Las Terrenas Live
JUNE 2008
Las Terrenas seen by a journalist of the Hoy Digital
Playa Bonita, the paradise
I am not very good to give some advices, but if someone is asking me to recommend a pretty place in the country to spend a few rest and entertainment days, I would not hesitate twice before saying to go to Las Terrenas.
One finds there a lot of places to enjoy but also natural beauty.
The Peninsula of Samaná is so nice such as sometimes we believed in a hallucination. Playa Cosón is impressive and Playa Bonita, the paradise.
It is described like this by the promoters and we can confirm it. In my life, I had never seen such calm and crystalline water.
And in the village, we were accommodated in the Coco Plaza Hotel where we received the personalized attention of Jossy (or Joseline).This place has all the characteristics of a luxury hotel, almost at the seaside.
And when the night comes, Las Terrenas is illuminated. Its restaurants and discotheques are full of an animated crowd.
Las Terrenas is a place to discover.
And it is not a problem if the discotheques have to close at midnight, the bar of the Coco Plaza Hotel welcomes the night-birds and we can stay there drinking a quite fresh beer and chattering in all confidence.
They offer a 24 h. service to all those who want to spend a good time.
Hoy Digital, by Francis Mesa, 02.06.08
IATA: End of paper for the flight tickets
A saving of 3.120 million dollars
MADRID. - The 240 airline companies members of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represent practically the totality of the air traffic, stopped from yesterday to issue tickets with the traditional printed paper format.
This measure will allow these companies to save more than 2.000 million euros (approximately 3.120 million dollars).
All the tickets will be electronic.
Four years ago, the IATA had declared its objective of « zero paper » as from June 2008 and had evaluated to generate a saving since the traditional ticket, with several sheets of paper cost 8.50 euros compared with 0.8 euros for the electronic ticket.
The majority of the companies already adopted this last in more than 93 percent of the cases.
This measure is generated by the world-wide crisis.
Diario Libre, 03.06.08
A project for the development of Las Terrenas
El Portillo Beach Club & Spa
The Peninsula of Samaná is in the line of sight of those who believe in its tourist potential and in its many attractions for the visitors.
This is why the project El Portillo Beach Club & Spa is developed, which bet on the enthusiastic promotion of this destination.
This development is carried out through a tourist real estate project conceived for a luxury level market.
The project, located at Las Terrenas, in a splendid area of white sand beaches and turquoise water, is conceived around the existing natural resources, while respecting and while taking care of the conservation of the vegetation and of the environment meeting the requirements of exclusive tourism.
The most recognized architects of the country, like Antonio Segundo Imbert, Gustavo L. Moré and Esteban Prieto Vicioso, created the single design of each unit.
Three type units called Beach Villas, Island Villas and Lagoon Villas include a total of 370 rooms which will be divided into 55 Beach Villas and 101 apartments.
The project managed by the company Promotores de Desarrollo de Portillo, S.A. is composed of more than 170 thousand square meters, including the Portillo Aerodrome which will offer its infrastructures and services to the project.
Its 350 linear meters of sea front are one of its most invaluable attractions.
El Portillo Beach Club & Spa is a modern project of concept of residences for the rest and the leisure in Las Terrenas.
El Listín Diario, 04.06.08
Balcones del Atlántico in Las Terrenas
The offices will offer information on this new project
New installations of the commercial offices of Balcones del Atlántico were inaugurated by their executives and president of Bisonó Enterprises, Engineer Máximo Bisonó.
The words of welcome were pronounced by Rafael Bisonó, president of the Bisonó Group, who expressed that with the opening of the commercial offices, Balcones del Atlántico will offer to all its customers and to the public in general, any type of information on this new real estate project in Las Terrenas.
They communicated that the purpose of the offices is to manage from Santo Domingo everything that is relative to this spectacular destination of the North-eastern zone of the country.
Hoy Digital, 05.06.08
Jet fuel price jumps bring woes to Dominican tourism industry
They asked the Government to take urgent measures
The price of the jet plane fuel avtur has jumped more than RD $50 and its tax almost seven pesos, since January which has sparked increases in airfare prices.
Avtur costs RD $169.57 this week, and includes 21.82 pesos tax; 4.10 pesos for the distributor and another 4.26 tax under Law 112-00. Its import parity price is 136.39 pesos.
On January 25 avtur cost RD $118.86 per gallon, according to the Industry and Commerce Ministry.
