Before 1969, the coastal province of La Altagracia, between Juanillo and Uvero Alto all we had were cow pastures, today, more than six billion dollars have been spent.
Bavaro. In an interview many years ago with an outstanding character of the Province, renowned octogenarian doctor, told us that the “divine providence has blessed these areas and by over three hundred years we have been ranchers. Tourism was a plus, but it certainly surprised us, but the province handled much money before then. We are ranchers and always will remain “. While it is understandable this might be thought as radical, 40 years ago, when the hotel began with investments in Punta Cana, incoming tourism was added to the agricultural economic model.
However, it took three decades to establish itself as the main driving force, democratizing the provincial economy, with virtually influence the rest of the island. For understanding the model of tourism, one begins with the stay-transport relationship. This is followed by a second wave of lodging facilities, dependent on the hotels, condos generally, and in subsequent stages, separated by a few years, are attached additional tourist attractions (theme parks, shopping …), then move to another stage: the residential tourism. Maybe you could add a fourth stage, the total development.
For the isolation, culture of entrepreneurs and regional characteristics, the start of residential tourism did not come to until 7 or 8 years ago, with investments of Punta Cana, Palma Real Villas and Cap Cana. The “engines” of tourism real estate. In studies conducted by this writer, first with the Tourism Cluster in La Altagracia and then Development Council Bavaro-Punta Cana, Inc., between 2003 and last year, plus another 20 years working in major local agencies promoting investments; find that the resident population has tripled in just four years, plus a floating population of not less than 40,000 tourists a day. This indicates the establishment, at least theoretically of a Municipal District, with an additional perk, tourism. About 100 square kilometers. Two thirds flat, the remaining low-altitude mountains. In addition, a remarkably stable climate and very low impact of hurricanes or earthquakes.
Current investments:
It is easy to see: over 40 linear kilometers of beach, thirty thousand hotel rooms arrangements for some 50,000 additional housing units. Behind the hotel, we already have shopping malls for both tourists and residents. We have half a dozen schools, a quality university, 25 small supermarkets, Veron area / Punta Cana combination of urban housing also basic light industry and, of course, a wide range of informal trade. Unfortunately, we skip a stage. We did not create sufficient additional tourist attractions to make way for an impressive stage of residential tourism except a dozen small theme parks-land and water. But this is an opportunity present itself.
Investment opportunities in strategic infrastructure:
The theme in state investments are concessions, especially on roads where the system works for BOT (Build, Operate and Transfer), ie, that invests capital to build, operate, to get your investment, and then transferring State things as roads, aqueducts, waste disposal systems or, say, a botanical park. To do this we have a modern legislation on capital investments or technology, 16-95 on Foreign Investment Act, which encourages and protects the investor, with current treatment Investment Opportunities. Investment in strategic infrastructure equal to natives or foreigners. Other laws and regulations to encourage capital to invest fresh and transparent, with a dedicated office (Center for Exports and Investment of the Dominican Republic CEI-RD) to manage the effort, along with the country's Central Bank. Other offices are interacting Development, Industry and Trade, Environment and Tourism, all with technical expertise in these lines.
Some of the leaflets we have:
Private Aqueduct-Botanical Park in the “Paisaje Natural Hoyo Claro.”
Technology Park: Punta Cana or Higuey.
Equestrian Complex: Nisibón – Museum complex: Higuey.
Harbor Cruises: Boca de Yuma.
Moto Cross Theme Park: Bavaro.
Underwater/Submarine Park: Macao / Liborio.
Cultural Center: Bavaro.
Ecotourism Park: Laguna Bavaro
Other laws affecting such as Retired, Publishing and selective application of laws such as the 158-01 tourist incentive. The same on Environmental Law 64-00 (granting compensation before expropriation of natural areas in taxes, barter or payment) and even some additional related taxes.
Opportunities for smaller scale:
Since the area is looking for native investments of smaller scale, or other larger deviations (the case of PuntaCana International School, or, Heritage / Unibe, Cap Cana) the concentration of capital in urban services such as smaller shopping malls, as we know, the half dozen large shopping plazas, under construction or planned. The opportunities on a smaller scale & less investment – trade (we do not have a large department store or supermarket), the engineering industry, maquiladora or technology (using local manpower, trained by the hoteliers or builders) or more sophisticated services like hair salons, pet hotels, recording studios, and advertising among others.
Source: Bavaro News