APRIL 2010

Alliance of Tourism Services Enterprises of Samaná, Inc. supports the Luz & Fuerza Company of Las Terrenas, C. por A

Luz & Fuerza Compan banners in Las TerrenasBanners are placed in strategic locations of Las Terrenas

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- The Alliance of Tourism Services Enterprises of Samaná, Inc. chose to become a spokesman of the problem created by the creation of new taxes on fuels that Luz & Fuerza Company of Las Terrenas uses to supply electricity to the towns of Las Terrenas, Las Galeras and surrounding areas.

The Alliance of Enterprises, organized a meeting which took place on Wednesday March the 24th at the Multiuso of Las Terrenas, attended by community leaders and association members of civil society in Las Terrenas, El Limón and Las Galeras.

This meeting was also attended by President of Luz & Fuerza Company, Mr. José O. Orsini Bosch, who addressed the audience explaining the problem and indicating the consequences involved for users if these tax measures are implemented.

He was also questioned by the participants, questions that were answered very politely by Mr.Orisini, who explained that the increases raised by the authorities, would necessarily produce an increase on the price of electric power the company serves to its users.

The Alliance made a proposal to raise awareness among government officials, as well as the thousands of visitors and vacationers who come to the area during this Holy Week, by the placing banners across the street at strategic locations in Las Terrenas, Las Galeras and El Limón.

These banner will express the support of community organizations to Luz & Fuerza Company of Las Terrenas, CxA and highlight the widespread discontent towards measures proposed by the Ministries of Industry and Commerce and Finance, as well as the consequences of measures emitted by the Superintendence of Electricity on the life quality of the population.

See the press release of the Alliance of Tourism Services Enterprises of Samaná, Inc.

Las Terrenas Live, 01.04.10

The Tourism Ministry was present in Las Terrenas

Holy Week 2010 in Las TerrenasWorkers of the Mitur ensure cleanliness during Holy Week

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- The Ministry of Tourism reaffirmed its commitment to keep the country’s beaches in optimal conditions for swimmers during Holy Week.
From Holy Thursday, ministry workers were ensuring the cleanliness of both the coast and village in general, as part of the Holy Week 2010 operation.

Men and women with blue uniform marched through the streets of the municipality, and with rakes and shovels removed all the garbage and cleaned-up the areas for the long weekend that welcomed thousands of vacationers from the entire the country.

A smiling small team put into practice the commitment of the Ministry of Tourism, motivated by the desire to give the nicest image possible of Las Terrenas to visitors.

Our goal is to maintain and preserve the cleanliness of the beaches and bathing points equipped for bathers, tourists and all the people who during Holy Week holiday come to find entertainment in these places, said Tourism Minister, Francisco Javier Garcia.

Las Terrenas Live, 05.04.10

Electronic bill for a Green Samaná

Green bill in Las TerrenasNew service of Luz & Fuerza Company in Las Terrenas

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- Electronic bill for a Green Samaná is the new service offered by the Luz & Fuerza Company of Las Terrenas, C. x A., which is available to all users.

Customers will be now able to receive their bill directly on their computers via email or SMS.

With electronic bill users will benefit from a simple, fast and safe service. In addition, by saving paper, this will be a friendly initiative for the environment.

Users who complete the form that will be delivered with the next bill, will receive an email or SMS that will alert them about each new bill, indicating the amount to be paid and the limit date. They will also receive an e-mail or SMS to alert them when planned outages for maintenance will occur or other major event.

Access to the new bill in PDF format will be easy, fast and secure and clients will be able to pay with Visa or MasterCard.

Las Terrenas Live, 06.04.10

The electrical energy, a property of the municipality of Las Terrenas

Luz & Fuerza Company offers an efficient serviceElectricity in Las Terrenas

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- Luz & Fuerza Company is not only an economic entity that serves the city of Las Terrenas, it also represents a heritage of each of the citizens living in this area.

In that sense, any event that affects the interests of the company and the people of Las Terrenas, concerns all of us. The village of Las Terrenas can not allow invaders to come and take what we have built with so much effort and sacrifice.

