Bavarian.- Fernando Hazoury, president of the Cap Cana Group, has emphasized the potential profitability and viability of building a new airport in the eastern area of the Dominican Republic.
Given that the region has more than 50,000 hotel rooms, Hazoury believes the area could be home to not just one, but possibly two airports.
He chose not to comment directly on President Luis Abinader’s Decree 2-24, which repealed a previous decree authorizing the establishment of the Bávaro International Airport. However, he emphasized the positive impact an additional airport could have on tourism.
He suggested that the high number of accommodations in the area justified the need for more airport facilities.
Hazoury further elaborated on the region’s capacity, stating there are potentially between 20,000 and 30,000 real estate properties, in addition to existing hotel rooms.
He maintained that for a tourist destination, the airport’s breakeven point starts at 15,000 rooms, and with the combined total of hotel rooms and real estate approaching 70,000, a new airport is not only feasible but necessary.
This statement occurs in the context of a ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice that found that the Executive Branch exceeded its powers with the decree regarding the construction of the Bávaro International Airport. Hazoury’s position reflects a broader perspective within the tourism industry regarding infrastructure development in the rapidly growing eastern region of the Dominican Republic.