Reaction started early - in 2001, the newspapers were aware of efforts to revive tourism in the province: Puerto Plata wanted to regain its former glory and began to work for it. Many hoteliers refurbished their premises, took up new projects and the authorities were engaged in international promotion in the packaging of beaches and historic sites, and the rebuilding of the Malecon.

Around 8 billion dollars of public and private investment has been spent in recent years and yet, despite the good intentions and the capital injection, there has been no noticeable progress. The number of tourists arriving via the area dropped to 27.8% in recent years. 786,000 visitors foreigners arrived by air in 2000 and this dropped to 540,000 tourists in 2008.

"Final Push?"

Organized by the Dominican Association of Tourism Press (Adompretur) with the participation of key representatives of tourism in Puerto Plata, media directors and journalists specialized in tourism last for Puerto Plata Journalism Summit, held from 27 to 29 November in Ocean World Marina & Casino and set in other enclaves in the province, have analyzed the main obstacles that have impeded its relaunch.

The owner of Ocean World, the main park of the province at the meeting highlighted the bad reputation that the Dominican Republic has as a maritime destination citing, among other factors, "the discomfort of the port, the troublesome procedures for entry and regulations that currently experienced by tourist boats. Besides the high taxes that are required for vessels calling at the port of Ocean World, he criticizes also the fact that when a ship arrives in the country is received by more than eight authorities, requiring them, in addition, further payments to leave.

"Most of our boats have left he says, tired of so much bureaucracy, completely out of the country or to other ports of the Dominican Republic, where they do not have to pay the weekly tax of US$50. A solution, proposes to enact a law limiting the authorities to inspect ships entering the country and are unified all taxes "so that the boats know exactly what they need to pay."

From the Secretary of Tourism
In his speech, Deputy Secretary of Tourism, Radhames Martinez Aponte, analyzed the causes of the decline of tourism in Puerto Plata, and mentioned 31% is due to the decline of visitors, 27% to the decline in quality, 26% to lack of sustainability and 16% to exogenous variables. Key strategies to address it include public-private cooperation and the promotion of new and refurbished attractions.

Optimistic and confident that Puerto Plata flights resume - in their presentations were Roberto Casoni, president of the Association of Condominium Hotels and shops of Playa Dorada, Jose Natalio Redondo, president of the Tourism and Cultural Cluster of Puerto Plata, Maximo Iglesias, president of Association of Hotels and Restaurants in the North and Giribaldi Diego, president of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants of Sosua and Cabarete.

Puerto Plata Declaration

After analyzing the problems of tourism in Puerto Plata, communicators Summit participants agreed, among other things:

- Provide professional support to projects, plans and actions in an attempt to rescue the dynamism of tourism in Puerto Plata.

- Stimulating the interest of the media and journalists to monitor the activities of public and private institutions in this region to have an attractive tourist and professionalism reflect the progress of this sector.

- Urge the institutions of business, community and government to improve ties with journalists and media outlets that regularly disseminate information about the sector in order to improve the coverage of the information sector.