Deputy Minister of Tourism for the southwest region, Jose Santana announced that the plans to develop Jaragua National Park beaches would result in the creating of 17,500 indirect and direct jobs for the impoverished southwest. The total population of the province of Pedernales, where the construction of beach hotels is planned, is 20,000 inhabitants. The Ministry of Tourism is promoting the construction of 3,500 hotel rooms in the ecologically fragile area. Last week, a group of investors from Spain came to do a site inspection. Tourism Minister Felix Jimenez announced, as reported in the Listin Diario, that the government is supporting the construction of 3,500 hotel rooms so these could be operational before the end of 2006.
The Ministry of Tourism has yet to release the results of the study it has ordered for the development of the ecologically fragile area. The area is part of the Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo UNESCO biosphere.