FEBRUARY 2009

Reservas bank inaugurates an office in Puerto Plata

Reservas bank Puerto PlataThe portfolio reaches 1.148 million pesos

BREAKING NEWS: IMBERT, PUERTO PLATA.- The Bank of Reservas inaugurated here an office in order to increase its business management in the province, where it haves a loans portfolio of 1,148 million pesos, and deposits for more than 1,976 million pesos.

The general administrator of the financial institution, Daniel Torribio, emphasized the business relationship that this institution is keeping with the Imbert community, and which is reflected in the 8% increase of the credits’ portfolio approved during the past year in the different sectors.

Toribio explained that Banreservas runs 38% of the loans portfolio of the Banca Múltiple of the province, as well as 28% of the total of deposits.

These numbers talk by themselves he declared in front of the clients of the new office, located in the Hermanas Mirabal Avenue, number 13, crossing with Imbert.

Puerto Plata Live, 05.02.09

Mudslide shuts down Santiago-Puerto Plata mountain road

Mudslide shuts down Santiago-Puerto Plata mountain roadLuperón tourist highway

BREAKING NEWS: PUERTO PLATA. - A skirt of the Septentrional (northern) mountain range collapsed from the downpours around the hamlet Palo Quemado, Yásica township and sank a section of almost 1.5 kilometers of the Luperón tourist highway, said Public Works vice minister Porfirio Brito.

In Puerto Plata, provincial Civil Defense director Hugo González said last night’s mudslides near Gurabo prompted the authorities to close the mountain road to traffic.

Both officials said 16 entire families were evacuated where the mudslides caused a wide and dangerous crevice. They said there are no reports of victims, but the inhabitants fled in terror and sought shelters in other towns.

Since the September 2003 earthquake near the area, frequent mudslides have prevented normal traffic on the Luperón highway.

Dominican Today, 12.02.09

Beaches of the North coast are colored again

Beaches of the North coast are coloured againHundreds of tourists enjoy the Atlantic seashore

BREAKING NEWS: Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata.- The beaches of the north coast are colored again and hundreds of tourists enjoy the Atlantic seashore.

The activities in the hotels started again after the rains of the past weeks forced the tourists to stay inside of their rooms.

During these rainy days, the hotel staff realized activities in order to ensure the visitors enjoy their stay in Dominican Republic.

Thanks to the works realized by the town hall and government, the beaches were cleaned and the intense blue combined with the white sand invited the tourists to enjoy a warm bath.

According to the managers of the tourist sector in Playa Dorada, the foreign tourist occupation is around 80%, thanks to the climate, the services and the security that offers this area of Puerto Plata.

Puerto Plata Live, 17.02.09

The USAID intends funds for the tourist development

The USAID intends funds for the tourist developmentStrategic alliances

BREAKING NEWS: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced a program of Funds for the Tourist Development with an investment higher than 17 million pesos.

The program seeks to promote the diversification of the products’ offer for the tourist sector, to increase the satisfaction of the visitor and to promote an international good image of Dominican Republic.

Last weekend, a meeting with the USAID through the Dominican Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (DSTA) took place at the Chamber of Commerce and of Production of Puerto Plata, which was used as platform for launching the « Programa Fondo para el Desarrollo Turístico con Inversión Orientada a la Sostenibilidad (Fondos-Destinos) ». (Program of Funds for the Tourist Development with Investment Directed towards Sustainability (Funds - Destinations).

During this meeting, housewives, company managers, craftsmen, painters, actors, hotel, keepers, among a lot of other people, were directed towards how to benefit of the funds of this USAID program.

Moreover, these funds seek to promote the development of tourist small and medium companies which guarantee an economic benefit and improve the quality of life in the communities, and to support a greater local participation for the management of tourism through the community, together with non-profit organizations and with the public and private sector.

The director of USAID, Richard Goughnour, said during the launching of this program that these funds will strengthen strategic alliances between the public and the private sectors at the level of local communities in order to promote sustainable tourism, which protects the environment and the cultural values of the Dominicans.

He recalled that this initiative is part of the Program of Dominican Alliance for Sustainable Tourism, launched by the USAID in September 2007.

He affirmed that tourism was very significant for the economy of the Dominican Republic since it represents roughly a contribution, direct and indirect, of 20 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He pointed out that the Dominican Republic had the most beautiful beaches of the world, spectacular ecological parks; this is why this country could satisfy the request of the nature and environment tourist lovers.

Puerto Plata Live, 24.02.09