The development of Las Terrenas that has been sustained for 15 years because the people cultivated a of payment habit, becoming the only municipality that has private electricity, and this is due to the efficient service offered by Luz & Fuerza Company, which is very different to the one offered in all the country, almost completely shut down because of the lack of generation and distribution, due to the fact there is no defined energy policy that would benefit the development of the nation and most underprivileged sectors.

Some time ago, Luz & Fuerza Company had promised to the municipality it would reduce production costs by acquiring a plant of natural gas for the purpose of lowering tariffs for users in Las Terrenas. Suddenly, the Minister of Finance and Industry charged a tax on NATURAL GAS, called ad valorem, of 16% on the fuel, which means users must assume in its electricity fee.

The people of Las Terrenas must support Luz & Fuerza and not allow the government to charge us a retroactive payment from August to September 2009, because otherwise users would have to assume these costs.

In that sense, the natural gas that represented a great option to lower costs in order to benefit the productive sectors, has now become an option to do illegal business in order to benefit a small minority.

The difference between the Dominican State and the Luz & Fuerza Company, is that electricity contract of Luz & Fuerza company in Las Terrenas were made public.

If Luz & Fuerza would have to pay 7 million dollars retroactive, it would have to close its plants, to declare bankruptcy because the company will not charge its users since it would be impossible for the citizens to pay the costs.

In this case the EDENORTE company would come to Las Terrenas to offer permanent blackouts 24 hours a day and to do the same business they have done for so many years at the expense of the Dominican people.

This situation would lead Las Terrenas 15 years ago, loosing all sustainable development that benefits the municipality, because both domestic and foreign investment would go away, and a situation like that can’t be accepted by Las Terrenas inhabitants.

We must fight, no matter what for this common cause, because the integral and sustainable development of Las Terrenas can not collapse now.

Furthermore, Congress should review the Tourism Incentive Law 158-01, especially in the case of Samaná Province so Luz & Fuerza Company could benefit from that law which would alsol benefit the village of Las Terrenas, and some tourism projects that would not have to pay import and hotel operations taxes in the country.

Everywhere in the world renewable energy projects are developed, in order to reduce operating costs so that energy arrives to productive sectors and users at a price affordable. For example Cuba is in Caribbean and Latin America, the country that has taken the most advantage of wind energy, but we can also mention the Bolivia, Venezuela, the Republic of China, Spain, Costa Rica and other countries.

So, why would they not allow LAS GALERAS interconnection with Las Terrenas, so we could produce wind energy ? Are we against development ?

On the other hand, we know that wisdom and patriotism of the honorable President of the Republic is going to be imposed, because we have a president who professes the development of peoples.

By Luis Adames, Las Terrenas Live, 07.04.10

European Development Fund provided 61.4 million Euros in 2009 to Dominican Republic

It should provide more than 100 million Euros in 2010beach- Las Terrenas

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- The person in charge of European Development Funds, Domingo Jimenez, said that the Dominican Republic received about 61.4 million Euros from this organization, it is to say RD $ 3,700 million in 2009, and plans to receive this year over 100 million Euros.

Mr. Jimenez highlighted that this aid is given to the country without any commitment, and represent contributions from the European Union for the Dominican Republic, om order that the country can meet the goals established in the document Estrategia-País and indicative program.

The official considered that prospects for European cooperation are positive, especially concerning this donation which represents 74 percent of all international aid that arrives to the country.

According to Mr. Jimenez, European cooperation has played a starring role in the economic recovery of the Dominican Republic. He also said that the country applied for a payout of 30 million for general budget support.

In that sense, he stated that this year, the implementation of a program to support the competitive sector, which has a great importance for the country, will continue.
Recently Dominican Republic signed a program for capacity building and technical assistance with the Ministry of Public Administration, for 8.5 million Euros.

