PEDERNALES.-certainty that if the plans his Government has outlined are carried out, in 20 years Pedernales will become the example of development in Latin America, President Luis Abinader yesterday led the launch of the Cabo Rojo-Pedernales Tourism Development Plan, a mega-project that will cover an approximate area of 38 million square meters, and will be developed in four phases over ten years.
The president, along with government officials, broke ground on the construction of the Cabo Rojo port and initiated the construction process for the water and sanitation infrastructure, the latter with an investment of 1.185 billion pesos; with an execution time of 18 months, consisting of the construction of 9.2 kilometers of sanitary sewer, storm drainage and 8.3 kilometers of drinking water supply.
“Port Cabo Rojo” will be built with a private investment of US$98 million. President Abinader stated that it will make Pedernales the most sought-after and highly valued cruise destination in the entire Caribbean.
The water and sanitation infrastructure forms the basis for the construction of the hotels, which, according to the Minister of the Presidency, Lisandro Macarrulla, will begin to be built before the end of this year.
Macarrulla, who coordinates the government's ambitious project, pledged to develop three new infrastructure projects that will guarantee the project's success.
He said that within a period of no more than 60 days the first groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the aqueduct system of the Pedernales development project will take place and the work for the installation of the electrical system of the project will begin.
“Within 60 days, we will be breaking ground on the aqueduct and the electrical distribution line for the project. We'll be working on that within 60 days,” he assured, adding that the groundbreaking for the Pedernales International Airport should also take place within that timeframe.
PortCabo Rojo
The project, financed by a loan from Banco de Reservas, will have the capacity to receive up to one million cruise passengers annually and is part of the master development plan for this border province. It will operate under the administration of the Dominican Port Authority (APORDOM), headed by Jean Luis Rodríguez, and ITM Group, managed by Mauricio Hamui. The project anticipates the creation of more than five thousand direct and indirect jobs, which will revitalize and boost the economy of the country's southern region.
ITM Group's general manager, Mauricio Hamui, said the port will begin operations on December 15, 2023. "ITM Group's commitment is to work with cruise lines and bring more than one million passengers a year to this great destination, which will generate 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs during the operational phase. This will begin to boost the regional economy, as the economic impact will reach between 120 and 150 million dollars," Hamui stated.
CruiseTerminal
The cruise terminal will also feature four berths, a passenger reception center, a water park, an interactive zone, a recreational area, sunbathing areas, a commercial area, a spa, a main restaurant, a boutique hotel, a maintenance area, and a beach area.
The project execution program will be divided into two stages: planning, studies and execution of the first phase, which includes the maritime terminal and construction of the dock with up to 2 berth positions; and a second phase, which contemplates the expansion of its maritime terminal and/or the dock, to have up to 4 berth positions.
A mega project
The Master Plan for the Cabo Rojo-Pedernales Tourism Development Plan was presented during the 42nd edition of the International Tourism Fair (Fitur), where it was explained that it covers a total area of approximately 38 million square meters, located between protected areas and will include the construction of luxury and ecological hotels, with sustainable energy generation capacity, in addition to the construction of affordable housing for employees of the area and the project.
It consists of four phases over an average of 10 years of implementation with an estimated investment of US$2.245 billion for 12,000 rooms.
The first phase stipulates a US$1.3 billion investment for the construction of 4,700 hotel rooms, an international airport, a shopping center, and all the necessary basic infrastructure, such as an aqueduct, a water treatment plant, and an electrical transmission system. It will also include a botanical garden, a commercial area, a golf course, villas, a buffet, an airport, and a water park.
Eight hotels are expected to begin operations in the opening of the first phase, for which the hotel chains Hilton, Marriott, Sunwing, AmResorts, Iberostar Group and Karisma Hotels & Resort have already signed a letter of commitment.
All necessary infrastructure will be adapted for the successful development of the area, and the existing circuit of natural attractions will be promoted, allowing visitors to explore ecosystems under a sustainable model, such as Hoyo de Pelempito, Laguna de Oviedo, Isla Beata, Bahía de las Águilas, and others. All of this will be done under a framework of environmental protection, respect for protected areas, and national parks.
The project will incorporate a scenic path with viewpoints, the restoration of the old Cabo Rojo airfield runway, converted into a promenade that will connect a botanical walk with the current pier; this will be an area of commercial tourist attraction where a marina and nautical club will be integrated, with amenities and shops.
“We have measured the social impact of this project, and it is the most important boost that can be given to the development of a region in this country,” said Minister Macarrulla yesterday.
