One final click and the trip was booked! I was off to the sunny beaches of the Dominican Republic. Thank you, Signature Vacations!
I had been to the Dominican Republic only one previous time. Unfortunately, the day after arriving, we were hit unexpectedly by Hurricane George. It was a harrowing experience, but I was still struck by the generosity and helpfulness of the people in the face of such a disaster. Many of them had lost everything, but were still willing to help strangers out and quickly began the process of rebuilding with optimism.
This time, I was hoping for a more relaxing visit that would capture both the spirit, and the sun and sand that the Dominican Republic is so well known for. Our destination? The newly opened Riu Republica in Punta Cana.
Upon arrival, my room provided a stunning ocean view complete with a welcome fruit bowl and chilled champagne. The mango was magnificent! Quite frankly much better than our imports. And while early in the day, it seemed a waste to let the champagne warm up. So a quick glass of bubbly and down to explore the resort it was.
The Riu Republica Punta Cana is located on on the majestic Macao beachfront. With 2 giant infinity pools serving frothy cocktails and the waves crashing on the beach, it was difficult to decide where to begin working on my tan. So, I elected to visit all 3 in succession! This was also a reconnaissance mission to scope the resort out and plan out my next few days.
My biggest issue? Not enough time! Activities at the resort include: windsurfing, kayaking, snorkeling and diving lessons in the pool. In addition to the main buffet, 3 a la carte restaurants offer Italian and Asian cuisine along with a steakhouse for the more carnivorous. There was also a state-of-the-art fitness centre to help burn off some of the extra calories I was sure to consume. All told, I would have to balance my desire to completely unplug and plan nothing with my FOMO on all the wonderful activities at Riu Republic Punta Cana. This is what a vacation should be; this is the life!
Check out the rest of our journey with Signature Vacations in the three-part series:
Part One | Part Two | Part Three
RIU Republica & Signature Vacations: Part One
We Visited the Newly Opened RIU Republica Punta Cana
Trend Themes
1. Sustainable Tourism - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating eco-friendly resorts and promoting sustainable practices in the tourism industry.
2. Personalized Experiences - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in leveraging technology to create personalized and unique vacation experiences for travelers.
3. Wellness Tourism - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in developing wellness-focused resorts and offering holistic wellness programs and services to meet the growing demand in the wellness tourism industry.
Industry Implications
1. Hospitality - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in redefining the hospitality industry by incorporating sustainable practices, personalized experiences, and wellness offerings.
2. Tourism - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in transforming the tourism industry by promoting sustainable tourism practices and creating personalized and wellness-focused travel experiences.
3. Travel Agencies - Opportunity for disruptive innovation in travel agencies by incorporating sustainable and wellness-focused travel packages and offering personalized vacation planning services.