President Luis Abinader, in his speech accountability, this Tuesday he referred to the projects that the government has carried out in favor of tourism in the Dominican Republic.
Among the achievements he cited the arrival of 10 million visitors exactly 10,306,517. Another goal that is already an achievement. In 2021, the UNWTO recognized us as the number 1 country in tourism recovery in the world.
Last January, the UNWTO published that it will be in 2024 when international tourism will reach pre-pandemic levels, two years later than us. According to the same organization in its latest report, we are leading, together with Saudi Arabia and Albania, the growth of post-pandemic tourism in 2023.
We currently have 19 new hotel investment projects under construction for the next 3 years, for a total of 9,135 rooms, with an estimated investment of US$2,936 million dollars.
All this has been accompanied by a public investment strategy in the main tourist areas, in the new centers and throughout the country. We have intervened in 89 projects in 18 provinces with a value of 8,400 million and currently we have 4,640 million in execution, for a total of 39 projects in 11 provinces, the main ones being Samana, Puerto Plata, and La Altagracia.
Some examples are the reconstruction of the fishermen's plaza, the access road to Playa Astillero, the access to Playa Cosón, and the Malecón in Samaná, or the first stage of the recovery of Playa Sosúa in Puerto Plata and several boardwalks such as the of Cabrera and Santo Domingo Este.
We are also rebuilding the La Caleta underwater park, building access to the Aguas Blancas Falls in Constanza and the surroundings of the Boca de Cachón spa in the Independencia province.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
From all points, from north to south, and from east to west, the Dominican Republic has its own characteristics capable of generating new wealth for the country.
This is how we have acted in breads where one of our most impressive natural beauties is undoubtedly housed. An immense development potential that is now beginning to be exploited with a great impact on the progress of that region. The government committed to building infrastructure such as roads, aqueducts, and hospitals, some already completed or in the process of construction, and businessmen, the development of hotels. The private sector currently has four hotels under construction equivalent to 2,500 rooms. That is, 3,000 direct jobs for Miches and 9,000 indirect jobs.
In addition to the increase in cruise tourism also in the north, construction of the tourist project, Punta Bergantín, has already begun, which will give Puerto Plata a new boost to reverse the decline in the hotel sector that this province has experienced in recent years. 20 years.
