Danielis Fermín
El Inmobiliario
SANTO DOMINGO –The Dominican Republic is known for its idyllic beaches and the warmth of its people. Finding all this and more in one place is possible, thanks to the strategic vision of major real estate developers who joined forces to create Cap Cana, a real estate, tourism, and hotel destination city located on the country's eastern coast.
Its impact on tourism began when a group of siblings acquired approximately 120 million square meters of land. Thanks to the support they received, they developed a large-scale project in which more than US$3.5 billion has been invested in infrastructure.
Today, that vision is supported by more than 1,000 families residing in the Destination City, which also receives more than 760,000 visitors annually, generating more than 20,000 jobs directly and indirectly.
According to the brand's CEO, Jorge Subero Medina, they have more than 28 residential properties and over 5,500 hotel and residential rooms in operation. Another 5,500 rooms are currently under construction.
The Central Bank's (BC) "Survey of Opinion, Attitude, and Motivation of Non-Resident Foreigners" highlights that 51.5% of tourists visiting the country do so for the beaches. An example of this is the thousands of travelers who choose one of the seven hotels located there to enjoy its white-sand beaches.
“The Destination City is dominated by natural scenery and temperate crystal-clear waters that include 5.5 kilometers of unique beaches,” Subero Medina stated, noting that another attraction is the award-winning Punta Espada golf course, designed by Jack Nicklaus.
From its inception, the vision of its developers has been to be a city where people who live and visit can have a unique, distinctive, luxurious and exclusive life experience.
According to Subero Medina, the key to its success lies in its planned development. “Cap Cana was the first destination in the country to begin its development with a master plan and a clear vision of everything it wanted to achieve.”.
The executive highlighted that, thanks to careful planning, they secured a US$1.5 million investment in infrastructure, allowing all services (electricity, water, and telecommunications) within the complex to be underground. These are operated and managed by companies within their umbrella organization.
Jorge Subero Medina. Fidel Pérez/El Inmobiliario.
A sustainable vision has also been integrated into the projects they develop. To this end, they rely on the Cap Cana Foundation, the implementing arm of their corporate sustainability strategy.
“Although its operation is based on real estate and hotel development, since the conception of the Destination City master plan, the priority has been to maintain and preserve the various endemic species and ecological areas so that they can be enjoyed by residents and visitors in a sustainable way, as well as to conserve the lungs and natural riches of the area,” Subero Medina assured.
Vision
Cap Cana has been in operation for over 20 years, providing locals and foreigners with the opportunity to reside in an "all-inclusive" resort, where they can find the necessary services to guarantee their quality of life.
The story goes that the destiny of this city began to take shape between 2001 and 2002 with the hiring of Jack Nicklaus to design three golf courses. Since then, a long list of landmarks and attractions has been built, placing it on many people's must-visit lists.
Currently, they boast the Cap Cana Marina, renowned for its sport fishing; an equestrian center, an eco-adventure park, spas, hotels, villas, residences, apartments, numerous educational and sports facilities, cultural activities, and restaurants. In addition, there are attractions such as the Blue Hole, Escape Park, and the Stables.
The quality of its facilities has made it the setting for major international events such as the HEAT Latin Music Awards, the Paso Fino World Championship, Electric Paradise, among others.
Its founders understand that planning is key to standing out in the market. Subero Medina explained that their “vision is to be a city where you can find everything you need without leaving. This remains our fundamental objective, and we are working towards it.”.
Their work was recognized in 2022 by the Chamber of Deputies, due to the impact the brand has had on the development of real estate and hotel tourism in the country. Many of the hotels there have received awards from numerous national and international organizations, such as TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice Award, Fishing Lodge, and Billfish Report, among others.
Insert: Its name is derived from the French word “Cap”, which means “cape”, and “Cana” is due to the large number of this type of palm trees in the project.
Cover photo: The Cap Cana Marina. (External source).
Text originally published in the 7th edition of El Inmobiliario print.
