Weekly Report - 19 May 2011 (WR-11-20)

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC | Threat to tourism. Authorities have declared a maximum state of alert in Santo Domingo and the contiguous province of Monte Plata after a suspected outbreak of cholera in the capital. The Dominican Republic has had 14 cholera deaths since it was first detected in the country last October, but the health ministry is stepping up monitoring after specific cases in the populous poor neighbourhood of La Ciénaga in the capital, on the western side of the River Ozama. The authorities are determined to be seen to have the cholera outbreak under control to avoid adversely affecting the all-important tourism sector. Despite the continuing economic woes in the developed world, the Dominican Republic's tourism industry grew by 3.1% in 2010, and in the first quarter this year there was a climb of 3.3% in the arrival of foreigners by air, after a record 4.1m visited in 2010. The tourism ministry welcomed new direct flights this week to the international airport in the south-eastern province of La Romana: daily flights from Miami began on 5 April; weekly flights from New York's JFK will begin in November 2011.

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