SEPTEMBER 2009

The hotel keepers think that the Influenza A did not affect the tourism

Dominican Republic, the less affected destination

BREAKING NEWS: The executive vice-president of the National Association of the Hotels and Restaurants of Dominican Republic (Asonahores), Arturo Villanueva, considers that the influenza A virus does not have affected the tourist sector and he underlined the manner with which the country managed the crisis caused by the disease.

In Dominican Republic eight deaths were recorded, but they were very sporadic, occurring to people who were already in very bad health condition, informed Villanueva, who indicated that other diseases had more affected the area.

In Dominican Republic, according to Villanueva, this crisis is managed in a joint way, with permanent plans to which participate the private sector, the Dominican health authorities and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Consequently, each time this type of situations occurs, we are prepared with the adequate management of these last he confirmed.

As for the results of the tourist sector, he expressed that the falls of these last months in the levels of occupation had been imperceptible and that the Dominican Republic had been the less affected destination compared to other countries.

We think that we will close the year with blue figures, and not with the red figures. We work on that without a break he indicated, and he also underlined the harmonious work that the employers’ tourist sector concludes with the ministry of Tourism.

The objective, he explained, is to obtain that the crisis does not have effects on the sector, but on the contrary, that the sector belongs to the solution to the crisis.

Las Terrenas Live, 01.09.09

The Independent Front of the Young people of Las Terrenas proposes a course of TV production

With Angel Garden, famous producer

BREAKING NEWS: The Independent Front of the Young people of Las Terrenas (FINJOLAT), announced the past week that at the beginning of September, it will propose a course of TV production addressed to all the interested people to improve their exercise in front of the cameras.

This one will be divided into two phases: how to speak in public and production-control of television programs.

The course is scheduled within the framework of the technical program of qualification concluded by the youthful institution of this commune.

The directors of the organization informed that for the occasion, they contacted the famous producer of television, Angel Garden, ex director of the Operations of Telecentro Canal 13 and RN Channel 27 (2001-04).

Garden was graduated in philosophy and letters in year 1958 in Dominican Republic and was trained thereafter in the manufacturing sector and Direction of TV Journalists.

Garden was recognized for his important professional background, as well at the national as international level.

The interested people to attend this course can contact Licet Manzueta at 809-710-0710 and 809-762-4950. Cost: RD $300 (three hundred pesos), addressed to any public, without condition, includes a certification and drinks.

Las Terrenas Live, 02.09.09

An alliance for the benefit of the clients

With the Rock Resorts International chain

BREAKING NEWS: The executives of Balcones del Atlántico offered a cocktail to their customers to inform them of the alliance they sealed with the Rock Resorts International hotel chain.

This company will manage the hotel operations of Balcones and will thus provide the opportunity to the owners to take part in an Owner Ship Program.

During the cocktail, it was also announced that the Rock Resorts International chain spread out its international properties portfolio with the addition of Balcones del Atlántico, a resort located at the seaside, on one of the beach of Las Terrenas, in the peninsula of Samaná.

Balcones del Atlántico was conceived as a resort which includes units of various sizes which go from one to three rooms, on one kilometer of the most spectacular beach of the country explained Máximo Bisonó, president of the project Balcones del Atlántico

Las Terrenas Live, 04.09.09

A geographer draws the alarm bell concerning the beaches erosion

The effects of the climate change are more serious on the coastal areas

BREAKING NEWS: The geographer Bolivar Troncoso, Dominican president of the Pan-American institute of Geography and History, is considering that the erosion of the beaches of the country is very alarming since they constitute the principal image of the tropical tourism.

Troncoso announced that among all the possible impacts of the climate change which affect the tourism, none is as important as the erosion of the sandy beaches, since they are the main resource of the local tourism industry.

In the same way, he stressed that these erosive effects are ncreasing the damage undergone by the corals with the warming of water.

He detailed that the corals of Las Terrenas in Samaná were in very bad condition.

Troncoso expressed that to all these things, we also could add the development of the tourist activity which was made in a precipitated and disordered way, without an adequate regulating framework and without filling the standards implemented for the environmental and territorial matter.

Bolivar Troncoso, who also directs the School of Tourism of the O & M University, recalled that the forecasts on the effects of the climate change on the country would be more serious on the coastal areas, where there is precisely the greatest flow of tourist investment.

Consequently, he suggested that one inserts in the mandatory studies of environmental impact for new projects, some models of adaptation to the climate changes.

The specialist pointed out that the tourist sector is the largest generator of employment in the country with 195.519 work stations and foreign currencies for 4,176 million dollars in 2008.

