Frank Rainieri of the Punta Cana Group told Listin Diaro that the traditional low government investment in tourism is one of the reasons for the low growth of the sector this year. He said the government does not invest even 1% of what the industry produces for the country. He advocated that the government invest 10% of proceeds and view tourism as a matter of state, not just a concern of the Ministry of Tourism. The Ministry of Tourism recently announced the investment of US$38 million in tourism advertising.
Rainieri said, “We are happy for the investment in promotion, but if there is not an investment in infrastructure, in the environs, in the prevention of slums in tourism areas, in potable water, in the colonial city, we are patching a hole where air will come out in a year because promotion is a short term measure not a long term one.” (30 August 2001)
