The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Dominican Republic: will we be able to go on vacation there?

2023-03-22T16:04:32.514Z


DECRYPTION - First long-haul destination departing from France in 2022, the Dominican Republic is no longer served by Corsair and Air France. There remains Air Caraïbes, the only company flying direct to the destination from France. For how long ?


Dream beaches, coconut palms pointing towards a Caribbean azure sea, oversized resorts and hotel complexes... In two decades, the Dominican Republic has carved out a lion's share of the hearts of tourists, beating all tourist records. affluence, including among the French.

To the point of being recognized last November as "the most successful tourist destination 2022 in the world" by the specialized platform ForwardKeys.

The result of a proactive policy by the government of this destination located just over 9 hours flight from Paris: having kept its borders open during the Covid, and maintaining affordable prices.

Unsurprisingly, the results are there, making the “Rep Dom” a new heavyweight in mass tourism, an “all-inclusive” option.

In 2022, the country which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, welcomed 8.5 million visitors, one million more than in 2019. To the point that tourism now accounts for 15% of the GDP of this country of more than 11 million inhabitants.

Read alsoTen exceptional hotels to get away from it all in the Dominican Republic

After Corsair, Air France stops its service to the Dominican Republic

This Saturday, March 25, however, at 3:45 p.m., Air France flight AF0968 will take off for the last time this year from Roissy to Punta Cana.

The French company stops its service to the Caribbean island for 2023, reimbursing passengers for canceled flights without real warnings.

Contacted by

Le Figaro

on March 15, Air France confirmed that “

the suspension of its connections from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Santo Domingo and Punta Cana, initially announced for the 2023 summer season, will be extended to the 2023 winter season. -2024.

".

Without commenting on the reason for this stop.

In January, another company, Corsair, had given up on the Dominican Republic.

Read alsoAir France stops its service to the Dominican Republic

The reasons are mainly due to an economic equation that has become unbalanced for airlines, since the local government, faced with rising prices, applies a fuel surcharge on kerosene.

On the spot, the price would explode, no longer allowing return trips between France and the island of the Great Caribbean to be profitable.

The carrier confirms to us “

that given the economic balance of the line, we have not continued to operate this line.

Kerosene is 80% more expensive in Punta Cana compared to Orly where its price is already high

, supports Julien Houdebine, commercial and marketing director of Corsair.

And to add to our colleagues from

Echo Touristique

that "

Corsair has no plans to resume its services next winter, preferring to focus on the growth of the other lines of its network

.

Historically, France is the third source country of tourists in the Dominican Republic, after the United States and Canada.

Mercedes Castillo, the France director of the Dominican Republic Tourist Office, is surprised by these decisions with Le

Figaro

: “

The Dominican Republic was the first long-haul destination departing from France in 2022. Following of Air France's recent announcements for the 2023 winter season, we would like to remind you that the island is served by the world's largest airlines at its 8 airports and that the

tourism represents more than 400,000 direct or indirect jobs [...] We work tirelessly to find solutions when necessary, always in consensus with our partners and for the satisfaction of all.

We would have hoped the same would be the case from such a long-standing partner, but unfortunately this was not the case.

»

Read also Canceled flight: how to get a refund for your plane ticket?

Now the only company departing from France to serve the island by direct flight - 6 weekly frequencies to Punta Cana -, Air Caraïbes declared to Le

Figaro

that "

the attention of the government authorities of the Dominican Republic had already been drawn, several months, on the economic conditions of these services.

 Tour operators also point to the price of kerosene.

The insularity and the cost of transporting gasoline mean that this type of surcharge is not new, especially in the region.

“For about a year, air prices have been soaring, especially for international flights: between 20% and 30%

”,

estimated in January Jean-Emmanuel Chometon, general manager of the Maisons du Voyage (owned by the Figaro group).

However, the air weighs between 40% and 50% of the price of a trip

.

For Matthieu Mariotti, production manager at Kuoni: “

It is above all linked to the introduction of this local surcharge on fuel which has a strong impact on the profitability of the road.

In post-Covid, companies are paying even more attention to profitability

.

Profitability.

The sinews of war not to sink.

Airlines are therefore more selective.

After the Dominican Republic, Air France is also canceling services to the Maldives (Malé) and Sri Lanka (Colombo) for winter 2023/2024.

Knowing that there will be no flights for the summer of 2023, the last rotations took place respectively on March 9 and 11.

As for the Dominican Republic, the company announces that "

customers in possession of a reservation for flights scheduled for the 2023-2024 winter season will soon be contacted individually and invited to contact their point of sale to obtain a refund

.

Read alsoIn France, the price of plane tickets soared by 20% in 2022

What about the French who have already bought their plane ticket?

Bavaro beach in Punta Cana, a favorite destination for French vacationers.

swissshippo / stock.adobe.com

But what will actually happen for holidaymakers who have already purchased a stay or a circuit?

Exotismes, the travel agency specializing in the islands, offered its customers an alternative solution with Air Caraïbes, or a flight with a stopover in Spain, at the same price.

Gilbert Cisneros, its president, sees nothing alarming in the situation.

The destination works very well in the summer: it's family-friendly with good value for money

(in the Dominican Republic most stays are all-inclusive, editor's note).

Our customers realize that it costs less than going to Greece!

 “Same story at Kuoni:”

There will always be a reprotection solution for our customers who have already booked, in a direct flight with Air Caraïbes or with another company and a stopover.

For our customers already registered, no price increase, we have found solutions at no additional cost.

 »

Historically, France is the third source country of tourists in the Dominican Republic after the United States and Canada;

local operators are starting to see bookings from mainland France decline for the next few months, but the numbers should quickly return to normal.

And above all, the prices of plane tickets should not soar further.

Gilbert Cisneros quietly agrees: “

Nature abhors a vacuum.

With 250,000 potential customers each year, this will create interest among various companies.

Very quickly, starting in April, we should have announcements, even from Air Caraïbes.

 »

Moreover, the latter does not exclude anything and declares to

Figaro

that “

discussions are still in progress to further strengthen this service from next winter.

However, it is too early to confirm the terms.

In any case, our customers will be informed in the coming weeks

.

“The unknown to date remains the ability of the company, which is currently testing its new A350-1000s (less kerosene consumers), to deploy more capacity, especially next winter, while remaining profitable.

But at what cost ?

According to our sources, Air Canada is already positioned on the route, offering flights with good connections from Paris, Lyon and Toulouse.

Flights with stopovers while waiting for new companies?

While waiting for these new routes, for Matthieu Mariotti, “

prices will of course increase.

This summer, direct flights on Air Caraïbes in economy class often exceed €1,400 and flights with stopovers are around €1,000.

Fortunately, the hotels have not suffered an inflation of their prices as in other destinations.

And our wish at Kuoni is that the companies and the Dominican government find an agreement for the good of all and above all of the French who wish to discover this very beautiful destination at the right price and with choice in direct flight.

 »

Until then, and even if it is less comfortable, holidaymakers can always opt for flights with stopovers.

From Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport to Punta Cana, you can already fly with Swiss Air Lines, Lufthansa or even... Air Canada.

Finally, the capital Santo Domingo and its international airport, Las Américas, remain accessible via Iberia with a stopover in Madrid (or Miami), still from Roissy.

All you have to do is choose your swimsuit.

Read alsoDominican Republic: three good reasons to visit Santo Domingo

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2023-03-22

You may like

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.