SANTO DOMINGO. – With the aim of continuing the public policies related to the “National Ecotourism Strategy (ENEC-2030)”, the “ Inter-institutional Ecotourism Committee ” was formed
The committee was created by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MMARN), the Ministry of Tourism ( Mitur) and the Ministry of Culture (MINC), during a meeting this past week, headed by Patricia Mejía, Vice Minister of Tourism; Milagros De Camps, Vice Minister of Climate Change of the MMARN, and Yamall Michelén, Vice Minister of Culture.
The activity allowed representatives of the institutions to discuss the challenge that the Dominican Republic faces in achieving competitive ecotourism, while at the same time not affecting natural resources , especially in the face of the impacts it has received as a result of climate change.
At the same time, discussions focused on the importance of strengthening inter-institutional cooperation ties in favor of ecotourism that respects the environment, as well as the importance of fostering the development of local businesses for the benefit of communities and promoting training programs that improve the competitiveness and sustainability of the sector in the medium and long term.
The ENEC-2030 foresees the progressive and adaptive deployment of its initiatives, ensuring a lasting and beneficial impact for the country.
The event was attended by Federico Franco, Vice Minister of Protected Areas and Biodiversity; Ysabel Bonelly, Head of Ecotourism; Arantxa Morel, Sustainable Finance Officer; and Melisa Guzmán, Analyst from the Directorate of Financial Mechanisms and Portfolio Management of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. Representing the Ministry of Tourism were Yira Vermenton, Director of Provincial Initiatives; Annabel Hiraldo, Director of Tourism Promotion and Cultural Crafts; and Alfredo García.
Milagros De Camps applauded the objectives of the National Ecotourism Strategy, and reiterated the MMARN's commitment to the conservation of natural resources, without affecting economic development, protected areas, and the cultural component that tourism represents for the country.
De Camps appreciated the interest of the institutions in creating the conditions to channel financing towards climate action resilience in the Dominican Republic, "but focusing heavily on nature, which, in the case of this project, has the cultural component, which is the differentiating factor in others in relation to the strategies of our country.".
Representatives of the organizations involved. (External source).
Meanwhile, Patricia Mejía spoke about the need for all institutions to continue joining forces to achieve the objectives of the National Ecotourism Strategy. She affirmed that, as with other projects, the Ministry of Tourism is fully prepared to continue collaborating with the Ministries of Environment and Culture, and called on the relevant entities to share and consult with the sectors involved on all the necessary inputs, information, and studies to guarantee sustainable growth.
Meanwhile, Yamall Michelén praised the importance of the project and the institutions' interest in promoting it, "because it speaks to sustainable tourism, that is, tourismthat takes into account natural, tangible and intangible heritage. I think we are moving in the right direction," he said.
In this regard, Víctor Gómez Valenzuela, consultant and person in charge of developing this strategy, highlighted the need for the participation of all actors involved, from the government to society in general, in view of the growth of tourism in the Dominican Republic, and the interest that the country continues with the preservation of natural resources and tourism sustainability.
“The question we need to ask ourselves is whether our ecosystems and cultural resources have the capacity to manage the total volume of tourists in the coming years, and how this may affect their conservation and management status,” the expert noted.
