Dominican Republic invests $30 million into Puerto Plata tourism infrastructure
Improvements include beach recoveries at Long Beach and Cabarete Beach, as well as a new dock with restaurants, bars and an amphitheatre
Dominican Republic (August 15, 2006) – With its recent boom in popularity among vacationers worldwide, the Dominican Republic (DR) is investing significant resources to enhance its tourism infrastructure. Most recently, the government allocated more than $30 million to development and improvements in Puerto Plata related to the protection of natural resources, water processing, sanitation systems and new roads and walkways. A major milestone of that project, the recovery of a key beach, has been reached.
A weekend-long event, titled Inauguracion Long Beach, showcased recent improvements at Long Beach, located on the Malecon, or beach road, in Puerto Plata on the DR’s north coast. Completed by Spanish engineering firm, CADIC, the project at Long Beach was designed to reverse deterioration and erosion while giving the beach an overall facelift. A team of engineers, hydro-technicians, oceanographers, geomorphologists and specialized divers spent three months at the site analyzing sand discharge patterns, conducting environmental impact studies and building coastal works. As part of its recovery, the beach was extended by just over a mile.
Due to the lengthening of Long Beach, the Dominican government revised urban development codes for the area to accommodate tourism-related projects. “The increase in quality beachfront in Puerto Plata has allowed us to rezone, thereby maximizing its use for our substantial boost in tourism,” notes Minister of Tourism Felix Jimenez. “However, to preserve the beauty of this area we’ve established limitations*, such as a maximum building height of seven storeys and no more than 300 hotel rooms per hectare (approximately 2.5 acres).”
One such project for the area, currently in the final planning stages, is an amphitheater to be constructed beside the San Felipe Fort along with a 130-foot-wide dock in front of the Puerto Plata Malecon. The new dock will feature restaurants, bars and Victorian-style architecture. The design of the projects is entrusted to architect Sara Garcia, daughter of businessman Isidro Garcia, owner of VH Hotels & Resorts, and the architect behind the Casa Colonial boutique hotel.
Other beach recovery projects are underway in the DR. Among them, Cabarete Beach on the north coast, known as a world-class windsurfing and kiteboarding destination, and the beaches at Boca Chica and Juan Dolio in the south. The project at Long Beach, however, was the most extensive, requiring a budget of more than $7 million.
Other projects related to the tourism infrastructure in Puerto Plata and expected to be completed by April 2007 include the renovation of Isabela de Torres Avenue, which offers access to the Isabela de Torres cable car ($3.5 million budget); improvement of rain drainage and water processing systems ($19.7 million budget); and elimination of the Maggiolo sanitation site and the building of a new site at Caraballo, Montellano ($500,000 budget).
The budget for enhancement of Puerto Plata’s infrastructure has been provided by the Ministry of Tourism, the Playa Dorada Hotel Association and the Puerto Plata City Hall.
Rich in history, the Dominican Republic’s first tourist was Christopher Columbus in 1492. Since then, it has developed into a diverse destination offering both Dominican and European flavours. At 10,000 feet, the Dominican Republic is home to the highest point in the Caribbean. It also features some of the best golf courses and beaches in the world, the largest marina in the Caribbean, and is a chosen escape for celebrities, couples and families.
*All parameters for projects on the site have been outlined in Decree 221-06.
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