Architect Maribel Villalona, formerly in charge of the Ministry of Tourism’s Planning and Projects Department, has been entrusted to oversee the Colonial City Tourism Development Program, sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank. Architect Carla Quinones, also from the IPP program, will be working with her.
The program seeks to increase revenue and number of jobs generated by tourism within the old city through the development of tourism products with high competitive potential. The IDB is providing US$22.7 million for the development of key tourist attractions aimed at increasing the length of stays and the amount of money spent by tourists. The project involves investment in conserving tourist attractions that are public assets and to improve public spaces in order to generate routes and products based on a development plan that is consistent with urban planning and regulations. The program will provide funds for redesigning and implementing themed tours of the old city, as well as improving its emblematic buildings.
It will also contribute US$3.6 million to local community involvement in tourism development by building local people’s capacity to deliver quality services and to obtain more benefits as a result of the increased tourist activity in the Colonial City. A third aspect provides US$3.4 million for strengthening tourism management. This component will include building the Ministry of Tourism’s capacity for sustainable tourism planning and management, in order to improve the information provided to the sector and increase the level of satisfaction among tourists in the Colonial City.