MEETINGS IN PARADISE…it’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it!

 Download the Dominican Republic Meeting & Incentive Planner 2011-2012 (Jpeg)

Download Palmera Groups & Convention Guide 2011 (Jpeg)

The Dominican Republic (DR) is an ideal destination for your company’s meeting and incentive program. It is a destination that has it all - a wide selection of resorts to accommodate any budget and sized group, modern meeting & convention facilities, beautiful beaches, tours and activities for team building, exotic locations for group parties and dinners, spectacular golf courses for company golf tournaments and much more. It is no surprise that the second largest Caribbean island is one of the world’s hottest new meeting and incentive destinations.

The DR is ideal because its new hotels are purposely built for meetings and incentives. And remember, business meetings held in the DR are tax deductable for U.S. citizens.

The DR also offers a great value and benefits! The hotels/resorts, transportation, activities and other services are very affordable compared to rates in the U.S., Canada or other Caribbean islands.

The weather is nice all year round with average temperatures in the mid-80s, the white sandy beaches and crystal clear ocean is the most popular attraction, the golf courses will dazzle and challenge golfers on all levels…and the people are friendly and service is done with a smile and that peculiar touch of Dominican charm.  

The Dominican Republic is easy to travel to, with more flights from USA, Canada, Latin America and Europe than any other Caribbean destination. Great destinations for groups include Santo Domingo, La Romana (Casa de Campo) and Punta Cana…

SANTO DOMINGO:

In Santo Domingo (the capitol of the DR) you can explore the rich culture of the DR and combine your meeting schedule with great sightseeing during the day and the most amazing cuisine and nightlife. Walk in the footsteps of Christopher Columbus and visit the old monuments that still stand. Stroll along the cobblestone streets that run through the Colonial City and visit Columbus Lighthouse where the remains of Columbus are believed to rest. For a truly unique experience, go beneath the surface of the earth and walk through the natural caves and underground lakes at Los Tres Ojos. For easy access to Santo Domingo, fly in and out of Las American airport located about 30 minutes from the city.

LA ROMANA:

La Romana and Casa de Campo are perhaps best known for its golf. This is the ideal resort for groups that want to stay and enjoy this world renowned resort that is part of the Leading Hotels of the World (private, luxury villas are also available), gourmet cuisine and world class golf (including Teeth of the Dog and Dye Fore). The romantic village of Altos de Chavon provides the perfect setting for group dinners or fairytale weddings. Groups staying at Casa de Campo will also be nearby the world’s largest cigar factory where each cigar is handmade, as well as natural sanctuaries such as Catalina Island and Saona Island.

PUNTA CANA:

The most popular tourist destination in the DR is without a doubt Punta Cana. This area has the largest concentration of all-inclusive resorts and some of the most beautiful beaches and the most spectacular golf courses in the world! In recent years, the resorts in Punta Cana have put more focus and attention on attracting and catering to meetings & incentive groups. 

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SITE INSPECTIONS:

If possible, we always recommend that you do a site inspection when planning your meeting & incentive program. This will allow you to get a good idea of the destination, the resorts, the excursions, the golf courses and all of the possibilities that are available for group activities and events.

DESTINATION MANAGEMENT COMPANIES (DMCs):

At Palmera Destination Services we know how important it is to have a professional DMC working for you and especially with you while you are planning your group. Sometimes meeting planners do not know the destination very well and therefore it is crucial to have a partner on-site who knows the destination, who understands how things work and who is available 24-7. Palmera is a boutique-style DMC with many years of experience in the field of tourism. Over the years, we have worked with many types of groups, from many countries and of all sizes. In our minds, everyone is a VIP and everything is possible! We also customize everything according to our clients’ wishes, and our multi-lingual team makes it easy for us to communicate across borders.

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?

When you send us a request for a group event, you will be assigned a group coordinator who will be your contact person during the planning phase and during the time the group is on the destination.

If you decide to do a site inspection, your group coordinator can set up the meetings with the hotels, excursions, venues, etc., and will be with you during your visit to the DR to show you around and make sure you get the most out of your time.

 Once the group/event has been planned and every detail has been carefully attended to, your group coordinator will be available for a pre-convention meeting 24-48 hours before the arrival of the group (or as requested). This is the time to go over all logistics, procedures and final details before the arrival and also to meet additional staff that will be working with you and your group on-site.