Las Terrenas Live, 08.04.10

Luz y Fuerza Company receives support and regrets the problems continue to worsen

Electricity in Las TerrenasThe Alliance of Tourism Services Enterprises convenes national press conference

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- Dozens of cross-streets banners, newspaper articles and detailed information on local radio and TV during Holy Week have informed the villages of Las Terrenas, Las Galeras and Limón on the serious problems that threaten residents of these areas, among which we mention:

  1. The retroactive tax that the Ministries of Finance and Industry and Commerce want to implement on the fuel that generated electricity for a few months last year, and

  2. 16% of ad-valorem on natural gas, which prevents us from generating electricity at low costs with this fuel, after we invested millions for this purpose.


Despite the massive support we have received from all people, to whom we are very thankful, our situations have not yet been resolved and the problems continue to worsen.

The Finance Ministry has ignored our arguments and, in a letter dated March 30th of this month, insists on the request for payment of RD $ 7,476,300 to be liquidated immediately in relation to taxes on imports of some fuel we used to produce electricity during the months from September to December 2009.

As everyone knows, this energy has been charged to our users based on the price of these fuels exempt of any taxes. The Ministry of Finance also advised the company that, in case of this payment would not be immediately realized, it would suspend exempt shipments. This means we will not have more tax-exempt fuel to generate power at current prices.

Luz y Fuerza, which has provided electricity 24 hours, seven days a week for the past 18 years for the welfare and development of these villages, DOES NOT want to increase the price of light, and can’t accept the absurd demands of the Fuels Control Department of the Ministry of Finance.

Therefore, Luz y Fuerza informs its users that if the Treasury does not eliminate their orders within a very short time Las Terrenas, El Limon and Las Galeras will be completely without light for an indefinite period.

The Alliance of Tourism Services Enterprises, which provides us its valuable support in this battle for the rights of the people, convened in Santo Domingo, on Wednesday April the 14th at 10:00 AM, a national press conference to inform Dominican society about all these situations and the consequences this measure will have for the population of one of the leading tourist destinations of our country.

For this press conference our company will provide free transportation from Las Terrenas, El Limon and Las Galeras to Santo Domingo, to all persons wishing to participate.

To confirm your participation please call, from today until Tuesday morning, to 809-747-9139 and reserve a place on the bus.
Hopefully these government institutions will understand that you can not take lightly the welfare of the Dominican people that work so hard for their livelihood.

Luz y Fuerza Company of Las Terrenas, C x A Las Terrenas Live, 09.04.10

Ibiza World Tour 2010 on Bonita Beach

Ibiza World Tour 2010 in Playa Bonita Las TerrenasA world show in Las Terrenas

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- The coasts of Las Terrenas became a great discotheque for thousands of people who came to enjoy the show Ibiza World Tour 2010, held at the Bonita Beach.

The event started at 11:59 pm on Friday, April the 2nd with the mixture of DJ. Damian, who was followed by the world famous Big World and DJ. Haiti, who make more than 1,800 people dance and jump. Sully Persio Maldonado, general producer of the event, thanked the support of several brands that supported the event and the audience.

This is the first of many events that we will be doing during this year and, with the support of thousands of people we expect to exceed this small sample. said Mr. Maldonado.
Ibiza World Tour was sponsored by dParranda Group, Viva telecommunications brand, and 911 energy drink.

Las Terrenas Live, 12.04.10

Conflict with the Ministry of Environment freezes investment in Las Terrenas

Associations ask for the intervention of President Leonel FernándezInvestment in Las Terrenas

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- Different associations and personalities of the village of Las Terrenas in the Samaná province have asked President Leonel Fernández to intervene in the conflict with Environment Ministry, in order to revoke the dispositions that stop the construction of most private project that were in progress.

Grouped in a movement that has been called United Terrenas Movement, people have expressed through a communication addressed to the Head of State, the fact that it was almost impossible for them to obtain building permits from the Ministry of Environment for constructing projects that contribute to the tourism development, and this situation is seen as an obstacle to foreign investment in that area.

The purpose of this correspondence is to let know that we made almost the impossible to obtain building permits, in particular the one of the Ministry of Environment, causing the freezing of all works in progress, and stopping the work in all the construction sectors, says the communication.

