Sand brought in to improve Caribbean beaches
The Dominican Republic is spending $25 million dollars improving its beaches to make them more attractive to visitors.
It is part of a wider plan to boost tourism as officials are worried
that cuts in flights from the US and other problems such as the recent
power cuts could seriously hit the number of people interested in
investing in the country, the second largest island in the Caribbean.
Seven
beaches will be spruced up. The project includes bringing in 1.4
million cubic metres of sand and demolishing buildings judged to be
damaging the coastal environment.
The project which gets underway
later this year will focus on Caleta de La Romana, Palenque and Najayo
de San Cristóbal, San Rafael and El Quemaito de Barahona, Juan Bolaños
and Costa Verde de Montecristi.
'We
want to guarantee excellent conditions and develop our tourism industry
further,' said a spokesman for the Tourism Ministry. Other improvements
are also under consideration. The construction of a cable car to
Jarabacoa and Santiago is one major project being examined.
The
spokesman pointed out that there are a large number of new developments
including golf courses and spas underway with investment from a number
of countries including Mexico and the US.
It is vital for the
country to maintain growing tourism levels in order to attract further
investment as numbers push up rental yields.
Author:
Date: 7/22/2008 | 
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