Tourism and Public Works Ministries Undertake Road Improvements in Tourism Areas

The Ministries of Tourism (SECTUR) and Public Works and Communications (SEOPC) this week undertook a joint project to repair the roads in the country´s tourism areas. 

García noted that the investment in new projects by the Bahía Príncipe Group oscillates between $1 and 1.2 billion dollars and is proof of the confidence in the local investment climate among investors.

SECTUR Minister Francisco Javier García indicated that the initiative was being adopted on the instructions of President Leonel Fernández and will guarantee “the definitive repair of all the roads” in the tourism areas.  

He also announced the signing of an agreement, this week, between the Ministry of Interior and Police, the National Police and the Tourism Police (POLITUR) to implement a Special Security Program in the tourism areas.  

He said the program´s goal is to reinforce security in these areas. “We are also working to install a system with an extraordinary number of cameras in the streets where tourists walk,” García announced to the press shortly before the groundbreaking ceremony of the tourism complex and the Playa Nueva Romana realty office being developed by the Spanish Bahía Príncipe Group in San Pedro de Macorís .   

Dominican President Leonel Fernández was present at the activity along with other personalities in the world of business, diplomacy and provincial authorities  

More than US $10 Billion Dollars in Tourism Projects by the End of 2008 

García noted that the investment in new projects by the Bahía Príncipe Group oscillates between $1 and 1.2 billion dollars and is proof of the confidence in the local investment climate among investors.

He noted that, in this order, before the end of 2008, investment in tourism will be approved for a global amount of over $10 billion dollars. He reminded people that it was only last October that projects approved by the Council for Tourism Management (CONFORTUR) exceeded US$7 billion dollars.

García reported that this Friday he will meet in Venezuela “with a group of Venezuelan investors who will come to invest in Dominican projects in excess of US$800 million dollars, which means that the DR is currently attracting capital.”

“With this Project not only does San Pedro de Macorís, La Romana benefit but the capital city of Santo Domingo will also as I imagine there will be tourists visiting the Capital Zone,” said the Tourism Minister in reference to the impact the project will have in the capital due to its nearness to San Pedro de Macorís.

It is estimated that the complex could generate between 8 and 10,000 direct jobs. For each direct job there is a calculated additional impact of 5 indirect jobs.

He stressed that the Bahía Príncipe Group has been functioning in the DR for the past 14 years installing hotels all over the country in the tourism areas.

President of the Bahía Príncipe Group, Pablo Piñero, praised the favorable investment climate and legal system in the DR in addition to the kindness of the people and the country´s natural beauty.   

“There is no island or region in the Caribbean with people nearly as friendly and with beaches nearly as beautiful as the Dominican Republic,” said Pablo Piñero, the Spanish businessman.   

Santo Domingo-Samaná Road To Be Inaugurated in December  

President Leonel Fernández pointed out that this large investment will produce a “change of profile” in the province of San Pedro de Macorís which is gradually changing from an agricultural economy to one based in providing services, generating many jobs and income.  

He stressed that the project will create between 8 and 10,000 direct jobs.

The President announced that the Santo Domingo-Samaná road will be functional and that it will generate even more tourism and productive activities by cutting in half the amount of time it takes to travel between the two provinces.   

An Impact of Up to 10,000 Direct Jobs  

The complex where the ground was broken this Thursday covers an area of 6 million square meters and will include four 5-star hotels with space for a total of 2,800 rooms and more than 1,200 deluxe chalets. 

There is also a two-kilometer stretch of beach, a marina, an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, polo grounds, and a baseball field among other infrastructure attractions.

The ceremony held to officially begin the construction of the project was attended by the Spanish Ambassador in the DR Juan Diego Bermejo and the governor of San Pedro de Macorís, Alcibíades Tavárez, among other government officials and executives from the Bahía Príncipe chain.

Pablo Piñero, President of the Bahía Príncipe Group explains the details of the consortium´s new project in Cumayasa to President Leonel Fernández and Tourism Minister Francisco Javier García.

Pablo Piñero, Leonel Fernández and Francisco Javier García