UNIBE and the Tourism Cluster of Puerto Plata Signed a Cooperation Agreement

UNIBE and the Tourism Cluster of Puerto Plata Signed a Cooperation Agreement
Puerto Plata, February 17th, 2015

Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) signed a cooperation agreement with the Tourism Cluster of the Puerto Plata Destination (CTDPP for its acronym in Spanish), an umbrella organization that brings together entities that have an impact on the development of the Puerto Plata province.

The agreement was signed by Dr. Odile Camilo Vincent, Academic Vice-Rector at UNIBE, and Ms. Jakaira Cid, Executive Director of the Puerto Plata Cluster.

The Tourism Cluster of the Puerto Plata Destination (CTDPP) is a civil society organization, a voluntary association that articulates multiple actors in the Puerto Plata province, in order to foster the development of its core areas. It operates as a private consortium, as a unifying body of major public and private institutions. Its main objectives are to promote the development and consolidation of effective reforms to strengthen Puerto Plata and to contribute to the competitiveness of tourism, cultural heritage, natural resources and the promotion of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), making these activities more developed and more sustainable through actions that promote improvements in the local public and political management of the tourism sector.

The general focal point of the agreement is to foster synergies and academic partnerships between UNIBE and the CTDPP, through the development and exchange of experiences and personnel in the fields of teaching, publications, research, community service programs, educational programs, and training in general, in the area of management of educational tourism, as well as in other areas the institutions deem of common interest. In addition, to promote the coordination and production of academic activities and joint strategies for the implementation of projects geared towards the sustainable development of the community in this area, with the support of both entities. This partnership seeks to combine efforts to develop a work ethic of educational tourism in the region, as well as to develop events at the national and international levels.

The agreement is of special importance, as specific projects that will continue to promote cooperation between the two institutions have been identified, as well as initiatives that will have high impact in the province and across the country, and which are already underway through UNIBE’s School of Architecture.

With the signature of the UNIBE-CTDPP agreement, the 6th International Congress ARQTUR CARIBBEAN UNIBE 2015: Identity in Insular Architecture will be held in Puerto Plata, on March 5, 6, 7 and 8, 2015. The Congress will kick off at the UNIBE facilities, campus Santo Domingo, and will continue in the city of Puerto Plata with the participation of delegations from various countries (Puerto Rico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic). The program of activities follows the various themes that fall under the Tourist Architecture in the Caribbean, as a region and context. The ARQ-TUR seeks to address the need to identify regional and local architectural aspects, in addition to those devoted to tourism, which support the regional identity of the Caribbean in light of the competition and global tourism offer. Also, to identify, consider and propose, in terms of identity, the distinctive features of the Caribbean region.

The signing ceremony was attended by Elmer González, Director of the School of Architecture, and Architects Elizardo Ruiz, José Delmonte and Dominic Abud, Professors of Architecture and UNIBE representatives.

On behalf of the Tourism Cluster of Puerto Plata, Mr. Román Medina Diplán, member of the Board of Directors, and Anny Mariel Gómez, Head of the Department of Communications of the institution, attended the event.

Architect Elmer González and Ms. Jakaira Cid stated that the intention is to create strategies for joint work between the institutions. This UNIBE-CTDPP agreement seeks to overlap efforts to develop a concerted action to promote the strengthening, solidarity and the comprehensive and sustainable development of the heritage values of Puerto Plata and the development of the nation.

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