Luxury Hoteliers Magazine 4th Quarter 2019 | Page 18

WHEN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PAYS DIVIDENDS: THE CASE OF PUNTACANA RESORT & CLUB By Jake Kheel 18 ILHA In September 2017, our entire company was tracking the storm path of Hurricane Irma. Already a category 5 storm, it was barreling through the Caribbean and headed straight towards the Dominican Republic. Our resort, Puntacana Resort & Club, on the eastern end of the island, was at risk and we feverishly prepared for the storm. Luckily for us, Irma took a last- minute turn to the north, barely missing Punta Cana. Our property had only light damage, a few fallen trees and a couple of days of rain. We had electricity throughout the storm and the Puntacana International Airport operated without interruption.