Multisectoral partnership is proposed to address pending tasks in Samaná

Multisectoral partnership is proposed to address pending tasks in Samaná
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 06/30/13

T he President of the Samaná Tourist Cluster (CTS – Clúster Turístico de Samaná), Rafael Blanco Tejera, proposed the creation of a public-private, as well as a community-based, partnership to address the remaining challenges of that province, so that its full potential can be developed as one of the leading tourist destinations in the Dominican Republic.

While participating in the opening of the “First Annual Meeting for Samaná’s Tourism Development,” led by the Minister of Tourism Francisco Javier García, the young entrepreneur presented a list of critical issues that require the participation of all the sectors that are linked to tourism in the peninsula.

“Samaná has all the necessary resources to be a competitive destination, to be a prosperous province, to be a regional benchmark for tourist diversification. However, to be able to link all these elements and to blend them in order to boost our tourism industry and our province, we need for those who are gathered here today to firmly and consistently work together as a team. I mean, everyone: the central government, our local government, the private sector, and the community, all united for Samaná,” Blanco Tejera, stated.

In reviewing the issues that warrant a joint effort, the President of the Cluster highlighted, in the first place, several environmental and sanitation aspects that are essential to improving the quality of tourism in the area.

He referred to the opening of a landfill to handle the final disposal of solid waste, the formulation of a waste recycling plan, the expansion of the Las Terrenas and Santa Bárbara de Samaná wastewater treatment plants, and a sanitation program of the various rivers in the province.

He also proposed a traffic management plan, with special emphasis on Las Terrenas where a study of this problem already exists; the modification of the Santa Barbara de Samaná’s entrance; the regulation of tours and vendor activities; and the restoration of the Victorian houses in Sánchez, together with the boardwalk area, so that they may serve as complementary offers.

Other suggestions for improving the tourist destination, including the regulation, adaptation and signaling of some iconic attractions in the area, such as Los Haïtises and the Salto El Limón; review the current toll rate of the Atlantic Tourist Boulevard; conduct a feasibility study of the measures to reduce the energy costs, while respecting the agreements that have already been made; create a polytechnic institute in Las Terrenas and arrange for the opening of the Polytechnic in Santa Bárbara de Samaná.

The First Annual Meeting for Tourism Development in Samaná took place with the participation of Artemio Santos, former Secretary of Tourism of the State of Quintana Roo in Mexico, and Mike Ronan, Senior Executive of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, who reaffirmed their commitment to including the Port of Santa Barbara in the itinerary of the Quantum of the Seas cruise ship which, starting next year, will become the second largest ship and the most modern in the world.

In turn, Artemio Santos shared his views on the experience of Quintana Roo and the activities that were developed by the Mexican state through a public-private partnership to bolster the tourist and commercial success of Cancun, Cozumel and the Mayan Riviera.

The event is part of the activities included in the Sustainable Tourism Empowerment program, sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and implemented by the Dominican Consortium for Tourism Competitiveness (CDTC – Consorcio Dominicano de Competitividad Turística), with support from the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Tourism (MITUR), the Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic (ASONAHORES), the 21st Century Dominican Airports (AERODOM), Banco Popular Dominicano and the ROYAL Caribbean.