The letter to the president, signed by representatives of Unidos Hoy por un Mejor Mañana, Caño Seco Manantial de Vida, Caño Seco El Atravesado, Sendero de Amor, Abra Grande el Manantial, La Granja Unida, El Almendro, Barrio El Cacao, El Jamito, Fraternidad Vecinal, Trabajadores de Construcción, Inversionistas Extranjeros and El Club de Madres Come Pan, reports Listín Diario.

We understand the procedures for obtaining permits, but this does not imply such a long delay, which causes impatience of investors and destroys any hope of value to a town that wants to grow in every way, explains the letter.

Las Terrenas Live, 13.04.10

Stewart Title Dominicana will provide services to the Colinas del Mar Project

Located on Playa Cosón in Las Terrenas Project Colina Al Mar at Cosón Las Terrenas

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- The real estate tourism project Colina Al Mar has signed an agreement with Stewart Title Dominicana, a company specialized in providing services that give security to purchasers of real estate in the Dominican Republic.

As part of this agreement, Stewart Title Dominicana will provide Escrow and warranties of title services, besides assisting buyers in signing contract and transfer of their property and to support the developer in the administration of sales.

This agreement was signed by President Abdel Investment, SA, the company that develops the project Colina Al Mar, Jaime Polanco, and, representing Stewart Title Dominicana, general manager, Lissette Balbuena Zeller.

Investment Vice President Abdel Raymundo Polanco, has ensured that this agreement represents a greater confidence for buyers, as these services bring security and transparency to the property transaction.


Colina Al Mar is a real estate development project located in Cosón, Las Terrenas, composed by 60 units in 15 blocks, which will offer its private beach club, restaurants, swimming pools, tennis court, gym, spa and Jacuzzi, between other facilities.

Las Terrenas Live, 14.04.10

Luz y Fuerza Company made a press conference in Santo Domingo

The president of the Alliance of Business Services Enterprises of Samaná, Jose Oscar Orsini BoschLeonel Fernández asked to avoid the appliance of tax to energy company of Las Terrenas

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- The president of the Alliance of Business Services Enterprises of Samaná, Jose Oscar Orsini Bosch, asked this wednesday the intervention of President Leonel Fernández, in order to remove the retroactive application of a tax that would increase the electricity tariff for the Luz y Fuerza Company of Las Terrenas, the only company in the country that operates 24 hours a day without state subsidies.

Mr. Orsini Bosch said the Luz y Fuerza Company exceeded 700 millions dollars last year, and solves the problem of energy supply in the communities of Las Terrenas, El Limon and Las Galeras, without receiving any subsidy by the Government.

He recalled that the company invested millions for producing electricity from natural gas, which is much more respectful to the environment than oil, while trying to get a substantial reduction in the cost of producing energy, in order to reduce the fee to its users.

However, after starting the generation with natural gas purchased from the local market, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce surprisingly decided to charge an ad-valorem tax of 16% to the Luz y Fuerza Company for using this fuel.

The company is has to pay retroactive import taxes for a portion of the fuel and energy already used to produce electricity from September to December 2009, and energy that was sold and charged to users based on the price of exempt fuel, as it happened during more than 18 years of existence of the company, and as it is sold to other generators of the country, he said.

He said the compulsory tax payment would force Luz y Fuerza Company to transfer this charge to users and to discontinue the use of natural gas in its generation units, since it is more expensive than fuels from petroleum, such as Bunker C and diesel.

He also said that these communities have joined their voices to ask the president to stop the fuel tax, which would bring the decline of one of the most important tourist area of the country.

He said the only state help available to the company is the exemption of fuel taxes, which now requires to be paid retroactively.
Vice president of Tourism Alliance, Santiago Abreu, considered as unfair that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce try to penalize with a discriminatory tax the Luz y Fuerza Company, while at the same time it rewards with exemptions and subsidies some public and private companies that have not managed to secure a stable supply in the rest of the country.

He said almost all sectors of the North and East, including leading social, political parties, businesses, entrepreneurs and tourism sector, have agreed to defend strongly a local company that has played a key role in the development of more important tourist destination in the Northeast region.

The work of the Ministry of Tourism

Mr. Orsini Bosch thanked on behalf of himself and members of the Alliance of Business Services Enterprises of Samaná, the excellent work of Tourism Minister Francisco Javier Garcia, in the province of Samaná, which has received a large investment in infrastructure.

