Dr. Don Hawkins, George Washington University; William Brands, Deputy Director, USAID/DR; Dr. Duty Greene, Economic Policy Advisor, USAID/DR; Odalis Perez, CTO, DSTA, USAID/DR; and Luis Omar Fernandez, Advisor, DSTA Advisor

The national conference "Todos Bajo un Mismo Techo - Por un Turismo Dominicano más Competitivo y Sostenible" [Everyone under one roof - for a more competitive and sustainable Dominican Tourism] took place from April 18-20, 2008 in Santiago, D.R. Conveners were the Ministry of Tourism, the National Council for Competitiveness and the US Agency for International Development. PPAF was one of 140 organizations participating. more

The Dominican Sustainable Tourism Alliance (DSTA) draws upon the natural, historical and cultural resources and of the country for a more sustainable tourism sector that distributes benefits and contributes to poverty alleviation, economic expansion and the preservation of biological diversity. The purpose is to move beyond "beach tourism" to a model that strengthens small, medium-sized and community-based tourism enterprises and regional tourism clusters. DSTA emphasizes public-private collaboration and outreach to new partners nationally and internationally. USAID funds the project, part of the Sustainable Tourism Alliance now being established in several countries. For more information on DSTA, you can view their brochure here

Conference participants reviewed past and current efforts and made plans that committed clusters and participating organizations to actions in the next 100 days and the next three years.

PPAF involvement

Dr. David Stillman was invited to the Conference through the Samana Cluster, and also worked with members of the Monte Plata Cluster. The Samana Cluster is now expanding to include Miches, on the other side of Samana Bay. Stillman, Dr. James Danoff-Burg (Columbia University Center for Environment, Economy, and Society (CEEC)), Frank Minaya and Dr. Dana Minaya (Samana College Research Center) met recently to discuss plans for joint work. CEEC is developing an environmentally-sustainable economic growth program in Miches.

At the Conference, Stillman emphasized the PPAF interest in fish farming to supply local needs, the hotel and tourism industry and potential export. He said, "This area of work is well attuned to the mission of the Conference, and engages participation from many stakeholders." PPAF is also working with Finca TerrAqua, a fish eco-tourism destination in Mont Plata Province.

Fish Farming Conference Follow-up

While in Santiago, Stillman and Scott Wright, an attorney and Board Member of PPAF, met with Maximo Nicolas, President, Richard LeClerc, Vice President and Mercedes Garcia, board member of the Fish Farmers Association (ADOA) to review the status of follow-up to the December 2007 Aquaculture Conference and to agree on next steps in a business plan for financing and investments. PPAF and ADOA are developing a Memorandum of Understanding for joint work. To read more about the December 2007 Aquaculture Conference, please click here