SANTO DOMINGO. - “Miches has some of the most beautiful beaches but we haven’t been able to develop it because it doesn’t have a road,” said Tourism minister Felix Jimenez today, to stress the need for what he sees are 19 provinces in need of infrastructure for development.

He said those areas await the approval of the bill which creates the Tourist Development Institute (Indetur), with which tourism would be developed, including the rebuilding of their beaches.

Speaking in the Channel 9 program Hoy Mismo, the official said as part of Indetur’s functions the road to Miches would be built, and link that now isolated town with the Bavaro-Punta Cana region and Sabana de la Mar.

In that regard, Hotels and Restaurants Association (ASONAHORES) president Luis Lopez said Indetur would also serve to promote tourism within the Nation competitive plan, to include the improved safety and health of tourists.

He said his entity has requested the professionalism of personnel, promotion of the industry, infrastructure, and cleanup of the sprawl around tourism resorts, which the legislative initiative would solve.

Jimenez, to urge the deputies to pass the bill, noted that Dominican Republic has US$8 billion in tourism development projects for next the five years, although almost half of those funds await infrastructure works which he said figure in the National Tourism Competitiveness Plan.

“There are 19 provinces which have been waiting for more than a year for the Chamber of Deputies to at his moment, approve what needed only one session in the Senate, for their awareness of the need to motor Dominican Republic’s best tourist development,” he said, adding that the lack of a highway to Miches have made impossible to develop its beaches, with more than US$500 million in paralyzed projects.

Source: DominicanToday.com