When the event is over and it is time to go back home, your group coordinator we will love to hear your feedback and comments on how things went. A post-convention meeting is most welcome and can be scheduled on an individual basis anytime before your departure.

OUR SERVICES ON THE DESTINATION:

Hotel reservations:

We work with most of the hotels and resorts in the DR and can provide excellent insight on which hotel/resort would fit your group perfectly for your specific event, number of people, standards, etc. Upon arrival, we can arrange for a private check-in area and welcome cocktails at the lobby.

Private airport transfers with meet & greet assistance:

Upon arrival, our staff will be waiting at the airport with proper signage (including group/event logo) to welcome the group. We will have designated vehicles (with signs) according to the number of people arriving. If requested, we can prepare refreshing beverages (e.g. bottled water, soft drinks, beer) and snacks for your group to enjoy on the bus.

Hospitality desk:

For larger groups, it is a good idea to have a hospitality desk set up in a designated area of the hotel. Our friendly hospitality staff will be available during scheduled hours in the morning and/or afternoon to help your group with any questions they might have, with dinner reservations, excursion bookings, tee time reservations, etc.

Personalized details:

Why not give your group a personalized souvenir they can take home from their fabulous trip to the DR? We offer many different options for room gifts that can be personalized upon request. Our gift options include local paintings, native arts & crafts, Larimar jewelry, amber jewelry, handmade designer jewelry by Iliana Prado®, gift baskets/bags with local rum/coffee/cacao/sweets/etc., cigars with company/group logo…just to name a few. Room gifts must be requested at least 2-3 months in advance.

Private group dinners:

When you are in the Caribbean, the most obvious location for a fantastic group dinner or cocktail party is either at the beach or pool side. You can choose a simple set-up or go all out with a theme for your dinner/party. Depending on which hotel you choose for your group, we will give you a set of different themes to choose from. Special menus (buffet or a la carte) can also be selected according to the theme or your personal choice. Add a touch of music or live entertainment to complete the perfect and most memorable night. If you prefer to host a group dinner outside the hotel/resort, there are many different locations to choose from depending on where the group is staying. For suggestions, please discuss the details with your group coordinator.

Team building activities:

For corporate groups, a team building activity is a great way for everyone to get to know each other and to elevate that spirit of togetherness that will be a favorite conversation topic for years to come. These activities can be scheduled any time during the day … or night! Discuss the different possibilities with your group coordinator for fun activities such as Beach Olympics, a private snorkeling excursion by night, a Caribbean treasure hunt, golf clinics, or a jewelry-making workshop…just to name a few ideas. We can also organize a private half day or full day excursion for your group. Popular excursions include full day safari/sightseeing, catamaran & snorkeling adventures, cigar & shopping tours, deep sea fishing, zip lines, ATVs and whale watching*. 

 *Only available from around mid-January to mid-March.

Golf tournaments:

Another great activity for groups is golf, and the DR is the perfect place for it too. Groups that are staying at Casa de Campo or especially in Punta Cana will find themselves right in the middle of golf heaven! One of the things we specialize in is golf and golf tournaments, and we have hosted two annual golf tournaments for the past years. Our golf team, led by PGA-golfer Anders Bogebjerg, has many years of experience in organizing and running international golf tournaments.

 We can run a small tournament just as easily as we can run a large tournament and will take care of the tournament format, set-up on the golf courses, scoring (at the end of each round or online live scoring), “closest-to-the-pin” and “longest-drive” competitions within the tournament, prize ceremony…and we can even include a daily skins game! If you want to make the tournament really interesting, we can add a “hole-in-one” package and sponsored prizes. Trophies for the winners can be customized with the company/group logo.

 If there are only a few golfers in your groups, we can also set up individual tee times on any of the golf courses.

Poker tournaments:

In November 2008, we worked with the World Poker Tour that hosted a boot camp in Punta Cana with workshops and tournaments for professional and amateur players. The events were held at the Princess Tower Casino, which was the largest casino in the area. Future poker tournament or similar events can also be held at the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana which has a 45,000 square-foot casino on property that includes more than 40 different tables for poker, blackjack, craps, roulette and baccarat as well as private VIP rooms for high rollers. This casino also has the largest sports book in the DR.

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These are our most common services that we offer. However, if you have something specific in mind for your group that we have not included on this page, feel free to contact us at info@grouppalmera.com to discuss your ideas!