Sustainable Tourism Program Reviewed in Puerto Plata

Sustainable Tourism Program Reviewed in Puerto Plata

The Joint Coordination Committee (CCC in Spanish) which is working to implement the Sustainable Tourism in Puerto Plata Project, met this Friday to review activities over the coming four years in an effort to encourage sustainable tourism in this northern coastal area of the country.

This meeting was a follow-up of the agreement signed last year by those institutions and will last four years with a $3 million donation through JICA.

Institutions that participated in the meeting include International Cooperation Office of the Economy, Planning and Development Ministry, the Ministry of Tourism (SECTUR), National Institute of Professional Technical Training (INFOTEP) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), according to the Office of Press and Communications of SECTUR.

This meeting was a follow-up of the agreement signed last year by those institutions and will last four years with a $3 million donation through JICA.

The project seeks to establish a development system based on public and private participation with the goal of benefitting the communities through the development of tourism products and services, all while using local resources.

The “Sustainable Tourism through Public and Private Participation” project is designed to positively impact the Puerto Plata province as a major touristic pole with a radius of action through Puerto Plata, Altamira, Guananico, Imbert, Los Hidalgos, Luperón, Sosúa, Villa Isabela and Montellano and affects more than 312,700 people living in that region.

In view of the geographical area where this Project is being implemented, the Deputy Tourism Minister for the Northern Region, César José de los Santos, will act as the executive director while Tourism Minister Francisco Javier García, and INFOTEP Executive Director, Josefina Pimentel, will be executive co-directors. This project has the full backing of the new syndicates of Puerto Plata who signed a letter declaring their support.

The director of JICA, Mr. Tadashi Ikeshiro, expressed his motivation to promote the tourism development of Puerto Llano and turn around the decline of the mid-1990’s.

The goal is for the local population to have more opportunities to participate in tourism activities and collaborate with the tourism industry which would promote a better lifestyle for the population and consequently, sustainable development of the local tourism.

Josefina Pimentel, Executive Director of INFOTEP; Tadashi Ikeshiro, General Director of JICA; César José de los Santos, Deputy Tourism Minister for the Northern Region; América Bastidas, Sub-Secretary of International Cooperation and Yasushi Wada, General Project Coordinator.