El Caribe newspaper highlights the efforts of the National Parks Department to improve ecotourism excursions in the DR. Director of National Parks Omar Ramírez announced efforts are advanced so that his department can open a new trail up to Duarte Peak, the highest in the Caribbean. Last year, 3,500 foreign and Dominican tourists made their way up to the 3,175 meter peak. The most used routes are the Mata Grande-San José de las Matas or Jarabacoa-Manabao-La Ciénaga routes. But the National Parks Department says that a new route, through the Parque José del Carmen Ramírez will be a shorter 28-kilometer hike. (24 March 2000)