It’s become more difficult for Dominican passengers to travel after some airlines discontinued flights to the country and airfares rose more than 25 percent.
The serious effects on the tourism industry prompted National Hotels and Restaurants Association (Asonahores) vice president Arthur Villanueva to ask the Government to take urgent measures as their 32 Caribbean competitors have done.
A ticket to New York costs as high as RD $31,000, almost twice the RD $16,000 price a week ago, or a jump of more than RD $11,000 per ticket.
Moreover, the tourist-class airfare has disappeared, according to a poll of travel agencies done by newspaper Diario Libre.
But the country hasn’t take the measures as other Caribbean destinations have, and once president Leonel Fernandez returns from Europe he’ll be presented a proposal to revert the problem.
Yesterday Villanueva said higher fuel costs led the airlines to reduce many flights, mainly to Dominican Republic, resulting in more demand for seats and the subsequent airfare increases, which he said will continue.
Dominican Today, 06.06.08
Portillo Beach Club & Spa, everyone speaks about the project
An investment of 50 million US $ in Las Terrenas
It is the famous Portillo Beach Club & Spa project, which in an extension of 350 meters beach front and with an investment of 50 million dollars, it will generate around 400 direct jobs in the tourist area of Samaná.
The contractor and manager of the project, Ramón Prieto, is the president of the Company Promotores de Desarrollo de Portillo, S.A. in partnership with Ramón Ernesto Morales.
The project will be focused on key aspects non-existent or currently not very developed in the tourist offer of Las Terrenas like: integration, quality and the rapprochement with the community.
The project will be completely integrated into the typical characteristics of the area, by combining its architecture with the existing natural resources, especially the water and the flora and it will be based on an open mode which will allow the full integration of the tourist to the social, economic and cultural atmosphere of the area.
At the time of a presentation during the weekend, Prieto explained that the project answers the need to offer a new service in the tourist sector of Las Terrenas with modern installations which fulfil the comfort requirements and which can capture a new market thanks to a focus on residential tourism.
This while promoting the Community development through the creation of approximately 400 direct employments in the zone of Samaná and by supporting the relations between the tourist population and the community.
In the same way, it seeks to be a reference for the Caribbean area of the residential tourist development of quality and of integration with its environment, by transforming a prime-mover of the socio-economic development of Las Terrenas and of the area of Samaná.
Listín Diario, 09.06.08
Fewer flights will affect Dominican tourism industry
Official warns
Airports Department director Andres Vanderhorst warned that as of September 1 the country will have fewer flights from the United States and higher fare prices, which he said will affect the tourism industry and even national production.
He said as of September American Airlines will have only one flight to New York from Las Americas International Airport and another from Santiago, down from the nine and four daily flights now.
Interviewed in the program El Dia, Channel 11, the official also announced a possible lease of a cargo plane to fly vegetables out of the country, to take advantage of record harvests this year.
Las week American Airlines announced less flights to Dominican Republic, whereas other carriers said they have no plans for such change.
Dominican Today, 10.06.08
Closing times of entertainment places relaxed
To stay open later a day per week
The Secretariat of the Interior and Police announced this Tuesday a relaxation of the closing times for the sale of alcoholic drinks in order to allow the places to stay open later a day per week, in addition to Friday and Saturday.
The Minister, Franklin Almeida, made this announcement during a meeting with keepers and directo rs of entertainment places.
The authorization which will make possible to extend the closing times a specific day will be granted to the establishments which will request it in writing to the under-secretary of the Portfolio, Henry Castellanos, by paying only the official stamp authorizing the measure.
On the other hand, every interested place will have to implement some internal security measures, among them to prohibit the access to the cocked people and to have a safe place to keep the firearms.
During the meeting, the Secretary of the Interior and Police said he is satisfied of the results of the implementation of the measures adopted by the authorities to reduce the indices of delinquency.
He said that in Santo Domingo, the entertainment places are approximately 600 and that, on the other hand, the « colmados » and « colmadone » are approximately 65 thousand, and that the latter will be also controlled and supervised.
As for the places where the young people go, Almeida said that the measure would be also revised for these places because, he added, the young people need also their places to meet.
The contractors received with approval the announcement of Almeida.
