Universal Aviation has expanded its presence in the Dominican Republic through its alliance with local ground handler Aviam. The ground handling offices are at three airports in Puerto Plata, Samaná and Santo Domingo, and these are used by commercial aircraft operators to access popular tourist destinations on the island.

The new locations join Universal’s current offices in La Romana and Punta Cana, giving the network five locations in the Dominican Republic and 23 in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Before the pandemic, the Dominican Republic was gaining popularity as a destination for private aviation,” says Danilo Rosario Jiménez, director, Universal Aviation in the Dominican Republic. “The pandemic has not slowed that growth. In fact, it has accelerated it. Tourism is booming, and the Dominican Republic has become one of the most sought-after private aviation leisure destinations in the world.” Rosario claims that currently the island is experiencing more private flights than in 2019 with no slowdown in sight.

“The government of the Dominican Republic has done an excellent job in creating a safe environment for tourism in spite of COVID,” adds Rosario. “To ensure we can meet the needs of our clients we expanded to the most sought-after airports in proximity to world-class resorts in Puerto Plata and Samaná, as well as the business centre of Santo Domingo.”