Ukraine war
Dominican Republic: Around 17,000 Russians and Ukrainians stranded
Return flight impossible – because of the Ukraine war, tourists from Russia and Ukraine are stuck in the Dominican Republic (symbolic image).
© Agencia EFE / Imago Images
Almost 17,000 tourists from Russia and Ukraine are apparently stuck in the Dominican Republic, which is why the Caribbean state now wants to provide them with accommodation.
“Until a final solution is found to their situation in view of the conflict in their countries,” the stranded tourists will be provided with accommodation, the island state’s tourism ministry said on Wednesday. The government and the hotel and restaurant association Asonahores as well as hotel representatives had reached a corresponding agreement. Around 17,000 visitors from Ukraine and Russia are stuck in the Dominican Republic.
According to initial surveys, 14,806 Russian tourists stayed in the Spanish-speaking country. A process for their return to Russia has been agreed with the Russian tour operators.
War in Ukraine makes return impossible
According to the main Ukrainian tour operator, 1903 visitors from there were staying in different hotels, where they were supposed to stay until a solution was found for their return home.
Punta Cana Airport in the Dominican Republic.
© ITAR-TASS / Imago Images
The government will inquire at hotels about the needs of each family over the next 48 hours, it said. According to the information, visitors from the two countries make up around ten percent of the tourists in the Dominican Republic. In the first two months of this year alone there were almost 110,000.
The Honorary Consul of Ukraine in the Dominican Republic, Ilona Oleksandrivna, tearfully asked President Luis Abinader in a press conference on Tuesday to speak to help stranded Ukrainians. Some ended up on the streets for lack of money. The Russian tourists were probably affected by flight cancellations due to international sanctions against their country because of the invasion of Ukraine.