Dominican Republic visits soar/Ontarians plan to travel in 2013/Deal of the Day

I reported the other day that visits to Jamaica rose a couple percentage points last year. Nice, but not nearly as good as the Dominican Republic.

One of Canada's favourite getaway spots in the Caribbean, the D.R. saw its tourism numbers grow 6.6 per cent last year, beating forecasts for the country and the region, Tourism Minister Francisco Javier Garcia said this week.

Garcia said more than 4.6 million visitors flocked to the beaches and cities and mountains (okay, mostly the beaches) of the D.R. last year. He's hoping to reach 10 million in the next 10 years, a fairly tall order.

I haven't seen figures to verify this, but Garcia said world tourism grew about 4 per cent last year and Caribbean tourism was up 4.8 per cent. He said that 2012 marked the second straight year that the D.R. has led the Caribbean in tourism growth.

There's certainly no shortage of excellent places to stay for folks of all budget ranges. Students make a habit of spring break trips to the D.R. for excellent package deals, while adults can find solitude and fabulous golf courses and beaches in places like Punta Cana, Cap Cana and Casa de Campo, home of the famed Teeth of the Dog golf course.

ONTARIO FOLKS WILL HIT THE ROAD IN 2013

Good news for the Ontario tourism industry. A recent Thomas Cook Travel poll conducted by Decima/Harris found that 73 per cent of Ontarians plan to take a family holiday in 2013. Six out of ten Ontario folks surveyed said they'd spend less on entertainment this year (sorry, Cineplex) so they can their families on a vacation.

Just so you know, 93 per cent of Ontarians rated the safety of a destination/resort as an important factor when making their holiday plans. Seventy seven per cent rated the food selection in restaurants as an important factor in enjoying their vacation, while 67 per cent rated the size of their resort room as an important factor.

In the U.S., a USA Today/Gallup poll in late December found that nearly three quarters of Americans plan to vacation at least 100 miles from home this year, up from 60 per cent who said they did so in 2012. A whopping 94 per cent said they plan to travel within the US, mostly to a lake or a beach. About one third plan trips both within and outside the U.S., however, and 36 per cent said of those taking a vacation plan to pack a passport.

That's a fairly high number for American tourists, actually, and is perhaps encouraging for the Canadian tourism market. Asked where they'd go with their passports, about a third said Europe, with Italy and Ireland leading the pack.

USA Today recently listed its five "buzz-worthy" destinations for 2013. They were Burma (a growing tourism market puts this on many year-end/look-ahead lists), Florida (celebrating the 500th year since its discovery by Europeans), Gettysburg in Pennsylvania (150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address and the awful Gettysburg Civil War battle), Hawaii (the most popular spot mentioned by folks who took the survey, and understandably so) and Ireland (celebrating a tourism plan called The Gathering 2013).

THIS AND THAT

Fairmont has opened Fairmont The Palm on the Palm Jumeirah hotel, the tree-shaped island in Dubai that's said to be the largest man-made island in the world (see photo at right). There are 381 guest rooms and suites on the property, which looks quite lovely ... The Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel welcomed WestJet's inaugural flight from Ottawa to Southwest Florida International Airport just before Christmas. The new service will oeprate once a week every Saturday until April 27, departing Ottawa at 8:45 and arriving in Florida at 12:22 p.m. ... Resorts Casino Hotel is spending $60 million on renovations and expansion in Atlantic City in the first half of 2013. In addition to a $35 million Jummy Buffett-themed Margaritaville complex, Resorts also is renovating hotel rooms and bathrooms, adding a food court and new VIP players clubs, as well as making other changes.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has the following deal available for a winter getaway to sunny Cuba. Check www.jaunt.ca for this and other deals.

Jaunt Highlights

• All-inclusive 7-night stay at the 5-star Memories Azul Beach Resort, located in Cayo Santa Maria.
• Includes return airfare from Toronto ( other departures available) to Santa Clara and round-trip airport/hotel transfers in Cuba
• Accommodations in a Junior Suite Balcony, featuring 1 King or 2 3/4 beds and balcony (Maximum occupancy: 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children)
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

• Part of Sunwing's Family Collection
• There are facilities for all ages, including special pools for children and infants, as well as a mini-club for children
• Enjoy 3 guaranteed a la carte reservations, picnic lunch, and a welcome cocktail

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates:
  Toronto: January 31 & February  01, 03, 06, 2013
  Ottawa: January 30 & February 03, 13 2013
  Montreal: February 01, 02, 08, 09, 2013
  Calgary: February 02 & 09, 2013
  Vancouver: January 31 & February 14, 21, 2013
  Winnipeg: February 01 & 15, 2013

Pricing (Rates are per person):

Toronto:
Single: $789
Double: $649
Triple: $629
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $290

Ottawa:
Single: $839
Double: $699
Triple: $679
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $285

Montreal:
Single: $1129
Double: $989
Triple: $969
Child (2-12 yrs): $679
tax included

Calgary:
Single: $1009
Double: $869
Triple: $849
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $291

Vancouver:
Single: $1019
Double: $879
Triple: $859
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $286

Winnipeg:
Single: $989
Double: $849
Triple: $829
Child (2-12 yrs): $379
Tax: $286