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View Full Version : Barahona hopes to attract cruise ships



NewsWhore
08-28-2012, 05:30 PM
The passing of Tropical Storm Isaac exposed the vulnerabilities that can affect the construction of Barahona's coastal tourism projects currently in process. During the hosting of the Hispaniola Ecotourism Bourse (Behsa), its president Luis Eduardo Franjul Diaz highlighted the need to solve several of the problems, as reported in Listin Diario. Barahona is historically the province most affected by hurricanes in the Dominican Republic. It also is the country's southernmost peninsula.

Tourism Cluster president Polibio Schiffino said that the project that is under construction suffered damage to 25% of the new structure, according to an assessment made by its director, Rafael Matos Feliz. Schiffino said that together with the Cluster, they had made recommendations to the Ministry of Tourism prior to the storm. The storm proved the need to implement several of these recommendations, such as a protection wall and better drainage.

The Ministry of Tourism is investing RD$300 million in the project, which seeks to prepare Barahona for attracting cruise ship tourism.

Diaz Franjul of Behsa had recommended the construction of a cruise ship terminal near the Hotel Guarocuya, in the El Cayo area, or where the seafront boulevard, Proyecto Litoral Maritimo Maria Montez, is being built.

Schiffino says that this option is better than building the cruise ship terminal on the site of the present dock. He said the old structure and the surrounding areas were not appropriate for the cruise ship terminal. He said the area would need to be dredged. To get around this, ship passengers could take small boat tours. Minister of Tourism Francisco Javier Garcia has said that Barahona has excellent conditions to develop as a cruise destination.

For photos, see elbarahonero.blogspot.com (http://elbarahonero.blogspot.com)

www.elcaribe.com.do/archivos?pagina=4 (http://www.elcaribe.com.do/archivos?pagina=4)

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