The Association of Hotels and Tourism Projects of the East complained that the Tourism Cabinet, created by President Leonel Fernandez at the start of his government to promote consensus and define government policies, is inactive and has only met once since the start of the new government.
He criticized that the US$10 new charge on visitors coming by air as of 1 November was not presented for discussion to this body.
Veloz said that the province of La Altagracia generates 50% of the revenues the government will receive for the new tax. He called for mechanisms so that the bulk of the collections be used in infrastructure works in the Punta Cana-Bavaro-Macao area. He described this area as being an orphan of government support.
Veloz told the press that the province has 48% of all the hotel rooms in the country, and the Punta Cana International Airport handles 40% of the flow of visitors. “The new revenues that will be collected should be invested in this province that generates the most and practically receives nothing in exchange,” he told the press. This area generates 18% of GDP, and about 20% of foreign currency receipts. He said that in 35 years since tourism in the area began its development, the only work of importance carried out by the government has been to start the boulevard from Punta Cana to Uvero Alto. But, he said, the government requested that in exchange the private sector build the aqueduct and the sewage treatment plant.