Al Momento, by Tessie Sánchez, 11.06.08
Dominican tourism industry looks to sidestep crisis
Nine points to prevent a fall in the tourist sector
The Dominican tourism industry’s six top sectors agreed to adopt nine points aimed at preventing a fall in the number tourists who visit the country, including eliminating the tax on jet fuel and to grant the so-called « fifth freedom » to commercial airlines which operate here.
Tourism minister Felix Jiménez yesterday said president Leonel Fernandez will be given a document with the points at issue inn the next few days.
The official and the private sector discussed the nine-point plan, which includes the National Hotels and Restaurants Association (Asonahores), the airport management companies, investors, the travel agents association and the tour-operators, and raised the following points:
- Grant the regular airlines the « Fifth Freedom » so that any European carrier which wants to come to the country, and from here continue towards Central America, Mexico, United States, South America and the Caribbean can do so;
- The government acknowledges the need to lift the « ad valorem » or tax on jet fuel (avtur); ask the airport owners and management companies to lower by 20 percent their fee per passenger who uses the airports.
- Bolster Air Dominicana, which began its flights Wednesday, so it begins its regular operations as soon as possible and that, consequently, could start flights to the U.S. and Puerto Rico as a regular airline and not just charter this year.
-Stimulate the European carriers to use some Dominican airport as a permanent hangar for some of its planes which arrive from Europe and leave towards South America or the United States, from the Dominican Republic.
- Get the concessionaires of the Punta Cana, La Romana and Santiago airports to associate, as Aerodom did, to Tourism in the country’s ad campaigns and in new lines, and increase flights to their airports.
- Increase the ad campaign on the country’s attractions, to bolster the international campaign.
Jimenez said U.S. airlines are going through crisis because they have very old planes, which consume too much fuel, with high administrative and financial costs, and that’s the reason they compete at a disadvantage compared with other airlines.
However the official said they are important for the country because they move 34 percent of the tourists who come from the United States.
He said the airlines from South America are also increasing their flight frequency and that he’s not aware of any flight reductions from Canada.
Dominican Today, 12.06.08
Good news !
Tourism on the up
The Ministry of Tourism reports that tourism was up by 7.17% during the first five months of the year, as reported in the Listin Diario.
The DR received 1,677,391 tourists between January and May.
This represents an increase of 112,235 more tourists compared to the first five months of 2007.
Tourist arrivals grew by 9.78% in May of 2008, compared to 2007, during which 247,357 visitors arrived in the DR.
This is 22,037 more than the same period in 2007.
Arrivals from Canada and the US also grew by 21.19% and 12.86%.
German tourism to the DR increased by 12.78%. This is thought to be a result of the DR’s representation at the ITB conference in Berlin.
DR1, 13.06.08
Inauguration of the first « clean » generator
It is first to be installed in the country and in Latin America
The first power plant which will produce gas of synthesis and electricity starting from agricultural waste was inaugurated this weekend.
It is first to be installed in the country and in Latin America and which will use agricultural waste as fuels.
This electrical generator will contribute to reduce the use of liquid oil gas and to produce a cheaper electrical energy.
It was born from a joint initiative between the Dominican Agricultural institute, the Secretariat of Industry and Commerce and the company Koar Energy Resources.
It was built in the district Los Maestros of Bonao.
The latter will provide gas for cooking to 288 residences located at the neighborhoods of the project, within the framework of a public and private agreement subscribes between these three institutions.
The gas left over will be used to produce electricity and it will be sold to Edenorte, as by Law 57-07 for the renewable energy use.
The inaugural ceremony was directed by the secretaries of Industry and Commerce, Melanio Paredes and of Environment, Omar Ramirez; by the manager of the IAD, Juan Francisco Caraballo; the administrator of the Agricultural Bank, Paíno Abreu Collado and by the principal executives of the company Koar Energy Resources, Thomas Holzmann, Denni Ross, Giovanni Cappello, Ricardo Arrese.
Paredes, Caraballo and Holzmann underlined the importance of this generator and said that the project was innovator and historical, with an extraordinary repercussion for the country because it represents a concrete alternative to decrease the energy dependence of the Dominican Republic, which is a big importer of hydrocarbons.
Al Momento, 16.06.08
The U.S. lists risks of traveling to Dominican Republic, again
Politur rejects the report of the USA: Security is present
The warning statement of the United States concerning the American tourists who visit Dominican Republic worried the local tourist sector. But the director of the Tourist Police force, Manuel de Jesús Miranda declared that this report did not correspond to the existing situation in the tourist poles of the country. In those, he added, security is extreme.
