The city of whales dressed up for a night where tourism, art, and nature were the protagonists. Samaná.- Under one of the most imposing sunsets in the Caribbean, in the Marina of Puerto Bahía and in front of the natural sanctuary that each year receives the humpback whales of the North Atlantic, the peninsula did not need an introduction. In that privileged setting, the Samaná Tourist Cluster and the Association of Hotels and Tourism Companies of Samaná (AHETSA) successfully held the first edition of the concert "Al Ritmo de la Bahía" (To the Rhythm of the Bay), a proposal that fuses destination, culture, gastronomy, and nature into a coherent and visionary narrative. More than a concert, At the Rhythm of the Bay was an affirmation of identity. Samaná is not just exuberant nature; it's a country brand. It not only receives visitors, it creates memorable experiences. From early on, representatives from the main tourism organizations, project owners, hoteliers, business leaders, and tourists visiting the province during the high season gathered at an event that reaffirms the joint commitment of the Cluster and AHETSA to project the peninsula as an integral, competitive, and sustainable destination. The opening of the event set the institutional tone with the screening of a video in which the voices of tourism leadership agreed on the same message: Samaná is a key piece in the positioning of the Dominican Republic as a multi-destination.

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Encarna Piñero, Global CEO of Grupo Piñero, emphasized that Samaná's tourist strength fully aligns with a vision of responsible and sustainable tourism. For the hotel group, the peninsula is not only home to Bahía Príncipe and Cayo Levantado Resort, but also a territory where long-term relationships are built and social, cultural, and environmental initiatives are developed through the Eco Bahía foundation. "Samaná is a paradise that must be cared for", she stated. For his part, Javier Lara Reinhold, president of the Samaná Tourist Cluster, highlighted that many of the images projected internationally about the Dominican Republic: Los Haitises, El Salto del Limón, Playa Rincón, Las Galeras, Las Terrenas and Playa Bonita, belong to this destination. "Samaná has a collection of unparalleled natural settings", he expressed, vindicating territorial pride. From ASONAHORES, its president Juan Bancalari valued the initiative as a fitting tribute to the arrival of humpback whales, an icon with more than three decades of responsible tourism exploitation. He recalled that every year between 60 and 70 thousand visitors arrive motivated by this natural phenomenon, a figure that could multiply with the new access routes, always under criteria of sustainability and environmental respect. In the same vein, Rafael Blanco Canto, vice president of Viva Resorts by Wyndham, highlighted that the annual visit of the whales makes Samaná a unique destination within the Caribbean, complemented by unique attributes such as the Bay, Los Haitises, Cayo Levantado and beaches with their own identity such as Rincón, El Valle, Cosón and Las Terrenas. The president of AHETSA, Abelardo Melgen, recalled that for years thousands of tourists from Punta Cana arrive in the province exclusively for whale watching and end up discovering the integral richness of the destination. "Samaná is blessed," he affirmed, inviting those who still do not know it to experience its diversity of beaches, nature, and culture. Then, the music took center stage. Maridalia Hernández, Adalgisa Pantaleón, Roger Zayas and Frank Ceara, under the masterful direction of maestro Pengbian Sang, offered a show of high artistic level, accompanied by a first-class orchestra and choir. Each interpretation flowed naturally while the horizon was tinged with golden tones, creating an atmosphere where the landscape and the music seemed to dialogue. Visual art also had its space with the participation of the plastic artist Patricio Corcino, whose intervention provided an aesthetic dimension that enriched the narrative of the event and connected with the natural environment. The experience was completed with the gastronomic proposal of Mosquito, Parchita, Zamia and Ocean Club, who offered a sample of the diversity and culinary talent of the peninsula, turning the night into an experience that celebrated flavor, music and landscape.