 projects there. “We are now a regional brand and we plan to keep on growing”, states Melgen.
Their latest project, Homebelike, is another example of that pioneering mentality. Launched a year ago, it is an exclusive vacation home rental platform that offers additional services that are not available in common rentals, such as 24/7 customized concierge services provided by highly-qualified “experience specialists”. Homebelike counts with a unique collection of vetted and verified rental homes, apartments and townhouses in six destinations in the Dominican Republic and two more in Panama and Colombia. They also offer a wide selection of experiences guests can enjoy, from zip-line line adventures in Punta Cana to a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course in Punta Espada. Homelike is a vacation rental that provides you with a personalized service before, during, and after your stay”, explains Melgen.
CABARETE
a hospitality project. It was born out of the
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Mint Experience at Haitises National Park, Samaná
«We are a regional brand with presence in Dominican Republic and Panama, planning to keep on growing»
MELGEN
In the next couple of years, HMS plans to continue expanding their brands regionally, adding new properties, and taking new trends such as vacation rentals and experience hotels to the spots they already manage. After all, as Helgen highlights, “HMS identifies as a group that is on the lookout for trends, that is not afraid of being the first in something and getting involved in that niche.”
Calle Arzobispo Meriño, Ciudad Colonial, Santo Domingo | Photo by Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism ©
Building a more inclusive, green and safe city where people take center stage
Her office aims to recover public spaces, promote alternative and collective mobility, improve accessibility and safety.
“W e want to guarantee that once I finish my term, those who live here can say they have a better liv-
ing standard”, says Carolina Mejía, Mayor of Santo Domingo and General Secretary of the
Modern Revolutionary Party. Mayor Mejía is the first woman to run the city, and for over a year she has been working on several programs oriented towards that vision, to make Santo Domingo a healthier, safer and friendlier place for all.
Her first challenge came soon after she took office, when she was confronted with the COVID pandemic. Having to deal with the uncertainty of those first months, her office immediately took action and adapted to the new reality. “The government plan designed for the city had to be postponed and what mattered was the safety of the people, their health. Therefore, from the beginning, we changed our strategy”, recalls Mayor Mejía. The first measures were aimed at cleaning the city and exhorting the population to stay at home, keeping their distance, using masks and even gloves as well as making PPE suits mandatory for government employees. “All our efforts focused on keeping the citizens safe, to make them understand that they should stay at home and follow government measures”, assures Mayoress Mejía.
As time went by, Mayor Mejía and her team incorporated cultural initiatives, developed with local and multilateral international organizations, to stimulate creativity from home and help citizens cope with the exceptional situation. Fifteen months later, with the city’s population almost fully vaccinated and life resembling normality, they were able to resume the execution of pending works in the city. One of Mayor Mejía’s main focus has been on recovering and redeveloping public spaces. As it was stated in the 2030 strategic plan, a lot of efforts have been directed towards rebuilding parks and squares, improving green areas and children playgrounds, as well as installing new energy saving street lighting, in order for people to access public spaces where they can recreate healthily and safely. “The vision is that Santo Domingo becomes a more walkable city, closer to the citizen”, states Mayor Mejía.
So far, more than forty parks have been rebuilt and are now being enjoyed by citizens of all ages and conditions, including those with disabilities. Similarly, Mayoress Mejía’s office has been working on “linear parks”, sidewalk extensions that are being planted with trees to create shade and adapted so people can walk, bicycle and practice other types of exercise, thus promoting alternative forms of mobility beyond the use of private cars. According to Mayor Mejía, “we have a beautiful program called “Plant your city” because it is essential to promote walking in Santo Domingo. As we have hot temperatures here, we’re making sure the linear parks are shaded by our endemic trees.” They have also been promoting the use of collective transportation, and re-routing cargo vehicles out of the city after the success of their pilot program “Ponte en Ruta DN”, a joint public-private effort aimed at reducing traffic congestion and its resulting air and noise pollution in urban areas. These measures resulted in a reduction of around 60% in traffic of cargo vehicles inside Santo Domingo, the equivalent of 4,000 fewer lorries. “There has been a positive response on the part of the business community, which together with the public sector, is willing to embrace these changes with us”, assures Mayor Mejía.
In addition, they have been working on recovering public areas that were being used inadequately for economic activities. In order to transform such traditional uses of public space, Mayor Mejía and her team have been applying diverse strategies that involve relocating street vendors to other places of the city, renovating spaces so they can be better adapted to new uses, as well as educating citizens on cleaner and healthier ways to use and maintain public spaces. As Mayor Mejía explains, “the works that we’ve carried out have revolved around the recovery of public spaces so they are clean, painted, filled with trees, illuminated and well kept. With that, we wanted to transmit the idea that citizens deserve and should be treated with dignity.”
Another important element in this process of citizen empowerment have been the efforts Mayor Mejía’s office has placed into inclusion practices. One the one hand, they have been adapting parks, squares and other public spaces so they can be used by people with disabilities, for whom access ramps and other special features have been installed. They have also trained governmental employees on disability sensitization programs, and have promoted a historic agreement between INDOTEL, the Dominican Telecommunication Institute and the country’s telecom companies, to support access to their services to people with disabilities. One the other hand, Mayor Mejía and her team have fully backed up the creation of the first Support and Protection Unit for Women, Minors, the Elderly and the Disabled of the Municipal Police, whose purpose is to support and protect these groups, being one
of its key work goals to address street harassment. “Everything we do is directed towards these objectives, that no matter who you are, you feel good, safe and comfortable in your city”, says Mayor Mejía. Given the special attention Mayoress Mejía has placed on promoting social inclusion since the beginning of her mandate, it is no surprise her office has started being recognized for it. Last December, the Mayor’s Authority of the National District (ADN) received the gold seal at the RD Incluye 2021 Award Ceremony, an event organized by the National Council on Disability (CONADIS) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), which recognizes public and private entities for their good inclusive practices. Apart from her aforementioned «We want to efforts, the prize highlights Mayor Mejía’s guarantee that initiative of creating the first Department once I finished my of Inclusion in the country, as well as being term, those who live here can say a pioneer in employing an official municipal sign language interpreter. Throughout her time in office, Maythey have a better or Mejía has demonstrated the citizens life standard» of Santo Domingo that with the right investments and through common efforts, it is possible to have a cleaner, greener, more human and inclusive city. No matter what challenges await, we expect they will be handle with the same combination of efficiency, transparency and humanity, always putting people needs first. After all, according to Mayor Mejía, “I have embraced public service from the heart, without particular interests, and with the sole objective of improving the quality of life of my people.”
Carnaval Dominicano, Santo Domingo | Photo by Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism © «With our works we wanted to transmit the idea that citizens deserve and should be treated with dignity»
CAROLINA MEJÍA MAYOR OF SANTO DOMINGO
Pabellón de las Naciones, an emblematic public space recovered by the mayor of Santo Domingo