WASHINGTON.- (AP) .- The U.S. State Department yesterday alerted tourists who visit Dominican Republic on the risks of being victims of common hoodlums in cities, beaches and resorts, as well as by Police agents who demand bribes. Crime continues being a serious problem in all of the Dominican Republic.
The warning, in the State Department Consular Topics Section’s Web site (‘travel.state.gov’), corresponding to Dominican Republic, is similar to notices the entity has posted in previous years..
The alert says tourists in Dominican Republic are usually victims of holdups for their cellphones or sexual assaults. The criminals can be dangerous and the visitors who walk the streets must always be alert in these environs.
The warning also notes that some of the thugs carry guns and are prepared to use them if they meet with resistance, adding that the police professionalism can vary.
Attempts by police to ask for bribes have been reported in the embassy in Santo Domingo, as well as agents who use excessive force.
It lists new ways to steal from tourists in Dominican Republic, such as the use of speeding motorcycles to snatch purses, cellphones, necklaces, watches and other valuables.
Among others risks, the U.S. Government notes the chaotic and disorderly transit in Santo Domingo streets and highways and warns tourists that nobody uses directional lights when turning or to change lanes. It also recommends against the use of motoconchos (motorcycle taxis), because tourists have complained of thefts in the North region and other zones.
The director of the police force, General Manual de Jesús Miranda, yesterday evening affirmed to the HOY newspaper that even if he respected the contents of the report he did not approve it, since it did not correspond to the situations of the various tourist poles of the country.
He indicated that security is extreme there and that the few declared cases were isolated.
During the last months and with regard to tourism, only one case of delinquency was recorded and the statistics are there to support each fact, ensured Jesús de Miranda.
He declared that even if he were unaware of the bases of the report of the State Department, the Dominican government ensured the security of the tourists, not only of the Americans but as well as of all the nations coming to the country. He added that Politur has a team of 1,500 members divided in all the tourist poles, in order to guarantee the security of the visitors.
Dominican Today & Hoy Digital, 17.06.08
Dominican Police downplays U.S. Government warning on crime
Crime is controlled in the entire nation
The National Police yesterday downplayed the United States government report which warns its citizens of an alleged criminal wave in Dominican Republic.
Police spokesman Nelson Rosario didn’t deny that at some time some holdup or mugging against North American tourists has taken place,
and that said report doesn’t reflect their current clampdown against crime. Crime is controlled in the country and the Police guarantees the safety of all the tourists who visit us.
As an example, Rosario cited a report by a foreign company that ranks the country among the world’s seven safest and Latin America’s safest. Crime is controlled in the entire nation.
Dominican Today, 18.06.08
Oops ! U.S. Embassy confirms warning on Dominican crime is old
Publication of 2005
The Associated Press apparently rehashed old news on the U.S. State Department’s alert on travelling to Dominican Republic, which the country’s media picked up as fresh, including Dominican Today, though it sounded as a repeat of past headlines.
Tuesday U.S. embassy officials who visited the National Police confirmed the date of the publication, mid 2005, according to newspaper El Nacional. However they said the report remains on the State Dept. Web site.
The warning sparked uproar in Dominican official and private circles, including Police chief Rafael Guzman, and Hotels and Restaurants Association president Luis Lopez, who discarded it as erroneous, whereas Supreme Court Chief justice Jorge Subero said it was severe.
Dominican Today, 18.06.08
To close the debate, the Government affirms that DR is a safe tourist destination
Explanations on the contents of the publication emitted by the United States
(DR), June 19, 2008. - The director of Information, Press and Publicity of the Presidency, Rafael Núñez, explained yesterday that the declarations which warn the American tourists on the insecurity and on the assumptions of corruption of the police officers in Dominican Republic are not resulting of a report of the US State Department.
After having indicated that this Caribbean country is the safest tourist destination in Latin America, Rafael Núñez declared that civil servants of the American embassy explained to the chief of the National police force, General Rafael Guillermo Guzmán Fermín, that it acts of recommendations made to the American tourists and which were published on an electronic page.
The civil servant supported that in this Website, one informs the American citizens on the levels of violence and on insecurity reigning not only in Dominican Republic, but in all the tourist areas of the world.
