SANTO DOMINGO- The criteria for sustainable tourism were created based on the needs that must be met for a better present and future; therefore, tourism must contribute to local development, water and energy management, quality jobs, and biodiversity conservation.
However, the Dominican Republic focuses on meeting the demand for unreflective development, following international trends, and not on the rational management of investments for the care of the areas and the community.
National tour guide Edwin Aristy and sustainable tourism specialist Lissette Gil agree that the country lacks a comprehensive vision for the development of tourist destinations and that a law regulating the sector based on sustainability criteria is needed.
On November 16th, Gil, former executive director of the Dominican Consortium for Tourism Competitiveness (CDCT), participated in the Listín Diario Green Forum, where she emphatically stressed the urgent need to create and implement effective policies and strategies to achieve sustainable tourism in the country. It is worth noting that this tourism expert has addressed, emphasized, and warned about this issue for years.
What does the Dominican Republic need to do to transition from current tourism to 21st-century tourism?
LG. The Dominican Republic has made great strides in diversifying its offerings; tourism has continued to grow in many destinations across the country, but not in accordance with sustainability criteria, which are absolutely necessary today for harmonious development in the present and future.
This is mainly because the development of Dominican tourism lacks a tourism planning strategy that pursues sustainable, resilient, and regenerative destinations, one that addresses the real characteristics and capacities of each territory. Instead, it responds to the demand for local or foreign investment and a political agenda, which undoubtedly impacts development today but could become a problem for the territory itself and even for the investors and residents tomorrow.
Is there a comprehensive vision for territories that responds to the 21st century?
LG. From my perspective, there is no comprehensive vision for the development of Dominican tourist destinations. Development in Dominican destinations responds to the demand for investment and not necessarily to the well-being of the local inhabitants, when it should be the other way around.
It's thought that job creation leads to improved local conditions, but what happens if tourism development consumes the water actually available in the area? The most affected will always be the permanent residents who will suffer the consequences simply due to a lack of planning.
Tourists come and go, investors come and go, politicians come and go. The communities that remain in these destinations are permanent, and often, they are the ones least considered.
¿How much progress has been made in planning the country's tourist destinations based on rigorous sustainability criteria such as the environmental, social, and economic pillars?
LG. From my perspective, very little progress has been made in tourism planning in the country's destinations. This is because many officials and businesspeople in the sector still associate sustainability solely with environmental and conservation criteria, which is far from the truth.
Sustainability considers not only socioeconomic aspects but also sociocultural aspects and the management of environmental factors. Without this perfect balance between these four dimensions, sustainability cannot be achieved.
I think we still have much to understand as a tourist destination: the importance of the concepts of sustainability, resilience, and regeneration. We must get on board soon, as these are the concepts that define the strategic development guidelines for 21st-century destinations.
On the social front, it is essential to promote participatory governance in the decision-making processes of tourist destinations, as this will affect or benefit people; and only with participatory governance can the necessary planning be demanded so that tourist areas develop coherently, in an orderly fashion, and respecting healthy coexistence between residents and visitors.
What are the main impacts if planning does not take into account the environmental, social, and economic pillars?
The impacts associated with poor or nonexistent planning include chaotic development, where water consumption, solid waste management, and wastewater disposal are not planned; where access routes and the collateral population growth associated with tourism development are not considered; and where the conservation of ecosystems, the main tourist attraction of destinations, is ignored.
A destination without planning creates infrastructure without considering the actual market (Barahona Airport), generating enormous expenses that are later forgotten. A tourist destination without planning and management is prone to the constant violation of laws and regulations, pirate companies emerge, construction takes place anywhere and by any means, and almost irreversible results are achieved, as in many destinations in our country.
Planning for tourist destinations is still an unfinished task in the Dominican Republic, primarily because for decades it has been customary for ministers to assume office and leave their mark on their administration rather than follow a coherent long-term strategy. The focus is on the initial groundwork and the photo op, not on order and the law.
In Cabo Rojo and Samaná, is there a process of territorial planning and tourism planning as a preliminary step towards sustainable development?
Cabo Rojo is one of the areas with tourism potential that has historically received the most development proposals in our country. The unfortunate reality is that the new projects are driven by a demand for immediate development, fueled by a political climate that prioritizes concrete blocks and rebar over a rational approach to investment management that preserves Pedernales' true appeal: its natural beauty.
Despite warnings from scientists and specialists, Pedernales is doing the exact opposite of the technical recommendations from those with genuine knowledge of the area. Therefore, we can say that Pedernales has a plan tailored to political needs, not to what could truly be achieved in such a rich region as this province.
How do you envision Dominican tourism in the coming years if we don't switch to a sustainable model?
In the future, we will have to undertake a re-engineering of tourist destinations to address the consequences of unplanned development. We have already experienced similar situations in the past with cases like Puerto Plata and Juan Dolio; both areas, due to their own unplanned and mismanaged development, suffered severe tourism crises that impacted investments and the local economy.
Both destinations have had to reinvent themselves: Puerto Plata by shifting towards a more diversified offering that incorporates a strong focus on cruise ships, the consequences of which are still unknown; and Juan Dolio by turning towards real estate tourism, the consequences of which we can only project by comparing it to similar international models.
Tourism planning is not a static proposal; it must be flexible and adapt to the rapid changes of our times. But for this to happen, there must be a common goal, a public-private partnership that envisions the future beyond four years and projects it forward.
This planning must aim to guarantee the quality of life for residents; the satisfaction and safety of tourists; the conservation of natural spaces; the management of water and soil resources; compliance with the law; and, above all, an understanding that the saying "a quick fix today will lead to long-term problems" perfectly reflects the spirit of unsustainable and unplanned development.
Exactly two years ago, you highlighted the lack of planning for the country's tourist destinations based on sustainability criteria as the primary obstacle to sustainable development. Do you believe that the National Development Strategy (END) is being ignored?
I reiterate my position. The International Conference on Destinations of the Future was recently held in Bávaro, where local and international experts discussed various topics related to the management of tourist destinations.
One theme was recurring, both among tourism entrepreneurs and local and international experts: the Dominican Republic urgently needs a sustainable tourism development strategy and an update to its Tourism Law. This fact alone demonstrates that the mandate of the National Development Strategy (END) has been ignored.
Community-based and mountain tourism has grown significantly, but it is still perceived as a counter-offer to the sun, sand, and sea model, a kind of competition. How can these two models be harmonized within sustainable tourism?
Sustainability criteria should be applied to all types of tourism, including sun and beach tourism, community-based tourism, health tourism, nature tourism, and adventure tourism. In our country, we have been pleased and surprised to see how many all-inclusive resorts have rigorously embraced sustainability and, in some cases, implemented clear ecosystem regeneration initiatives.
The TCS (Tourism and Sports Center) model is in no way competitive with the SSS (Survival and Services) model; rather, it offers complementary services that diversify the offerings and opportunities for tourists visiting the Dominican Republic to have a variety of experiences.
What we must be clear about is that any type of tourism must assume the perfect balance between business, social and environmental aspects; only in this way will it maintain its levels of competitiveness today and in the future.
Source: Listín Diario