Bolivar Troncoso spoke about this theme during The Interdepartmental Dialogue on the Climate Change which took place in the country with the participation of technicians, several official institutions, NGOs, cooperation agencies and academies.

Las Terrenas Live, 07.09.09

Boulevard Turístico del Atlántico advances at a good pace

First phase should be over in December

BREAKING NEWS: The Public Works Ministry and the contractor Boulevard Turistico del Atlantico advance at a good pace the construction of the boulevard by the same name, at a cost of 160 million dollars, to boost Samaná Peninsula’s accessibility and tourism development.

The 123 kilometer road circuit links Nagua, Sanchez and Samaná and from there it continues to El Lemon and Las Terrenas, to El Catey International Airport.

The contractor works round the clock in the first, 34 kilometer section from Nagua to Sanchez, paving 2 kilometers weekly. Another section expected to be finished by year end is the bypass at Las Terrenas, from El Portillo Airport to the Sanchez highway crossing.

Public Works and the construction company are also blasting of some of the rock promontories with dynamite, as the extracted material is then used on the La Majagua-Playa Cozón-Las Terrenas seaside roadway.

In other sections heavy equipment, workers and technicians design and expand banks, and shore up the existing road base. So far more than 8 kilometers of highway at Nagua’s exit has been paved.

In that section more 3,000 meters of asphalt have been placed as base material, and once concluded a final 2 inch heated asphalt layer will be applied.

Dominican Today, 09.09.09

Leonel Fernández visits Las Terrenas

He inaugurates school and supervises wastewater treatment plant

BREAKING NEWS: The President Fernández visited this Saturday September 12^th the municipality of Las Terrenas, in order to supervise the works made by his government.

During his visit in the different sectors of the village and accompanied by several functionaries, the government chief went to El Cacao, which roads were recently asphalted on the occasion of the responses of Government to the people needs.

Leonel Fernández also cut the ribbon during the inauguration of the public school Antonio Castillo Lara that will be opened to students on morning, afternoon and night.

President supervised the reparation works of the Wastewater Treatment Plant Villa Salma, where the Public Works Ministry Víctor Díaz Rua gave him information.

Finally, he went to see the beginning of construction of the Sánchez-Samaná road.

President was accopanied by the Education Minister, Melanio Paredes, the engineer Víctor Díaz Rúa, the Director of the National Institute of Drinking Water, the Health and Public Assictance Ministry, Bautista Rojas Gómez, the person in charge of the Economical Restaurants, Nicolas Calderón, Agriculture Minister Salvador-Chio- Jiménez, Samaná Province Senator Prim Pujals Nolasco, as well as the Mayor of Las Terrenas, José Alexis Martinez.

Las Terrenas Live, 14.09.09 

Leonel Fernández wants to transform Samaná Peninsula

To turn it in the most modern tourist destination of the country

BREAKING NEWS : President Leonel Fernández said that thanks to an investment of more than 6 millions pesos in infrastructure works as roads, highways, aqueducts, schools and a good energy service, he will turn Samaná Peninsula in one of the most modern tourist destination of the country, and a meeting point for the tourists from all over the world.

Fernández made this declaration after going to Samaná and Las Terrenas, where he supervised the development of several works executed by the government.

President affirmed that with the investment realized in the Samaná Peninsula, its municipalities will see a radical change in the next 15 months, and estimated that in 3 years, the Province will reach the quality of the world best tourist destinations.

He also referred to the construction of the road circuit between Rincón-Molenillo, Molenillo-Nagua-Samaná, and the connexion between San Fransico de Macorís-Nagua-Samaná.

Las Terrenas Live, 17.09.09

Leonel Fernández oversees the works

Of the Atlantic Tourist Boulevard

BREAKING NEWS : President Leonel Fernández has overseen the construction work of the Atlantic Tourist Boulevard with the Minister of Public Works, Víctor Díaz Rúa.

The Engineer and workers of the Consortium Atlantic Tourist Boulevard, explained the dimension of structure to the representative.

The circuit with a length of 123 kilometres stretching from Kilometre Zero in Nagua, going through Sanchez up to Samaná, then from Samana to El Limon and Las Terrenas until El Catey.

The first section from Nagua to Sánchez, 2 kilometres of the road are paved each week.
The deviation from Las Terrenas and Airport El Portillo to the junction on the Highway Sánchez-Las Terrenas is projected to be completed by the end of the year.

Currently, the section goes from El Catey to Sanchez and from Sanchez to Las Terrenas is done in 40 minutes, and with the construction of this circuit, the same journey can be done in 15 minutes, thereby saving time and fuel.