Núñez supported that the Government is satisfied with the explanations provided to the chief of the police by the civil servants of the US embassy, by specifying that the delinquency was not exclusive in the Dominican Republic, but that it exists in all the countries in development.
The civil servant meant that on the same electronic page one also informs that the security levels of the tourist poles of the country are similar to those of much of American states.
Rafael Núñez pointed out that according to a report published recently in a national newspaper carried out by an international investigator, the security levels in the country are the best of Latin America.
The director of Information, Press and Publicity of the Presidency said that every year more than three million tourists coming from several countries visit Dominican Republic, situation which generates interests.
Diario Digital, 19.06.08
The investors ask for a unique procedure
To accelerate the approval of the tourist projects
A unique counter would allow the interested people to invest in tourism managing only one procedure
The tourist sector investors would like to put an end to long and tiresome official bureaucracy and requested to the secretariat of Tourism the creation of a unique procedure, informed the under-secretary of the sector, Radhamés Martínez Aponte.
In order to be able to accelerate the approval of the tourist projects, a group of investors requested the creation of a unique counter for the sector which would gather the economic aspects, the secretariat of tourism, the public works and the environment.
At the time of these declarations, the technical under-secretary of Tourism, Radhamés Martínez Aponte, declared that the investors presented a proposal of unique procedure because they are worried by the slowness of the bureaucratic steps in various institutions, which slow down the investments.
He informed that this proposal is supported by important tourist investors including by real estate promoters who deal daily with the official bureaucratic limitations.
He indicated that a unique counter for the sector is a desire of the authorities, who think that this initiative must also include the direction of the customs and the internal taxes. Martínez announced that most of the investments of the tourist sector are coming from foreigners, who do not know the handling of the institutional bureaucracy.
Martínez indicated that currently was concluded a program in collaboration with the secretariat of the Environment so that the process of the environmental licences granting and evaluation are accelerated at rhythm of the projects.
He recalled that the Council of Tourist Promotion has as member the under-secretary of Environmental Management in order to facilitate the work coordination.
The technical under-secretary is studying the proposal presented by the private investors in order to decide its feasibility and also to improve it if required.
Hoy Digital, by Odalis Mejia, 20.06.08
The Secretariat of Public Works in Las Terrenas
Bad state of the streets
The Secretary of State of Public Works and Communications (SEOPC), Engineer Víctor Díaz Rúa, will come to Las Terrenas in the province of Samaná, in order to start a dialogue with the inhabitants of this village.
The reason for the meeting is the bad state of the streets, caused by the installation work of the sewer circuit and of drainage of waste waters, which affects the inhabitants and the visitors of this commune.
Although some « Terreneros » are patient as for the slow realization of work, the majority feel disturbed because they must daily cross the streets full of holes, dust and mud.
So, to try to answer the concerns of the inhabitants of Las Terrenas, a meeting will take place with Víctor Díaz Rúa this Tuesday June 24, at11.00 a.mto the « polideportivo » (polyvalent center) of this Community.
The rumour says that the inhabitants planned to organize strikes if they are not satisfied with this meeting outcome.
LTL, Editorial Staff, 23.06.08
Closing times in Las Terrenas
To enjoy nightlife until dawn ?
Yesterday evening a meeting with Dra. Elsa de León, Governor of the Province of Samaná, took place in the Indiana Café.
The topic of the meeting was the closing times of the bars and discotheques. The responsible persons for the concerned places, namely El Mosquito, El Toro sobre el Techo, the Indiana Café, La Bodega, the Syroz, the Galla and the Paco Cabana, made a proposal for a rotation between these night bars and discotheques with a closing at 5:00 a.m. for each one, a set day per week.
Consequently, a second request was formulated so that all the night places can benefit of one overtime hour during all the week, with a closing at 2:00 a.m.instead of 1:00 a.m.
These requests will be registered this week in the Capital by Dra. Elsa de León, Governor of the Province of Samaná, to the under-secretary of Interior and Police, Henry Castellanos.
LTL, Editorial Staff, 24.06.08
OPETUR will make the promotion of ecological tourism
Natural and cultural wealth of the country
In order to diversify the national tourist offer, the Receptive Tourism Operators Association of Dominican Republic - OPETUR - announced that it works in coordination with the Secretariat of Environment to the identification of protected areas for public use, to incorporate them in its vast proposal of excursion program so that the tourist can explore the natural and cultural wealth of the country, true essence of the Dominican geography.