The Minister of Tourism was asked to use his good offices to benefit the power utilities generation and distribution of energy in Samaná, with the incentives of the law 158-01, which would allow a substantial reduction in electricity tariff in the area, giving these companies an equal treatment to other distributors in the country.

He also expressed great satisfaction with the demonstration given by the President Leonel Fernández, of wanting to resolve the problem the national electricity through changes in two main players in the electrical system, the appointment of executive vice president of CDEEE, Celso Marranzini and of Enrique Ramirez, at the National Energy Commission (CNE).

He criticizes the Superintendence of Electricity

However, referring to the Superintendence of Electricity, Orsini Bosch said that the institution is not consistent with the efforts realized by President Leonel Fernandez, and on the contrary, does not respect the resolutions between Superintendence and CNE.

It has openly asked the developers of tourism projects and real estate on the El Limón coast and El Estillero to financiate Edenorte for the construction of distribution lines in areas that are the same Superintendence, through Resolution 112-02, gave to the Luz y Fuerza Company of Las Terrenas he said.

He highlighted that these actions prevent constructing the interconnection line system between Las Galeras and Las Terrenas.

Las Terrenas Live, 15.04.10

The number of flights to the Dominican Republic grew in the first trimester of 2010

International airport El Catey in SamanáIt increases passenger arrivals

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- The president of the Civil Aviation Board (CAB), Luis Rodriguez, reported the increase of the passengers arrivals and flights to the country during the first quarter of this year compared to the same date in 2009.

The official explained that in 2010 the variation of passengers transported on regular flights is 473 141 more than in 2009, which means an increase of 7.0 percent and the number of operation increased by 1 225, for a variation of 7.5 percent.

The chairman of the JAC revealed that new airlines have been allowed to operate the Dominican destination in the first quarter of the year, including GBV Linhas Aereas, SA which has a permit to operate flights from Brazil to Punta Cana and Santo Domingo, British Airways PLC, which was approved for a flight from London to Punta Cana.

He added that in this first period of the year, amendments were approved so that companies Air Canada could operate on flights on the route Toronto / La Romana / Toronto, Halifax / Samaná / Halifax and Montreal / Samaná / Montreal; Corsairfly to include the route Nantes / Fort de France / Punta Cana / Nantes. An amendment was also authorized to permit the company Jet Blue Airways Corp. to include New York routes / Punta Cana / New York and Boston / Punta Cana / Boston.

The charter flights authorized by the Civil Aviation Board for the first three months of the year correspond to the month of January in which 305 were approved charter cargo and 164 passengers, in February 219 charter flights and 142 passenger load, in March 125 000 thousand passengers charter flights and cargo 230, for a total of 649 thousand passengers charter flights and cargo 536 during the first three months of the year.

M. Rodriguez announced that the Civil Aviation Board planned to negotiate new air transport agreements with Uruguay, Paraguay, India, and Kuwait.

Las Terrenas Live, 16.04.10

Tourist arrivals increased by 3.83% in March

Tourists on a beach of Las TerrenasSeven consecutive months of growth for the Dominican tourism

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- During the month of March 2010, the arrival of non-resident passengers to the country by different international airports shown a 3.83% increase compared to the same month last year, which means 15.559 additional tourists arrived to the country, for a total of 421.829 visitors, according to Central Bank statistics.

Indeed, the entry of foreigners resident in absolute experienced 7.834 additional visitors, reaching a growth of 2.16% compared to the same month last year, as well as non-resident Dominicans contributed with 7.725 additional people, mainly as a result of the visitors who came to the country on the occasion of the Holy Week festivities.

The dynamism shown by the Dominican tourism since September last year, reflected a growth on seven consecutive months of positive growth rates, which results in an increase of 3.92% to 1,221,872 non-residents visitors entering the country during the first trimester of 2010.

This behavior is explained by the dynamism in the segment of non-resident foreign tourists with 33.385, additional entries, reversing the decline of -56.162 in visitors entries experienced during the same period last year.

