The president of the Grupo Sol Melia, Gabriel Escarrer speaking during the workshop, “Tourism, Nature and New Technologies” at the Central Bank highlighted the importance of integrating the natural environment when building tourism resorts. Escarrer spoke of the challenges ahead for the development of tourism around the world. He mentioned avoiding high-density hotels, achieving equilibrium between quality and price and integrating architecture with the landscape, as the new priorities. “The vertical shoe boxes have no room in the travel industry today,” he said. “Hotels have to respect the environment.” He reminded that in Mallorca hotel buildings were toppled to replace them with gardens. Escarrer also pointed to governmental responsibility in setting the guidelines for equilibrium between development and sustainability. He urged governments to improve infrastructure, training and implement correct and fair fiscal policies. In the DR, Sol Melia has done what it preaches, “building without destroying”. The hotels it has built in the Punta Cana-Bavaro area are noted for their harmony with nature. (26 June 2001) Income levels more important than high occupancies Ramon Prieto, president of the National Association of Hotels & Restaurants, highlighted that it is more important to achieve high room rates rather than maintaining high occupancy rates at low room rate levels. Prieto mentioned that hotel profitability has drastically diminished in the first five months of the year. He urged the government and private sector to concentrate on attracting higher paying market segments. Prieto attributed the decline to the high cost of fuel, fall of the euro, among other factors. Prieto said that to improve the image of the DR as a destination, the country needs to concentrate on changing its proposals for mass travel for one of attracting market niches of people willing to pay more for specific travel products. Prieto said that the Ministry of Tourism is focusing its promotion on the US and Canada, that are considered the markets that will most quickly recover from the world economic problems. (26 June 2001) Loans for holiday packages The Banco de Reservas launched its program “Vacaciones Felices” (Happy Holidays) whereby the bank will finance holidays for Dominican residents. The program was developed by the National Hotel & Restaurant Association to increase domestic travel. It stipulates a three month grace period, and six month quotas at 2% interest on the pending balance. The program will start this summer but will be in effect for a year. (26 June 2001)
