Puerto Plata Cruise City Project continues to implement actions of preparedness

Puerto Plata Cruise City Project continues to implement actions of preparedness
Puerto Plata, 05/02/2014

The Chamber of Commerce and Production of Puerto Plata, through the “Puerto Plata Ciudad Crucerista” (Puerto Plata Cruise City) project, has continued implementing a number of initiatives that aim to achieve the comprehensive preparedness of the various local sectors to ensure proper management of cruise tourism.

In the last few weeks, important actions aimed at adding to the consolidation of the project have taken place, among which are the participation in a cruise to San Juan in Puerto Rico, Barbados, St. Thomas, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and St. Martin, in order to make a technical assessment of the various aspects related to the dynamics of managing the cruise industry.

During this experience, factors related to the overall operation and management of ports and terminals, the operation of the transport systems, trade, tourist guides, tourist information, community involvement, as well as the administration of the transit system, security, and other areas of interest, were analyzed.

The analysis of the data gathered during the assessment visits, as well as the diagnostics performed on each of the local sector in which the direct stakeholders have participated since last November, will be the basis for defining the core aspects of the planning and implementation of actions for the Puerto Plata Cruise City project.

The results will be shared with the various sectors involved, in order to transfer the knowledge that has been acquired and to plan for the comprehensive preparedness of the destination. Presentations will start at the end of May at work sessions conducted with representatives of the forty institutions that are part of the project.
Regarding training, it was reported that a course for Specialized Guides for Cruise Tourism that is being coordinated by the Chamber of Commerce and Production and the MITUR Directorate of National Cruises will be delivered by the Canadian Aquila Cruise Excellence company, which specializes in training human resources for the proper preparation of cruise destinations. The course, which will last approximately one year, will be taken by six people related to the industry, among which are some INFOTEP facilitators who will serve as knowledge multipliers to the community, through training activities handled by that entity.

The managing authority of the Puerto Plata Cruise City project also announced that, as part of the strategies to achieve integration, important actions have taken place with various institutions of the public, private and civil society sectors to draw the lines of cooperation.

In this regard, it has been reported that recently there was a positive meeting with the Mayor of Puerto Plata, Mr. Walter Musa, to formally introduce the project to him and to link the Mayor’s Office to the different processes. Likewise, there was another meeting with the Director of the District Board of Maimón, Mr. Ramón Saldaña, to coordinate the presentation to the community of the results from the technical assessments that were conducted in the islands that were visited for purposes of providing general information.