Tourism & Air Connectivity: Air Canada is launching a seasonal Montreal–Santo Domingo winter route in December 2026, marking the first time its mainline A220-300 will fly nonstop between the two cities, while Aerodom reports Canadian traffic up sharply across DR airports and expects more seat capacity for the 2026-27 season. Hotel Pricing Push: Tourism Minister David Collado urged a “new stage” for DR tourism that raises hotel rates and tourist spending so growth delivers more income for Dominicans, pointing to key destinations needing stronger planning. Education Watch: PISA 2025 results keep Dominican students below OECD averages in math, reading, and science, with only 9% reaching basic math proficiency and virtually no students hitting top levels. Tax Compliance: DGII is extending its “Scoring Tributario” tool to small businesses via the Virtual Office, using a five-star rating to flag pending declarations, overdue payments, and inconsistencies. Trade & Enforcement: MICM seized 30,000+ illicit goods from Chinese-owned businesses, including unregistered medicines, sexual stimulants, and cigarettes, warning of consumer and tax impacts. Energy & Grid Planning: ETED opened an expression of interest for up to 600 MW/1,200 MWh of battery storage to support the interconnected national system. Public Safety Drill: DR’s National Earthquake Evacuation Drill mobilized 3.2 million people across 12,500+ institutions, with President Abinader participating in the exercise. Visa/Travel Retail: Visa and Duty Free Americas expanded their partnership, extending cardholder discounts to DFA operations at Punta Cana and adding benefits at a major Panama–Costa Rica border store.