MACAO, D.R. — Palace Resorts has broken ground on the US$600 million Moon Palace Punta Cana, set to become the brand’s third Moon Palace property and the first in the D.R.

The new resort is located in the Macao area of the D.R. and is projected to bring in an additional 250,000 potential new tourists per year, says Palace Resorts.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place with the Dominican Republic’s President Danilo Medina and Minister of Tourism, Francisco Javier García along with government reps and executives from Palace Resorts.

Palace Resorts’ President and Managing Director José Chapur, and Executive Vice President Gibrán Chapur, say Moon Palace Punta Cana is part of the expansion plan in place for Palace Resorts, a company with over 30 years’ experience in the tourism sector with 11 hotels throughout Mexico and Jamaica.

The new resort, located 500 metres inland from the coastline, will have 2,149 rooms over 18 floors in a design they say will occupy just 6% of the development’s total terrain.

Some 70% of the rooms at Moon Palace Punta Cana will have ocean views, with the remaining 30% facing a 18-hole golf course designed by Greg Norman.

The resort will also feature 21 restaurants and seven bars, sports amenities and swimming pools, a spa, a beach club, and a convention centre.

The Chapurs maintain that “the concept of luxury all-inclusive is still new to the Dominican Republic” and that the Moon Palace Punta Cana project is intended to complement the country’s existing offering and attract vacationers who, until now, hadn’t included the destination on their must-visit list.

“Expanding the Moon Palace brand is part of our company’s long term growth strategy. The brand’s expansion comes after the wildly successful resort, Moon Palace Cancun, the newly opened The Grand at Moon Palace Cancun and Moon Palace Jamaica. The development in the Dominican Republic was a natural fit for the expansion of the brand, given its popularity in the Caribbean,” said Gibran Chapur.

“The country offers lush, tropical and paradisiacal miles of coastline, magnificent resorts and hotels, and a variety of sports, recreation and entertainment options. From delicious gastronomy to a variety of ecotourism adventures in the country’s national parks, mountain ranges, rivers and beaches, Dominican Republic is a destination like no other. We’re here to add to and contribute to this country’s goal of continually increasing the number of visitors that can generate a better income for its inhabitants.”