The work starting at section D is also on its way. It will connect El Catey to the community of La Majagua, Coson Beach and Las Terrenas.

Las Terrenas Live, 22.09.09

The work of road Sánchez - Las Terrenas advance

Stormwater draining

BREAKING NEWS : The work developed by the Ministry of tourism on the way to connect Sánchez and Las Terrenas is doing well.

Since a few weeks the workers work on the edges of the stormwater draining system rehabilitation of the road in the hills that separates the municipalities of Sánchez and Las Terrenas.

These bottoms have been built there more than ten years ago, and were buried or in very poor condition.

This step of the bottom rehabilitation is the first of a work series developed by the entity for the construction of the Atlantic Boulevard tourist.

The following phases will be the preparation and the asphalting of the same road, planned for the end of the year.

With these works, the Ministry of Tourism is seeking to secure this track carries hundreds of people each day.

See more pictures of the works on the road Las Terrenas - Sánchez

Las Terrenas Live, 23.09.09

The Sectur seeks to develop luxury tourism

The Atlantic Tourist Boulevard will be a tremendous benefit for Las Terrenas

BREAKING NEWS : The Minister of Tourism has announced its beginning of a draft of international promotion development in Europe and Eastern Europe in order to attract upscale visitors with marine facilities, golf courses and especially tourism residence.

Tourism is experiencing a special residential housing development in what we call the resorts or in tourist centers. This is the case of Samaná, which now attracts visitors from around the world.

Regarding the Plan of Reorganization, García Fernández said that everything was going well and that the Public Works Ministry was working actively on the Atlantic Tourist Boulevard, which will be a tremendous benefit to Samaná and Las Terrenas .

Now, as the Ministry of Tourism, we are currently developing the marking of the roads and construction of sidewalks and gutters.

He highlighted that his goal was, that tourists could leave the hotel, walk from one place to another safely, so the actions of security would be enhanced to make tourist areas one of the safest of the country and all Caribbean.

We work at an accelerated pace on the road Sánchez-Las Terrenas and Samaná towards Las Galeras.

García Fernández explained that the entity he heads working simultaneously on all tourist attractions in order to achieve a balance on the investment made by the State.

Las Terrenas Live, 24.09.09

Las Terrenas September Sessions 2009

Surf competition in Playa Cosón

BREAKING NEWS : The municipality of Las Terrenas is preparing for the second local surfing competition.
The aquatic event September 2009 session, will take place on the beach of Cosón Las Terrenas 3 and October 4, 2009, from 8:30 to 15:30.

Junior surfers, mini junior, novice and open will participate at this competition.

The sport active community of Las Terrenas will welcome all junior surfers who make their visit from Cabarete to participate at this competition.

Coson beach in Las Terrenas is a unique place in the Dominican Republic for the realization of such event, thanks to the exuberance of its environment and the consistency of the waves make this beach a premium spot for surfing.

This is the second time an event will take place in this paradise. The feats of the surfers will be discussed, all accompanied by music and a festive atmosphere for two days.

The purpose of this activity is to stimulate and help develop the vision of surfing as a major water sport in the province of Samaná.

Everyone is invited: Come, have fun, we’re expecting you !

Las Terrenas Live, 28.09.09

Francisco Javier García speaks about ecotourism in Dominican Republic

A project to develop tourism on the Río of Las Terrenas

BREAKING NEWS : The Minister of Tourism, Francisco Javier García Fernández announced in Paris that there were nearly 170 ectourism projects in the country and the entity seeking to hire two companies specialized in Costa Rica to help develop this sector.

Mr Javier Garcia also informed that his department was about to conclude a project to develop tourism on the Rio of Las Terrenas in Samaná.

He added that the entity he had headed a department dedicated to developing ecotourism in the country.

He however said that if it is true that there was a significant amount of development projects of ecotourism in Dominican Republic, it was important for local tourism to rely on the support of professionals who developed this area with success.

We have met the majority of small ecotourism projects. It may be that in November we presented formally offering eco tourism in the Dominican Republic, said Minister of Tourism.

He added that the Tourism Ministry will promote these projects through the Internet and websites.

For projects of tourism development on the rivers, as is the case of the Seine, Garcia said the project for the Rio de Las Terrenas was almost ready, but that nothing had yet been started for the Rio Ozama.

He explained that for Las Terrenas, the project involved the relocation of people living on the banks of the river, and the resolution of the problem of pollution that affects it.

Las Terrenas Live, 29.09.09