Inside Dominican Republic’s hidden gems leading the way to sustainable travel economy

IS there anyone out there who can say that going to the Caribbean isn’t on their travel list?

For me, it was always top of my mine – but a trip to Dominican Republic with the TUI Care Foundation made it a trip of a life time.

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The Tui Care Foundation, consisting of 12 employees, builds on the “potential of tourism as a force for good”.

The group aims to connect holidaymakers to good causes, support young people’s education, protects habitats and the marine environment, while helping local communities thrive sustainably and benefit from tourism.

While TUI, who have their own dedicated sustainability department, are on a mission to make the jet setters journeys more sustainable.

Priceless moments like planting coral, sailing through a forest of mangroves and hearing locals’ life stories, opened my eyes to the importance of tourism for good.

We flew into the capital of Santo Domingo where the streets were bustling with floats, flags and army planes for their Independence Day.

We made our way to Samaná to explore the TUI Forests project, where they’ve set out to protect mangroves and support locals in the Sánchez community.

We arrived at the subtropical coastal wetland, The Manglares del Bajo Yuna National Park, surrounded by glorious green mangroves, a glistening river and birds chirping.

Vast areas that were previously swamps or destroyed, have been revitalised into a peaceful oasis by the TUI Care Foundation.

They play an important role in stabilising the coastline, prevent erosion and they are home to many species of fish.

These shrubs also absorb carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases, stopping these harmful pollutants being released.

Environmentalist Patricia Lamelas, Director CEBSE, said the mangroves have grown fast and are really healthy since they started the initiative.

She said: “We took all those plants and put [planted] small seeds. For me this is like magic.

“The birds are coming back to areas where they were disappearing. This is impressive.”

To date, they have restored 109 hectares’ of mangroves and reached almost 2000 people through educational activities during the process.

The aim is to restore over 200 hectares of mangrove forests and protect more than 92,000 hectares in the north-east.

And some 3.6 million trees will be planted by 2026.

CAREERS

Next we met with the Bahia San Lorenzo Fishermen’s Cooperative who support fishermen in the local area.

With numerous fishermen using illegal “dragon” nets, they capture shrimp and other fish that can be sold cheaply.

It has resulted in many areas being over-fished and leaves fisherman struggling to earn a living.

This cooperative empowers members to look for alternative work such as hosting water activities like kayaking for tourists.

Next we arrived in Punta Cana to visit a TUI Academy project in collaboration with Plan International – where young students from underprivileged backgrounds receive hospitality training.

Single mum Sahory, 24, said: “I have a young daughter that’s a special kid, she’s deaf.

“I was really afraid to leave her with anyone. I didn’t have much experience [knowing] who to leave her with. So I was afraid.

“But thank God I had the courage to enter the program. I studied and I surpassed my own expectations. Now I’m working in the bar.”

Her colleagues Yomaira and Yoismsryln also completed the program and are now working in hotel reception and security.

With 13 academies worldwide, they engage with 10 hotels to offer on-the-job training and life skills coaching.

TUI SEA THE CHANGE

Next we dived into TUI Sea the Change project, which focuses on coral protection and restoration, off Bávaro Beach in Punta Cana.

Paving the way for a sustainable blue economy, the project protects and restores coral reefs, seaweed and seagrass in the beautiful turquoise waters.

Lena Strehl, TUI Care Foundation, said combining diving tourism with marine conservation is a “fantastic opportunity” for visitors.

We were taken to a floating event boat for a meal in the middle of the ocean.

It felt like heaven soaking up the sun on a giant swing on the deck while taking in the ocean.

Then it was time to get the coral prepared for planting.

We zip tied live coral to a large TUI branded frame and plunged into the sea to plant it.

This experience has certainly raised the bar for me when it comes to snorkelling.

I was fascinated by the artificial coral reefs as well as the shoals of vibrant coloured fish.

Seeing these structures, preserving and restoring corals, made the sea even more tranquil.

To date they have restored 70.000 m2 of seascapes while engaging with 200 local workers and 30 organisations.

SUSTAINABLE AWARENESS

And a whopping 27,500 tourists have participated in this sustainable experience, which combines coral gardening, awareness and snorkelling.

Our final excursion was a whale watching trip off Sabana de la Mar.

Even with a little sea-sickness on choppy waters, it was an extraordinary experience with a family of whales escorting our boat.

Learning all about these projects transformed the Caribbean trip for me.

The unforgettable moments of exploring sea caves, holding a live coral and wandering through a tropical mangrove forest has left me with a revived wanderlust.

Holidaymakers who book a TUI All Inclusive Resort can donate to the TUI Care Foundation, while a lucky select few may get the unique experience of visiting one of their incredible projects.

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