Also, non-resident Dominicans showed an increase over 12.675 visitors, for a variation of 10.77%, after presenting a reduction of -7.07% during the same period last year. The arrival of passengers to the country during the review period was 1,323,292 passengers, which means an increase in absolute terms of 53.315 passengers, representing an increase of 4.20% over the first quarter of 2009.

As for the nonresident aliens arrivals through international airports, Punta Cana terminal was the busiest, as it received 627.696 visitors, which in percentage terms represents 57.51%, followed by Las Americas International Airport with a contribution of 17.37%, 14.50% for Puerto Plata, 4.45% for La Romana and the airports of the Cibao, La Isabela and El Catey, in Samaná with a 6.17 per cent.

Las Terrenas Live, 20.04.10

Council for the Promotion of Tourism Industry approves seven new projects

Projects in Las TerrenasDominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE) 2010

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- The Council for the Promotion of Tourism Industry (Confotur) approved seven new projects for investments in this sector, amounting to approximately U.S. $ 780 million, which would create 11,000 new rooms, said Vice Minister of Tourism, Radhames Martinez Aponte, in the framework of the eleventh Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange (DATE) 2010.

The official explained that most are real estate projects, one is a tourism project, and that they will be located in areas of Punta Cana and Samaná, with Spanish, American and Dominican investments.

Mr. Aponte Martinez spoke during a press conference held at Hotel Moon Palace, representing Tourism Minister Francisco Javier Garcia.

Russian Flight

Deputy Minister of Tourism announced that the Russian state airline Aeroflot will launch a weekly flight to the Dominican Republic beginning next month.

We have become the leading destination in the Caribbean for Russia market, said the official. As part of this agreement the country’s private airline Transaero is flying to the country with weekly flights that last year transported about 50 000 tourists, more than Cuba, he said.

Mr. Martínez considered it was very important news for the country the fact that Aeroflot was interested to travel to the Dominican Republic, so the company is receiving full support of the Dominican Civil Aviation Institute, so it can obtain permits and begin operations as soon as possible.

The official said while participating in the DATE 2010, that the Russian market last year represented the eight country as tourist provider. He invited the tourism sector investors to trust the country is a profitable and safe destination.

Las Terrenas Live, 21.04.10

Epona Ranch in Punta Popy

Horse on the beachBeginning Saturday May the 1st

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- From Saturday May the 1st, Las Terrenas Epona horses will leave their hills to get closer to the sea and their customers.
A unique opportunity to take walks in a different environment, and to receive riding lessons.

Epona Ranch offer a way to discover the man-horse relationship differently, observing the animals, listening them and respecting their rhythm. Epona Horses Ranch are educated with respect, so they all come to make contact with men.

Las Terrenas Live, 22.04.10

Spanish hoteliers and airlines want to invest in Samaná Peninsula

Samaná road, Tourist Atlantic BoulevardThey await the completion of the road Samana-Las Terrenas to start operations

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- Tourism Minister Francisco Javier Garcia reported that Spanish hoteliers awaiting the completion of road Samana-Las Terrenas to begin construction of three hotels.

He also highlighted that several airlines have expressed interest in increasing the number of flights to the area.

The construction of the road Samaná-Las Terrenas is part of the draft Tourist Atlantic Boulevard, which goal is to develop in the Samaná Peninsula, the road infrastructure required to complete it into a International Tourist Pole.

In this section, Samaná - Las Terrenas (35.00 Km) and Las Terrenas - El Catey (24.00 Km), Catey International Airport will be connected with all the hotel areas of the Samaná Peninsula in good traffic conditions and further tourists go on a road with police surveillance of permanent roads.

The official offered the information during the conduct of DATE 2010, which was held in Bávaro, where representatives from the tourism sector also reported that the cancellation of flights from Europe caused by the ashes the volcano, have not impacted this sector.

The initiatives show that the country, in terms of luxury travel, has surpassed last year’s crisis, the official said.

Las Terrenas Live, 23.04.10

Tourism Clusters in Dominican Republic

Beach of Las TerrenasA mechanism for tourism development

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- A new concept is gaining attention and being reported in the country, generating great interest for tourists who arrive each year interested in seeing something more than beaches and sun.

