Rafael Barón Duluc advocates for nautical tourism incentives to boost the Dominican economy
The senator for the La Altagracia province, Rafael Barón Duluc, made an urgent call this Wednesday in the Senate of the Republic to expedite the approval of the bill that seeks to incentivize nautical and maritime tourism. The legislator warned that the country has failed to receive billions of dollars due to the lack of an adequate legal framework that facilitates the arrival and operation of private vessels in Dominican waters.
During his speech, Duluc supported the position of the senator for Puerto Plata, Ginnette Bournigal, who has been one of the main voices demanding that this piece of legislation, stalled for years in the National Congress, finally be prioritized. “It is a shame that we have spent so many years in this country talking about the same thing,” the senator lamented regarding the delay which, in his view, prevents the nation from taking advantage of its competitive potential compared to other Caribbean destinations.
All these islands that surround us receive billions of dollars for the facilities they have for private tourist vessels, and we, an island, are failing to receive all those benefits.
Rafael Barón Duluc, senator for La Altagracia.
Demystifying the economic impact
In response to criticisms suggesting that this law would exclusively benefit high-income sectors, Senator Duluc was emphatic in defending the project. He argued that the growth of the Dominican hotel sector has been driven precisely by incentive policies, a model that, according to him, should be replicated in the nautical sphere to stimulate the local economy.
The legislator detailed that the impact of nautical tourism goes far beyond marinas. Yacht and sailboat owners generate a constant economic spillover by consuming maintenance services, fuel, and food in local supermarkets and restaurants, which translates into jobs and foreign currency for coastal communities.
A strategic sector for the country
- Tourism diversification: The project seeks to make the country a more competitive destination within the international nautical leisure market.
- Regulatory framework: The law contemplates the regulation of registries, permits, and navigation, providing legal certainty to investors.
- Geographic advantage: The Dominican Republic possesses privileged natural conditions that are currently not being fully exploited due to bureaucratic hurdles.
Duluc reaffirmed his commitment to the initiative by noting that nautical tourism is “one of the most productive types of tourism for society.” With his support, he joins the pressure from various sectors that insist on the need to modernize the national tourism offering to ensure that the Dominican Republic captures the flow of visitors who currently prefer other Caribbean ports with more favorable conditions.
