eco-tourism

[jaimeespinar]

Dear All,
My name is Jaime Espinar Mieth and I am 25 years old. I have BA Hospitality management in a UK university and studied an optional course Environmental Management in the Service Sector. My lecturer has left university and is now working in her eco-friendly accommodation establishment. I have relatives and friends in the DR and wondering whether there is room for eco-friendly tourism expansion. I may have some capital in the next 5-10 years or so, so looking to broaden my knowledge at the moment. Thank you DR1!
If there is anyone interested I would be pleased to know. I think that I will still be reading about the relevant issues such as legislation, local aspects, government grants, bank loans, environmental awareness, contact with people interested in the near future, I can see there is still lots to read here... Also, i may want to work in ecotourism and/or something related to sustainability in the near future.
Thank you for your collaboration,
Jaime Espinar Mieth
jaimeespinar@yahoo.es

[mountainannie]

Originally Posted by jaimeespinar

Dear All,
My name is Jaime Espinar Mieth and I am 25 years old. I have BA Hospitality management in a UK university and studied an optional course Environmental Management in the Service Sector. My lecturer has left university and is now working in her eco-friendly accommodation establishment. I have relatives and friends in the DR and wondering whether there is room for eco-friendly tourism expansion. I may have some capital in the next 5-10 years or so, so looking to broaden my knowledge at the moment. Thank you DR1!
If there is anyone interested I would be pleased to know. I think that I will still be reading about the relevant issues such as legislation, local aspects, government grants, bank loans, environmental awareness, contact with people interested in the near future, I can see there is still lots to read here... Also, i may want to work in ecotourism and/or something related to sustainability in the near future.
Thank you for your collaboration,
Jaime Espinar Mieth
jaimeespinar@yahoo.es

I just got here - I mean - three weeks ago - to the Samana Penisula, Las Terrenas. I would think that this area would be really ripe for something. An eco friendly/ domes or yurts or something up in the hills by the waterfall by Limon. Lots of jungle, lots of dirt roads - midway between the Atlantic and the Bay of Samana where most of the migratory whales of the Caribbean come to spend the winter. There is a little airstrip. Otherwise it is hard to get here. But I know of one guy who was putting people up in tents in Appalacia- in the style of an African safari - for $100 a nite. There is a lot to be done here - there aren't even any rechargeable batteries for sale!!! So the more of us that are like minded that are here, the better. I understand that Samana (the town) attracts quite a few Canadians - here in Las Terrenas is mostly French, with an odd assortment of Italians and Germans thrown in. I understand that I am the 5th Yank. Which about suits me right now. Let me know if you decide to visit.

Elizabeth

[Jasper]

Originally Posted by mountainannie

I just got here - I mean - three weeks ago - to the Samana Penisula, Las Terrenas. I would think that this area would be really ripe for something. An eco friendly/ domes or yurts or something up in the hills by the waterfall by Limon. Lots of jungle, lots of dirt roads - midway between the Atlantic and the Bay of Samana where most of the migratory whales of the Caribbean come to spend the winter. There is a little airstrip. Otherwise it is hard to get here. But I know of one guy who was putting people up in tents in Appalacia- in the style of an African safari - for $100 a nite. There is a lot to be done here - there aren't even any rechargeable batteries for sale!!! So the more of us that are like minded that are here, the better. I understand that Samana (the town) attracts quite a few Canadians - here in Las Terrenas is mostly French, with an odd assortment of Italians and Germans thrown in. I understand that I am the 5th Yank. Which about suits me right now. Let me know if you decide to visit.

Elizabeth

do me a favour and open up an eco friendly airport in samana. any airport. please.

