The president of the National Hotel & Restaurant Association (Asonahores), Ramon Prieto, advocates that the Southwest of the nation adopt a different tourism development model. Prieto spoke at an American Chamber of Commerce luncheon and urged the businessmen of the Southwest not to adopt the mass tourism holiday package/big hotels model of Puerto Plata, Juan Dolio, La Romana, Bayahibe and Punta Cana. Instead, he proposes low density development with the construction of small hotels and inns versus large hotels. He proposed that the area promote itself as a complement to these destinations. He said the Southwest is rich in ecotourism and adventure travel attractions that would lure domestic and international travelers seeking something different. He urged the area to target a select and discerning traveler who would appreciate these more customized services. “The Southwest does not have the extensive and wonderful beaches of the East, but it has an inventory of natural resources with great diversity and can develop a product based on ecology, sports and adventures, using its abundant cultural resources and building an image of a unique area in our country and the Caribbean,” he said. Prieto foresees tourists booking a safari through dry forests, bird watching tours, trips to the tropical forests in the Sierra de Neiba, or scuba diving in Las Salinas (Bani) and along the South and Southwest Coast. He urged that any development model be based on the preservation of natural resources, the environment, development of human resources, and community participation in the tourism developed areas. He encouraged the businessmen to push the Senate to pass the bill to provide tax incentives for those developing projects in this area. (28 May 2001)
