NewsWhore
02-15-2007, 02:21 PM
President Leonel Fernandez will send a bill to Congress to create the National Institute for the Development of Tourism Infrastructure, Tourism Minister Felix Jimenez announced yesterday at a press conference. The new government body will be funded by a US$8 duty levied on air travelers to the DR, and will replace the Executive Committee for Tourism Zone Infrastructures (CEIZTUR) that is currently funded by a US$5 tax on travelers created last year (US$2.50 on entry and US$2.50 on departure). The Minister of Tourism will manage the new organization, and the board will be made up of the director of the National Institute of Potable Water and Sewage, an engineer representing the National Hotel & Restaurant Association, and banker Alejandro Grullon Espaillat.
Tourism Minister Felix Jimenez made the announcement during a press conference at the Presidential Palace yesterday. He said that the National Hotel & Restaurant Association has already approved the increase in the duty to be collected, which will be used to improve infrastructure in tourist areas.
The CEIZTUR entry tax has already generated a RD$2.1 billion fund handled by the Ministry. The additional funds would enable the department to carry out beach regeneration projects in Samana (Carenero and Los Cacaos), La Romana (La Caleta), San Pedro de Macoris (Guayacanes), Najayo and Palenque (San Cristobal) and beaches in Barahona. The funds would also be used for sewage treatment plants in the expanding areas of Puerto Plata, Cabarete and Las Terrenas (Samana). He also announced sewage construction plants for Rio San Juan, Jarabacoa, Samana (through to Las Galeras) Juan Dolio and Guayacanes, Najayo and Palenque.
For the southwest of the country, he says the government envisions the construction of 1,500 rooms over the next three years. He said his department is working with the Environment Ministry on plans for tourism development in areas such as Bahia de las Aguilas in Pedernales, as reported in Hoy.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)
Tourism Minister Felix Jimenez made the announcement during a press conference at the Presidential Palace yesterday. He said that the National Hotel & Restaurant Association has already approved the increase in the duty to be collected, which will be used to improve infrastructure in tourist areas.
The CEIZTUR entry tax has already generated a RD$2.1 billion fund handled by the Ministry. The additional funds would enable the department to carry out beach regeneration projects in Samana (Carenero and Los Cacaos), La Romana (La Caleta), San Pedro de Macoris (Guayacanes), Najayo and Palenque (San Cristobal) and beaches in Barahona. The funds would also be used for sewage treatment plants in the expanding areas of Puerto Plata, Cabarete and Las Terrenas (Samana). He also announced sewage construction plants for Rio San Juan, Jarabacoa, Samana (through to Las Galeras) Juan Dolio and Guayacanes, Najayo and Palenque.
For the southwest of the country, he says the government envisions the construction of 1,500 rooms over the next three years. He said his department is working with the Environment Ministry on plans for tourism development in areas such as Bahia de las Aguilas in Pedernales, as reported in Hoy.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#3)