SANTO DOMINGO.– The tourism development project being built in Pedernales, located in the deep south of the Dominican Republic, will contribute $41 million annually to the treasury, $117 million in annual purchases, and another $712 million to the GDP.
This was reported by Carlos Peguero, Vice Minister of International Cooperation and Director of the Pedernales Tourism Development Project, as he led a meeting with farmers from that area to explain the challenges and opportunities that the take-off of tourism in that region represents.
He called on farmers to take initiative and empower themselves with the benefits that this tourism development will bring.
“If you don’t take control of this, others will come and sell the products to the hotel owners and the port,” he said at a meeting attended by mayors and legislators from the four provinces that make up the Enriquillo region.
He stated that the Cabo Rojo project will have a high demand for food, where in the first phase 5 hotels with 4,700 rooms will be built, generating about 10,300 direct jobs and another 27,500 indirect jobs.
He said that work is underway on a road rehabilitation plan in conjunction with Public Works and other entities that will connect the North and South to ensure the transport of agricultural products to hotels, restaurants, and other establishments that require them.
He added that the Pedernales Seafront Promenade (Malecón), and the new 200-room boutique hotel whose construction has begun, will be the starting point for the development of this town, where MITUR is investing 560 million pesos, and that it will be an exclusive and unique attraction for local visitors and cruise ship tourists, bringing economic dynamism to the people of Pedernales.
Peguero explained the importance of meeting with the main actors in this sector, which are the agricultural producers, to explain the expectations that hoteliers have of them, regarding their needs so that tourism can continue to develop in the region.
He explained that the Tourism Department is working on the renovation of resorts, such as the recently completed Boca de Cachón attraction, and in the surrounding areas of the provinces that make up the South.
Eric Dorrejo, director of Border Zone Development Policies at the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPyD), explained the creation of the Enriquillo Norte Agro-industrial Center (CAEN), which aims to transform the Enriquillo region with an ambitious agro-industrial project.
"It is a public-private project that will benefit those who reside in the territory and will contribute to strengthening the capacity of farmers," with modern technologies and quality production.
Challenges and opportunities
In response to the challenges that the anticipated food demand will bring to the tourism project in Cabo Rojo, Pedernales and the Enriquillo Region, the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR), together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and government institutions related to the agricultural sector, held a meeting with farmers from that region.
Representatives from institutions such as the Ministries of Agriculture, Economy, Planning and Development, the Dominican Agrarian Institute, and the Agricultural Bank, among others, attended the presentation on the “Impact of Tourism Development in the Enriquillo Region on the Agricultural Sector.”.
At this meeting, farmers, agricultural producers, directors, and representatives of institutions linked to the agricultural sector discussed expectations, opportunities, and the needs of the tourism market in the region with the economic dynamics that this Development Plan will bring.
Representatives from various institutions. (EXTERNAL SOURCE).
The FAO representative in the country, Rodrigo Castañeda, highlighted the opportunities offered by this CAEN initiative for the entire region, benefiting tourism. He called on farmers to innovate, form associations, and be competitive in the face of the challenges involved in food production to supply tourism development in Cabo Rojo, Pedernales, and other provinces of the Southwest.
Stephenie Reyes, head of Analysis at the Technical Vice Ministry of MITUR, revealed positive results from surveys conducted by the institution regarding the high levels of tourist satisfaction, where 8 out of 10 value their stays in hotels and on the beaches, and 75 percent positively approve of the food consumed in the Dominican Republic
He noted that these ratings indicate that a high percentage of the tourists surveyed want to repeat their visit to the Dominican Republic.
Government guarantees production
Meanwhile, the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, announced the construction of an Enriquillo Norte Agro-industrial Center, as well as the establishment of new agricultural production zones with strategic crops such as bananas, vegetables and tropical fruits to supply the growing demand in the emerging tourist destination.
Deputy Minister Eulalio Ramírez, representing the Minister of Agriculture, Limber Cruz, stated that “the government has resolutely undertaken the mission of transforming Pedernales into a sustainable destination, where natural wealth is combined with the well-being of its people.”.
He explained that, among other measures and as a comprehensive strategy, livestock production and sustainable fishing will be strengthened, ensuring that meat, eggs, milk, fish and seafood come from all communities in this region.
He announced that some 300,000 new acres will be incorporated into the production system to meet this demand for food from the South and Southwest.
Present at the event held at the port of Cabo Rojo were the governor of Pedernales, Edirda de Óleo, who gave the welcoming remarks, the director of the Cabo Rojo port, Gabriel Guevara, vice ministers, legislators, and mayors from the provinces that make up the Enriquillo region.