These are called Tourism Clusters.This concept simply means agglomeration and / or proximity of companies engaged in similar activity.

The Dominican Republic has joined the new unified system of tourism in order to give more choice to the adventurous traveler interested in fauna and flora, and why not integrate him into the work of each town or city.

The country has approximately 9 tourist clusters, which obtained excellent results, with the help of the authorities and international organizations, which in one way or another support such initiatives for growth group.

Tamara Vazquez coordinator for Sustainable Tourism and Cultural National Competitiveness Council (CNC), said the country has been working on the creation, support and strengthening of national tourism clusters.

The clusters are located in the provinces of La Romana, La Altagracia, Samana, Puerto Plata, La Vega (with clusters in Jarabacoa and Constanza), Monte Cristi, Barahona, Pedernales and the city of Santo Domingo.

The growth of these clusters has been so important and productive that large hotel groups understand their importance for economic and social development of each province.

For the president of the National Association of Hotels and Restaurants (Asonahores), Haydee Ranieri, the cluster as a mechanism of integration, promotes a strong community presence which is summarized in the phrase Todos Somos Turismo.

He also believes that the development of tourism clusters helps to diversify Dominican tourism development which is essentially all exclusive.

Las Terrenas Live, 26.04.10

2010 is the year of tourism consolidation

Tourism in Dominican RepublicThanks to local and foreign investment

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- Minister of Tourism, Francisco Javier Garcia, said that 2010 is the year of the tourism industry consolidation thanks to large local and foreign investment, but also to the Government support concerning public works in the different tourist poles.

M. Garcia highlighted the Central Bank data indicates that the tourism sector grew 3.5 percent in the first months of the year, with emphasis on visitors from the United States, whose increase was 13 percent in March.

The official said he was optimistic about the pace of growth seen in some sectors as cruises, highlighting the arrival of large ships to Samaná.

In this regard, he noted that special monitoring is given to the Samaná province were takes place the construction of roads, such as Santo Domingo - Samaná highway, the Tourism Atlantic Boulevard and other pathways that facilitate communication between the cities of Sánchez, Las Terrenas and Las Galeras.

The Tourism Minister said Spanish investors are almost ready to build three hotels in Las Galeras.

Las Terrenas Live, 27.04.10

Preparation for the 2010 Municipal Games

Las Terrenas sports leaguePractice begins on Friday April the 30th

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- The Sports League Los Terreneros has now its own statutes. The Steering Committee shall be consisted of five or seven members. Copies of this document are available to anyone requesting it.

News on the preparation of the 2010 Municipal Games: Delegates representing the various teams that will participate to the Municipal Games met yesterday in order tp formalize the inscriptions.

Some 500 athletes will be participating in nine disciplines. Of 30 teams, we still looking for 20 sponsors. Anyone who is interested in sponsoring or bringing help to organize this event, please get in touch with the President, Mr. Moises DRULLARD (809 973-4515) or any member of the League.

This weekend from Friday April 30th at 02:00 pm the Las Toronjas League will begin, which is the practice of the Municipal Games in softball play games A and B. Everyone is invited to choose your favorite team.

Next regular meeting Sunday May the 9th, 2010 at 10:00 am are in the Sports hall. Everybody is welcome.

The President of the League, Moises Drullard.

Las Terrenas Live, 28.04.10

The town hall of Las Terrenas is almost ready

The new town hall of Las TerrenasIt will be inaugurated on Saturday May the 1st

BREAKING NEWS: Las Terrenas.- After several months of work in the ancient town hall of Las Terrenas, the new one is almost ready. The workers are working on the final details of the building, painting and finishing of the floor in front of it.

Located on the main street in the same place as the old town hall, the new structure has three floors and a parking space for vehicles.

This renovation was carried out by the current mayor José Alexis Martinez, the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), with an investment of 12 million pesos.

On May the 16th, during the municipal elections, Mr. Martínez will have as main rivals to Dr. Camilo Medina of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD), and Mr. Jose Bourget, of the Dominican Party for Change (DXP).

Las Terrenas Live, 30.04.10