The operators stressed that this tourism method contributes to increase the competitiveness of the country as tourist destination while benefiting the Communities where it is practised while contributing to the environment safeguarding.
They also presented the Programme of Guides Qualification, which was deposited to the Secretariat of Tourism, to have a career at the technical level for the tourist guides, defined in a study plan.
Among other analyzed subjects, it was the safety of the citizens in the tourist poles, this is why the Association will attend the Programme of « Rapprochement of the Police with the Community », set up in the North-eastern area, and by which the operators will be able to have protection and assistance of the National police force in this zone.
These were the central subjects covered by OPETUR during its ordinary annual meeting which was held in the Grand Paradise Samaná Hotel in Las Galeras, and which was directed by Mrs Thamara Simó, president.
Among the areas and the excursions which will be proposed in the new offer, we find Las Terrenas in Samaná, of which the attractions were analyzed by Mr José Bourget, director of the Cluster of Las Terrenas, as well as the excursion “Paths of the Cocoa”, in the Duarte province, which is carried out in recommended haciendas in order to promote the knowledge and the culture of the organic cocoa, from its production to the fabrication of the chocolate, as explained by Pedro Santana, director of this excursion.
Concerning OPETUR:
Receptive Tourism Operators Association of Dominican Republic, OPETUR, is the institution responsible to manage 90% of the tourists who arrive each year in the country.
Its mission is to take care of the defense of the interests of its members, while making favourable the fight for the good and the common development and to obtain important assets for the various sectors which compose the national tourism industry.
El Nuevo Diario, 25.06.08
Streets of Las Terrenas: Important meeting
Discontent of the inhabitants
Yesterday morning in the presence of the Public Works Minister, Víctor Díaz Rúa, of the Governor of the Province of Samaná, Elsa de León and of the Mayor of Las Terrenas, José Alexis Martinez, a meeting took place in order to talk about the state of the roads and of the streets of Las Terrenas.
Dominican representatives of the various activities’ sectors expressed their discontent to the Minister, explaining that the situation had too much lasted.
Traffic in the streets became dangerous; in the Hospital street for example, in case of emergency we have the time to die in the ambulance before to arrive !
explain an inhabitant.
Here in Las Terrenas we do not produce vegetable or fruits, we sell tourism and it is regrettable to hear on behalf of the tourists that they will not come back until the village will be repaired,
explained the representative of the Dominican storekeepers.
At the end of 26 months of work, whereas only 18 months had been planned at the signature of the first financing cheque, Víctor Díaz Rúa explained that soon, aqueduct work will start in Las Terrenas and that once again; there will be roadworks in order to install the new pipes for the drinking water.
The Minister, conscious of the situation, also explained that he did not manage the realization of pipe’s installation but only the repair and the asphalting of the roads and streets of the village.
This work of waste and drinking waters pipe’s installation as well as the asphalting could not be realized at the same time because of lack of financial resources. The aqueduct of the Peninsula of Samaná represents an investment of 112 million dollars and the work of the roads from Nagua to Samaná asphalting and El Catey to Las Terrenas realization involve another investment of 130 million dollars
he said.
At the end of this meeting, Víctor Díaz Rúa committed to set up as for the next week an intermediate solution which consists in applying a temporary bitumen coating in order to avoid dust and mud, until the totality of work is finished.
LTL, Sylvain MAUFRAIS, 25.06.08
Dominican Tourism chief tours Europe
Felix Jiménez in Madrid and Zurich
SANTO DOMINGO. – Tourism minister Felix Jiménez’s tour of several European cities aims at consolidating Dominican Republic’s image as a top tourism destination and prevent a fall in visitor arrivals given the world economic downturn.
The official arrived Saturday in Madrid, where he stayed until yesterday Wednesday, and will head to Zurich for meetings today and tomorrow Friday.
He’ll fly to Rome where he’ll remain until Sunday, and return Monday to Madrid for meetings with executives of hotel chains, and of the public relations agency Made in Spain, as well as an interview with newspaper Expansion.
Jiménez also will head the Conference-Gathering with Industrialists
, in the Institute of Business.
He’ll also meet with executives of Larga Distancia; with Walter Binggeli, president of the Swiss tour operator FTI; executives of Hotelplan Group Ag and of the Metro Group.
