SANTO DOMINGO – “I want to tell this assembly and the Dominican people that one of the greatest legacies this government will leave to this country will be the tourism development of Pedernales. Have no doubt that this is a major commitment to the economic and social development of the south,” President Luis Abinader said yesterday in his State of the Nation address to the National Assembly.
He considered that the Cabo Rojo-Pedernales project will directly benefit not only Pedernales but also Barahona, Independencia, Bahoruco and San Juan de la Maguana; the latter, he assured, will have a safe and nearby market for its agricultural products.
“This project was developed taking into account the socioeconomic and environmental realities of the region and the country, through many hours of work by national and international experts and the government. It is a comprehensive design that will include an airport, hotels, and the necessary infrastructure for its development.
He stated on the 179th anniversary of National Independence that the construction of the first two hotels had begun and that in a few weeks the construction of the third would begin, which will add 500 more rooms for a total of 1,600 rooms under development.
“In these first three hotels we are talking about a total investment of US$335 million, and the generation of around 2,200 direct jobs and 6,600 indirect jobs, in addition to all the economic dynamism that this implies for companies and businesses in the area.”.
He explained that US$98 million will be invested in the Port of Cabo Rojo, and that in the first quarter of 2023, they will begin the bidding process for the Pedernales International Airport, which will be built in the community of Oviedo.
He spoke about the results of Dominican tourism, noting that last year 59,458 flights arrived in the country, 11% more than the best pre-pandemic year, while hotel occupancy reached an annual average of close to 75%, and that the economy of households that live off short-term rentals was also positively impacted, with an increase in occupancy from 25% to 35%, and many more properties.
He cited the projects underway in Miches, including the start of construction on seven new hotels and the creation of a new sustainable destination in the northeast of the country. He specified that in the northern region, the design is already complete, and construction of the first phase of Punta Bergantín in Puerto Plata is about to begin. This phase involves agreements with themed hotels, innovation centers, and film studios, a project he believes will help revitalize tourism in the northern region.
