WTM News : From The Dominican Republic
OCTOBER 28, 2005. Meet the Minister of Tourism, Felix Jimenez at WTM on the Dominican Republic Stand CA8000 and learn more about:
Destination cited by members of ABTA as 'Hot for 2005'
Recent announcement of US$700 million investment by Dominican Republic Government for tourism improvements to be completed by 2008. The works to be carried out include a US$58 million investment in Puerto Plata which will include a development of an arts and crafts park in the city and US$ 167 million allotted to Punta Cana-Bavaro, Samana-Las Terrenas, Juan Dolio and Boca Chica tourist destinations
Opening of their new International Airport - the 8th in the country - at Samana, on the Island's Northeast Coast. Put Tuesday 15th November 2005 from 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM, Room 14 at Excel Waterside in your WTM diary and come to a briefing. Readers of the Daily Telegraph have already voted Dominican Republic's Puerto Plata airport as the third best international airport in the world, just behind Singapore's Changi and Dubai. State of the art Samana airport, with its ease of access to the 5* resort developments of Samana, the new airport will no doubt prove even more popular
'Hollywood' of the Caribbean with The Godfather: Part 11 and Havana (starring Robert Redford) have been filmed in the Dominican Republi and during the last two years; Lovewrecked (Randal Kleiser), The Lost City (Andy Garcia), and The Feast of the Goat (Mario Vargas Llosa) all filmed in the Dominican Republic, it is quickly becoming the the most favoured island in the Caribbean for film locations
Films to be released in UK spring/summer 2006 that have been filmed in The Dominican Republic are: Universal Studios 'Miami Vice' starring Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx and with British actor Ciaran Hinds playing FBI Agent Fujima filming at present. Filming started in September 05 on 'The Good Shepherd' the story of the CIA seen through the eyes of the Former Director James Wilson, Robert de Niro and Matt Damon doubling as the older and younger Wilson, also stars Angeline Jolie.
Charlotte Rampling stars in leading french film director Laurent Cantet's 'Heading South' or 'Vers le Sud', set in 1970s Haiti Cantet filmed some of the beach scenes in Dominican Republic - "much safer". On general release in UK in Spring 06.
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