El Caribe newspaper points out that the writing is on the wall for Boca Chica, Santo Domingo’s closest better beach. From a sleepy beach resort in the 80s, Boca Chica is today a bustling beach area with about 2,000 hotel rooms in a handful of big hotels and dozens of small hotels. In January of this year, the president of the US Olympic Committee Bill Hybl visited and praised the natural conditions of the area that is programmed to be the site for the Santo Domingo 2003 Pan Am Games’ sailing, beach volleyball and waterskiing events. See http:\/\/www.dr1.com\/daily\/news013100.shtml But changes have been gradually occurring that may mean this area will have a different destiny than that of a leisurely tourist destination. The 2,000 hotel rooms in the area may be upgraded to city hotel rooms, as a major industrial and free zone movement makes it way to take advantage of the natural conditions for a deep water port and the proximity to the Las Americas International Airport of Boca Chica. Boca Chica is also less than half an hour from Santo Domingo. And the improvement of city bound highways, is shortening this driving time. The changes started to become apparent when the Victoria I, power barge was allowed to dock in Boca Chica. The hotel community gave in to government pressures, accepting a "temporary" parking of the barge. Temporary now seems to be turning into permanent. The promoters of the barge say it brings no contamination to the area. See http:\/\/www.dr1.com\/daily\/news042800.shtml On 26 September, AES Corporation announced the construction of a 300-megawatt power plant in Andrés, Boca Chica. Initially to operate with fuel oil, the power plant will eventually use liquid gas. See http:\/\/www. dr1.com\/daily\/news082600.shtml While attending the start of construction of that plant, President Mejía gave his go-ahead to the construction of a major trans-shipment port in Punta Caucedo nearby. This construction is said to possibly affect the Boca Chica natural lagoon. The port and industrial complex would be operational in 2002. See http:\/\/ www.dr1.com\/daily\/news082600.shtml President Mejía also has given his open support to the continuing of the Santo Domingo Cyberpark, a major effort at giving the DR a push in the direction of high technology park business. See http:\/\/ www.dr1.com\/daily\/news100600.shtml Already operating in the area is the Zona Franca Las Americas, that has been successful in attracting electronics business. Just recently Power One, a leading US telecom electronics company announced a US$30 million expansion of its Las Americas park facilities. See http:\/\/ www.dr1.com\/daily\/news100600.shtml Can the intensification of industrial facilities in the area reconcile with the tourism industry? Henry Pimentel, former Deputy Minister of Tourism for the National District (Santo Domingo and Boca Chica) and today executive director of the Association Pro-Development of Boca Chica fears that the trans-shipment port will mean the destruction of several tourism attractions in the area, such as Matica and Los Pinos islets, and could affect the lagoon. Development studies for Boca Chica from years back show the construction of port, industrial and tourism projects side by side, complementing each other. Will the new dimensions needed for today’s projects change the vision of the planners for this area? More questions are being posed than answers, as investors push to get their projects underway. On the optimistic side, what may result is that Boca Chica hoteliers change their model of selling all-inclusive US$25 per night\/per person rooms to selling US$100 per night accommodations, with no food or beverages included. The days when Boca Chica attracts more business travelers than beach-seeking tourists may soon be here. (10 October 2000)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
El Caribe newspaper points out that the writing is on the wall for Boca Chica, Santo Domingo’s closest better beach. From a sleepy beach resort in the 80s, Boca Chica is today a bustling beach area with about 2,000 hotel rooms in a handful of big hotels and dozens of small hotels. In January of … <\/p>\n