SANTO DOMINGO. – Andrés Marranzini, director of the Punta Bergantín Trust, said yesterday that the new destination, for whose development President Luis Abinader broke ground yesterday, represents the new direction of the Dominican Republic in tourism.
The businessman emphasized that Punta Bergantín is a public policy tool that will bring progress through tourism to a region that has not received significant private tourism investment in recent years.
“And we are happy with how Puerto Plata has embraced this initiative and how we have been building a bankable product, so that investors feel comfortable with the different strategies we are implementing to ensure that their projects are successful,” Marranzini said in an interview with the program Hoy Mismo.
He estimated that the development in its advanced stage will take around 5 years, including the various amenities and tourist buildings that it includes, ranging from apartment complexes, hotels, golf course, film studio, educational campus, among others.
Abinader yesterday led the groundbreaking ceremony that marks the start of construction of the public access to Punta Bergantín and the Hyatt Zilara Hotel, which includes 800 rooms and whose investment is estimated at US$200 million.
President Abinader spearheaded the launch of the Punta Bergantín construction project. (External source).
The Hyatt Zilara is the first of a series of tourist facilities that will position this location as a major attraction for both local and international visitors. The ambitious project, led by Banreservas, includes 4,000 hotel rooms and 1,500 residential rooms.
"We needed North American brands in the area to attract North American tourism to the Puerto Plata region. We needed that commercial power, that database that Hyatt has, and that Meliá also has, which, despite being a Spanish brand, has excellent contacts with the North American market," said President Luis Abinader, as he led the opening of the new destination.
He reaffirmed to investors the government's support, in terms of marketing, from the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Public Works in all areas, and stated that Punta Bergantín will be a great success and will relaunch the entire region.
He stated that the fact that important world-renowned brands want to invest in this project brings hope to the entire region and tourism, especially in the northern area, with its impact on the whole country, and also represents acts of confidence in the project and the area.
Meanwhile, Banreservas CEO Samuel Pereyra outlined the complex's features: “Today we already have a development plan for Punta Bergantín that will include 4,000 hotel rooms; as well as 1,500 residential rooms; an academic campus designed to promote education and innovation in the country; a film studio to be installed jointly with the international firm One Race Films, a company chaired by actor Vin Diesel; and a modern 18-hole golf course,” Pereyra explained.
Meanwhile, Hyatt executive and representative Antonio Fungairino stated that this project will represent a very high-profile anchor for the development of Punta Bergantín and thanked the Dominican Republic for its strategic focus on tourism, where he reported they already have almost 20 hotels and more than 8,000 rooms.
The blessing of the inauguration of the constructions in Punta Bergantín was carried out by Monsignor Julio César Cornielle, bishop of the diocese of Puerto Plata.
Present were the presidents of the Senate, Ricardo de los Santos, and of the Chamber of Deputies, Alfredo Pacheco; the Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza; the Minister of Labor, Luis Miguel De Camps, and the Minister of the Environment, Armando Paíno Henríquez; the Governor of the Central Bank, Héctor Valdez Albizu; the Governor of Puerto Plata, Claritza Rochette, and the Mayor of Villa Montellano, Héctor Almonte.
Also present were the director of the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), Igor Rodríguez; General Minoru Matsunaga of Politur; Wellington Arnaud of Inapa; Biviana Riveiro of ProDominicana; and former Major League Baseball player and member of the Cooperstown Hall of Fame, Vladimir Guerrero.