Dominican Today, 26.06.08
Tourism: the main economic activity of the country
The tourist projects amount to 12.4 billion U $ dollars
Currently in the country, there are 54 tourist projects in construction which will bring a total of 16.240 new rooms for a total investment of 12,356,769 billion dollars, according to the figures of the Secretariat of Tourism.
The quantity of these new projects exceeds the totality of investments accumulated between 1993 and 2007. And the current investments can only increase being given the rise in the operational costs of construction and the raising of fuel prices.
The bigger projects are in the Bavaro-Punta Cana area, in the East region, according to the reports of the Secretariat of Tourism. 32 hotel projects are there under development, which will equip the area with 13.167 additional rooms.
The second large investment point is the cluster of Juan Dolio. Four projects are developped there, which will bring 987 new rooms.
Other hotel projects are builded in Samaná, Puerto Plata, Santiago and Jarabacoa.
Las Terrenas
In the zone of Samaná- Las Terrenas, in the North-East of the country, one is building 828 rooms making part of eight projects for a cost of 204,435,377 million dollars.
Tourism, leader in foreign investments
On a total of 12, 114 billion of direct foreign investments accumulated during the period 1993-2007, tourism was at the head with the 22.3% of the total, which is equivalent to 2,705 billion.
According to the figures of the Central Bank, telecommunications followed in second place with 2,537 billion, the 20.9% of the total. The commerce and industry sector followed with 2,380 billion and 19.7%. Then the electricity services came with 12.8% and 1,551 billion.
In the real sector, the investment accounted for 1,266 billion, 0.5% of the accumulated total. The free zones accounted for 6% of the investments with 724 million.
Then the financial sector with 549 million, 4.5%. Mining industry represented 123 million, 1%.
During some years, industry, commerce and telecommunications involved the principal foreign investments in the country.
However, during the three last years, tourism remained at the head with the greatest foreign investment.
The origin of the capital
From 12,114 billion invested in the country, 4,290 billion comes from investors of the United States, 35% of the total.
Spain is in second position with 2,155 billion for 17.8%. and then Canada with 1,640 billion, representing 13.5%. Then Holland with 524 million and 4.3%, France with 442 million and 3.7%, England with 421 million and 3.5% of the total. Then Switzerland with 280 million and 2.3%, Chile with 147 million and 1.2%, Italy with 133 million and 1.1% of the total.
The remaining percentages of the foreign investments are divided into several countries.
Zoom Employment
As for the work generated by the tourist activity in the country, in 2007 this sector produced 189.254 employment: 53.354 direct and 135.900 indirect.
Tendency
Between 1990 – 2007, the employment in the tourism sector was maintained with 41.771 direct jobs and 103.932 indirect. Years 1991 and 2001 were those which produced less employment. This fact is allotted to the Persian Gulf War and then to the collapse of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001 in New York.
Hoy DIGITAL, by Odalis Nisibon, 27.06.08
Las Terrenas: The National press is looking into the streets
Public Works will rebuild
The secretary of Public Works ordered the rebuilding of the streets of Las Terrenas in the province of Samaná, promise which finally leaves without effect the convocation to the strike which had been annouced by the inhabitants of this Community.
These news were announced by Víctor Díaz Rúa, who met on last June 25, with the members of the various commercial, municipal, hotel and transport organizations and who obtained the agreement to leave without effect the threat of strike of the workers of this commune.
The rebuilding of the streets of Las Terrenas includes the roadways and the pavements and one hopes that work of pipes’installation for connecting to the aqueduct in construction in the area terminates quickly.
The secretary of Public Works said to hope that the company responsible for installation work of the piping which will be used for waste waters drainage finishes as quickly as possible to immediately be able to begin asphalting work of the streets of this tourist commune.
Among the requests made to the civil servant there are the rebuilding of the Duarte and Carmen streets, and Hospital, Ceiba and Playa streets. As well as Fabio Abreu, 16 de Agosto, Luperón, Gaspar Polanco and Padre Billini.
In addition to the streets, the inhabitants also requested the repair of the road Sánchez- Las Terrenas; of the road El Limón-Samaná and of that of Loma Majagual-Batey Hormiga.
Other requests are the repair of the entry in Samaná, Catey, and the entry in Majagual until the bridge, amongst other things.
Engineer Víctor Díaz Rúa explained that the commune of Las Terrenas is included in work of the Asphalting National Plan which is carried out at the national level.
El Nuevo Diario, 30.06.08
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