The National Competitiveness Council, the National Network of Tourism Clusters and the Dominican Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (USAID - DSTA) recently signed an inter-institutional cooperation agreement with the objective of strengthening the country´s tourism clusters in an effort to better manage their activities and to integrate the work and initiatives being done in the public and private sector.

“The CNC has assumed the strategy of promoting associations and links through the clusters or through joint projects in that it utilizes a suitable mechanism for coordinating efforts..."

This memorandum of understanding seeks to establish a link between these institutions and to organize the country´s nine major tourism destinations into strategic clusters thus making them more competitive. The nine tourism areas include La Altagracia, Romana-Bayahibe, Santo Domingo, Barahona, Pedernales, Constanza, Jarabacoa, Samaná and Puerto Plata.

The National Competitiveness Council (CNC), as the institution in charge of heading up the competitiveness programs on a national level, represents the Dominican Government.

“The CNC has assumed the strategy of promoting associations and links through the clusters or through joint projects in that it utilizes a suitable mechanism for coordinating efforts. The CNC also enjoys a synergy with the business community and the public and private sector which contribute to the search for higher levels of competitiveness,” said Andrés van der Horst Álvarez, Executive Director of the CNC.

He added that the CNC is committed to continue with the “sustainable technical and financial support for the tourism clusters through the network,” as well as to act as interlocutor and facilitator of relations with other governmental organizations to facilitate the process and creation of synergy and strategic alliances.

The network seeks to bring together nine tourism clusters whose objectives are focused on reaching higher competitiveness levels for their destinations, diversification of their offerings, improving quality and developing coherent promotional programs.

The network is also committed to co-financing activities and developing projects to support new groups whose actions are based on learned experience and the sharing of practical management information.

With the signing of the agreement, the “Network of Tourism Clusters takes on a leadership role in the planning and implementation of the activities of the tourism clusters that we are supporting through the USAID-DSTA Program,” said Odalis Pérez about the US Agency for International Development.

Pérez pointed out that the tourism clusters are a very effective way to include the communities in sustainable development of their own towns and cities and of the country´s tourism destinations. “Tourism can achieve sustainable objectives in a place only when its development projects respect and protect the environment, natural resources and democratic practices,” said Pérez.

USAID - DSTA will support the legal registration of the clusters for those who wish to sign up. It will also support the creation of a business plan that allows them to generate a business portfolio...

The objective of the USAID-DSTA Project, as a cooperation program, is to support and facilitate the process of institutionally strengthening the country´s tourism clusters such as cooperating in the diversification of current tourism offerings through a program of financing and technical advising.

Beginning with this signing of this agreement until September 2009, the USAID-DSTA project will rely on a budget of $4.7 million dollars to support the process. General Coordinator of the Dominican Tourism Alliance, Lissette Gil, said the Project is part of the initiatives implemented by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

USAID - DSTA will support the legal registration of the clusters for those who wish to sign up. It will also support the creation of a business plan that allows them to generate a business portfolio that will facilitate the independent deposit and tracking of funds and the launching of a small grants program directed toward the diversification of tourism products in the various destinations. The organization has also committed to support the clusters with short-term projects as well as integrated communication programs on a national level.

From left to right: Richard Goughnour, Director of US Agency for International Development for the Dominican Republic; Andrés van der Horst Álvarez, Executive Director of the National Competitiveness Council and Richard Bossi, Vice President and Director of the Center for Environmental Strategies of Washington.