SANTO DOMINGO. – President Luis Abinader said this Tuesday that 19 new hotel investment projects will be built in the country over the next 3 years, for a total of 9,135 rooms, with an estimated investment of US$2.936 billion.
In his "Accountability" speech before the National Congress, the president highlighted the 10 million visitors who came to the Dominican Republic last year.
He also highlighted the recognition given by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as the number 1 country in tourism recovery worldwide.
He added that last January, the UNWTO published that international tourism will reach pre-pandemic levels in 2024, two years later than the Dominican Republic.
“According to the same organization in its latest report, we, along with Saudi Arabia and Albania, are leading the growth of post-pandemic tourism in 2023,” the president declared in a speech lasting almost two hours.
He said that the growth of tourism has been accompanied by a strategy of public investment in the main tourist areas, in the new centers and throughout the country.
“We have intervened in 89 projects in 18 provinces with a value of 8.4 billion and currently we have 4.64 billion in execution, for a total of 39 projects in 11 provinces, the main ones being Samaná, Puerto Plata and La Altagracia.”.
As examples, he cited the reconstruction of the fishermen's square, the access road to Playa Astillero, the access to Playa Cosón, and the Malecón in Samaná, the first stage of the recovery of Playa Sosúa in Puerto Plata and several seawalls such as those of Cabrera and Santo Domingo Este.
“We are also rebuilding the La Caleta underwater park, constructing the access to the Aguas Blancas Waterfall in Constanza and the surroundings of the Boca de Cachón resort in Independencia province,” Abinader explained.
He added that from all points, from north to south, and from east to west, the Dominican Republic has its own characteristics capable of generating new wealth for the country.
“This is how we have acted in Miches, which is undoubtedly home to one of our most impressive natural beauties. It has immense development potential that is now beginning to be tapped, with a major impact on the progress of that region.”.
Abinader stated that the government committed to building infrastructure in Miches such as roads, aqueducts and hospitals, some already completed or under construction, and the businessmen committed to developing hotels.
He added that the private sector currently has four hotels under construction equivalent to 2,500 rooms that will generate 3,000 direct jobs for Miches and 9,000 indirect jobs.
“In addition to the increase in cruise tourism, construction has also begun in the north on the Punta Bergantín tourism project, which will give Puerto Plata a new boost to reverse the decline in the hotel sector that this province has experienced during the last 20 years.”.
He spoke of Pedernales “as the least populated in the entire country and for many years the least served. The southern region only appeared in promises. I can say that, in all areas and sectors, the south is changing. Not only tourism; our commitment to the development of the south has been on all fronts.”.
