The Dominican Republic is not just for sun worshippers seeking long days in the warm Caribbean sunshine with a piña colada in one hand and a fresh shrimp canapé in the other.

Due to new airport infrastructure, improved roads, new connectivity technology and a wealth of hotel inventory, the Dominican Republic offers visitors an easily accessible place to do business. Add to this the great all-inclusive hotel values and competitively priced airfares, and the island then becomes extremely cost-effective too.

But what makes a meeting or convention truly special in the Dominican Republic are the welcoming people, the national passion for salsa and merengue, and the delicious Latin/Caribbean cuisine. There’s also the endless array of activities from snorkeling barrier reefs to surveying 500 years of Spanish colonial history in Santo Domingo. The only problem with doing business in the Dominican Republic is that there’ll come a time when you have to go home.

The meeting and convention landscape in the Dominican Republic has seen exponential growth in capacity with the addition of venues and full-scale convention centers, such as those on Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana. These multi million dollar facilities can accommodate up to 5,000 people and feature the very latest in audiovisual services, decidedly modern outdoor pavilions and catering facilities. Luxury accommodations are available nearby, and delegates have access to casinos, nightclubs as well as nearby recreation at golf and country clubs - some of which were built on old coconut plantations.

For a full listing of large-capacity facilities, visit our Lodging section.

No large event can take place without adequate transportation. Towards that end, the Dominican Republic now offers many new international airports with enough runway space to accommodate even the New Large Aircraft (NLA) proposed by Airbus Industries. In 2006, these airports welcomed well over 3.9 million visitors. Almost half of all visitors arrived through the Punta Cana airport (as of January 2007). The second highest volume airport is Puerto Plata having received 25.6% of the visitors during the first month of the year, Las Americas terminal recorded 15.9% and La Romana Airport approximately 10%.

For more information on new flights, new air carriers and more information about how to get here as well as a list of the major regional and international airports, see our Focus On section.

Real Estate: The Dominican Republic To Market Itself As Retiree Paradise

With the passing of Law 171-07 on Foreign Retirees, September 2007, the Dominican Republic has become a paradise for people planning to retire and buy real estate in the Dominican Republic.

Benefits created by the law include;

fast-tracked residency paperwork (45 days),
duty-free household goods,
reductions on motor vehicle taxes,
exemption on transfer taxes for the first purchase of real estate,
50% reduction on taxes on mortgages,
50% reduction on the annual property tax,
exemption on taxes on dividends and interest,
50% reduction on capital gains.

The minimum monthly income required is US$1,500 US for retirees with a government or private pension and US$2,000 in verified income from all others. For a copy of the law in Spanish, see www.hacienda.gov.do, or contact a reputable real estate agent or lawyer in the Dominican Republic.

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