The Dominican tourist industry is beginning to worry about its impact on the environment and it’s about time too, according to Listin Diario reporter Windler Soto. In a long article in today’s edition of the newspaper, Soto lists the challenges faced by the industry. They include the 400 tons of refuse produced each day, and the accelerating rate of consumption that threatens the natural resources that give the region its splendor. The reporter notes that several attempts are being made to reduce the carbon footprint and to reduce the volume and impact of the refuse on the environment. According to Asonahores executive vice president, Arturo Villanueva, “the tourists who come here are demanding and requiring these controls.”
As a result, some 20 hotels have received certificates from international institutions like Biosphere and Green Globe. Since these changes towards a greener sort of tourism do not require large investments, they pay for themselves in a short time, as reported in Listin Diario.