The National Hotel & Tourism Association (Asonahores) and the Association of Hotels of the East (Asoleste) announced they would withdraw from legal actions taken against the abrupt government change in the land use regulations in the eastern tourism region. The hotel people protested the unilateral actions taken to allow high rises in Punta Cana beach areas. The associations say the decision is to facilitate dialogue with the government and the Ministry of Tourism on the change in the land use regulations for the eastern region of the country. The tourism associations had filed a case against the Ministry of Tourism with the Superior Administrative Court (TSA) for violations of government procedures in the change of the land use rules.
“It is important to point out that Asonahores and Asoleste, throughout their history, have shown that they prefer dialogue as a way to find a solution to the differences that may arise with the authorities in the areas of tourism development,” reads the press release announcing the end to legal actions.
In the press release, the associations reaffirmed their concern of the possible impacts of the change and its effect on the sustainability of the area that until recently had focused on low rise and low density development making it the most successful tourism development in the Caribbean and Central America in recent years.
The press release stated that a meeting is scheduled for January 2019 at the Ministry of Tourism to continue the talks.
2 January 2019
