The Dominican Republic continues to be one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean and Carnival Corporation is investing in that. The company has created a new solar park at its Amber Cove Cruise Center in the country. Meanwhile, more than 1,800 solar panels in the park will supply 80 percent of the port’s energy.

Carnival invests in sustainability in the Dominican Republic

This week a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in Amber Cove, attended by various dignitaries, including Joel Santos, Minister of the Dominican Republic, and Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line. Duffy said:

As we bring guests to enjoy the beauty and rich culture of the Dominican Republic, we also take our environmental stewardship here and everywhere we visit very seriously. With this new solar park in Amber Cove, we are furthering our commitment to sustainability at our destinations by focusing on renewable energy sources to power the vast majority of the port’s needs.

Meanwhile, Santos said in a statement:

On behalf of the government, we celebrate this achievement, which makes Amber Cove the first cruise terminal in the country with a project of this scale. This project will undoubtedly contribute to the production of clean energy and environmental sustainability in Puerto Plata.

Reducing reliance on fossil fuels

Now the solar park is operational, the shift to renewable solar energy will replace the majority of the port’s current energy sources. By doing so, it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions that were previously experienced. Meanwhile, the new solar park is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 1,000 tons per year. Moreover, this is the equivalent of planting more than 30,000 trees.

Amber Cove Cruise Center is located just outside the town of Puerto Plata in the heart of the Dominican Republic’s north coast. Meanwhile, this is one of eight port destinations and exclusive islands operated and owned by Carnival Corporation.

Moreover, this Caribbean nation is among some of the top cruise destinations in the world. Carnival Corporation owns four cruise lines, namely Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Costa Cruises and Princess Cruises. All cruise lines regularly visit the Amber Cove Cruise Center, which celebrated an amazing one million guests arriving last December. Overall, this accounts for more than 50 percent of all cruise guests visiting the Dominican Republic in 2023.

The Dominican Republic investing in tourism

Recently, train travel has been making a major comeback, whether running at high-speed or luxurious sleeper trains. Meanwhile, the latter is often a vacation in itself more than a journey between A and B. Many new routes have been reported, including a new tourist train to allow visitors to travel around the Dominican Republic.

It was recently reported that the Dominican Republic is also investing in tourism. A new tourist train is set to run between Punta Cana and Santo Domingo. While Punta Cana is a popular oceanfront resort, Santo Domingo is a fascinating historic and cultural destination, giving tourists a chance to know more about the Dominican Republic.