TMR Canada in Punta Cana: The 1st All-Inclusive W is Open, But Where Are the Canadians?

“But what would it take to attract more Canadians?” That was the lingering question as TMR Canada spent some time with Luz Alvaro, marketing director of the newly opened W Punta Cana, the first all-inclusive resort from the popular Marriott lifestyle brand.

Since opening in September 2025, the W Punta Cana, positioned as a luxurious adults-only all-inclusive resort, has offered everything a discerning traveller could want: an all-suite property, a “no checks, no children, no compromises” concept, lush surroundings, two pools, a sargassum-free beach (a rarity in the region), six specialty restaurants, and a very high-end overall experience. Yet Canadians still haven’t shown up in significant numbers.

“Our clientele is 90% Americans, and the response from the U.S. market was immediate and overwhelmingly positive from the moment we opened. However, we’re still having difficulty attracting Canadian travellers. So tell me, what do we need to do?” Alvaro said.

To answer that question, we need to go back in time.

This is my fourth visit to the Dominican Republic, and I’ve noticed a shift in the destination’s positioning over the past five years, with the opening of more luxurious hotels such as the W Punta Cana. Yet in the collective Canadian imagination, the Dominican Republic is still associated with a destination that is “good and cheap” — which, for decades, it was.

So how do you change a perception that has been so deeply rooted among Canadians for so long? I think it will happen, but it will take some time.

“We are sold by Air Canada Vacations. Even when we offer an extremely competitive nightly rate compared to our usual pricing, which is around $1,000 per night based on double occupancy, it’s very difficult. There seems to be a psychological price barrier for Canadians,” said Alvaro.

What followed was an interesting discussion about the region’s development over the past ten years. The recent opening of several luxury resorts, including The St. Regis, Sanctuary Cap Cana, Secrets Playa Esmeralda and the W, is gradually transforming the destination into one increasingly focused on luxury travel.

“We no longer want to build ultra-massive hotels aimed for mass tourism. The new properties that are getting built in the Dominican Republic are smaller, more niche, more boutique. Slowly but surely, we want to move away from what we’ve always done. Miches is a new destination that will continue to develop over the coming years; it’s the next must-visit resort area,” said Alvaro.

The W Punta Cana is located halfway between Punta Cana and Miches, about an hour from the international airport. The owners chose this location in order to be “just far enough from Punta Cana and the large chain resorts,” while still being “close enough for convenience.”

“The choice of Punta Cana was strategic. It’s a region developed for tourism, with all the necessary infrastructure. But most importantly, the airport offers year-round connections to more countries than many other island destinations,” said Alvaro. “We are connected to almost every market through direct flights year-round, and our seasonality is very long. So it was a logical and practical choice.”

The W Punta Cana is the brand’s first all-inclusive resort. Adults-only and now available to Canadian travellers through Air Canada Vacations, the property has everything it needs to win people over.

We spent two days there, and the experience was flawless. The service is exceptional, the grounds are immaculate, the food offering is incredibly varied and high-quality, the rooms are spacious and ultra-comfortable, and the setting is simply stunning.

So, what are we waiting for?