[mountainannie]

Don't know what you mean by eco-friendly but there are little airplanes flying overhead every day into Portillo. Flights are available to the capital from here and into Port au Prince. Helicoptors for medivac into the capital. So that ought to do it? n'est ce pas? Elizabeth

[dontuseEltour]

Elizebeth we found Las Terrenas as well but not ready to move there yet, will be back in Feb to see the whales our son can't wait. I got to say it was the most relaxing time we ever had.
And El Portillo is a through back from what you see on old movies, don't see many control towers that are sheds on stilts.
Eco could do great here but i think the problemn is making a business that is around the locals so they are the one's benafiting. We dive a lot and had a great time in the DR only thing i saw that i didn't like was the killing of 2 Manta rays on the beach by fishermen, i asked what they would sell the meat for but didn't tell them what i would have payed to swim with them. Maybe we can have lunch when we get there and if you need anything from the US let us know.
Terry ,Nicki and Tanner.

[Bartolomeo67]

Eco-tourism:
well you have the Parques Nacionales, or at least those that are not in the process of being sold: Los Haitises, Isla Cabritos, Armando Bermudez, etc.
There are also some eco-tourism lodges or 'ranchos' along the autopista Duarte from Santo Domingo up towards Bonao, La Vega, if I remember well.
There certainly are opportunities for it in the DR
Bartolomeo67

[mountainannie]

Yes - I have a grave concern about what is happening here. The Europeans are coming in and buying up all the beach front land - property price have tripled in the last three years - electricity everywhere and styrofoam containers and plastic bags ..... I will say that the French are doing a pretty good job with beaches, collecting money from the business owners and hiring locals to clean up and putting up cans along the beach. Still there is no local craft for making shopping bags which would do very well here. And the little moto-chonchos which spit petrol into the face are just terrible. But I found the "chief" Dominican - who has been here for 18 years and has a lot of grace and style - and gave him my flyer for the electric scooter and asked if he had a friend who could import one for me. Said wouldn't it be great if all the moto-concho's here were like this? We'd have to modify them to carry two passengers but we're on it. Also he has a friend who is preserving 175 hectares - how much is that in acres - as a nature reserve without electricity. I will probably move further east to set up a lookout - watchtower on the eastern point. These MEN - all of them - I am sorry - they come in - Bible in one hand and appetite for child prostitution in the other. It makes me sick to see what is happening here. God give me strength.
Elizabeth

[jaimeespinar]

Dear All,
Thank-you for writing about the issue "Eco-friendly accommodation Samana-Sabana de la Mar" in the forum. And for your valuable information. I have just come back from holidays, one week in Tunisia. I was interested because I was desperate for holidays and the low cost- from 225 euro per person one week half board in a 4 star hotel, including plane and transfer. Desertification is an issue in south and southwestern Tunisia bordering Lybia and Algeria. Barriers accummulate sand progressively, meaning more need for sand barriers. I saw a small proportion of date palm trees partly covered in sand. I could only see the top of some trees in that part. So protecting trees and stopping Sahara desert sand expansion is important, also to protect not far away olive trees and olive oil production.
And in the Dominican Republic, to attract eco-friendly tourism there are still many trees to protect. So a sustainable approach to preserve local fauna and flora is important. Not to create a José Hidalgo, Globalia project, (building inside a protected area in the Parque Nacional del Este!). Also, studying whether renewables were to be viable with SOLUZ Dominicana?, rubbish separation to make compost heaps for fertile land, organic produce and/ or writing to local authorities about local concerns and the need to reduce, reduce, recycle, planting local endemic trees... etc...
As to Sabana de la Mar-Samana, Paraiso Caño Hondo may become or is a competitor or collaborator in my opinion as well as the ones mentioned in the forum. As to the local issues and needs, in my opinion, poverty and child prostitution aid and education and/or UNAIDS due to the high rates of HIV expansion among haitian sugar cane workers such as in Guaymate (just north of La Romana and south of El Seibo) and the bateys and/or renewable energy such as ENERSOL for rural unelectrified areas, may be important to take into account when thinking on how to help local communities in Hispaniola. So collaborating with some of these or others may contribute to the local aspects in my personal point of view. For example, an organised dinner where part of, or the income would go to a local charity. Also, writing to the government about local concerns.
I am thinking that my next holidays may be in Caño Hondo Samana-Sabana de la Mar-Hatises National Park and Humpback Whale Watching in February. If I have to work or I don´t have the money this february then another years´february.
Hope to hear from you with your ideas and interests when you can.
jaimeespinar@yahoo.es