President Luis Abinader led the symbolic ceremony marking the start of construction for the first Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy in Punta Cana, a project set to enhance luxury and sports tourism in the Dominican Republic.
This will be the first Nadal academy in the Americas, further strengthening the country’s appeal as a top-tier destination.
Accompanied by Rafael Nadal, Meliá Hotels International CEO Gabriel Escarrer, Tourism Minister David Collado, and Sports Minister Kelvin Cruz, Abinader praised Nadal’s investment in tourism and sports. He emphasized that such partnerships should inspire further foreign investment, particularly from Spain, and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tourism and economic growth.
The academy, designed as a Tennis Centre with a social club rather than a replica of the Mallorca facility, is part of an agreement between Nadal and Meliá Hotels. It follows the recent inauguration of the Zel Punta Cana hotel, first announced at the FITUR 2024 tourism fair.
