In the northern Dominican coastal tourist hub of Puerto Plata, a years-long shutdown of the iconic Puerto Plata Cable Car has triggered a devastating economic crisis for local businesses tied to the Isabel de Torres Mountain tourist attraction. According to Vladimir Santana, official spokesperson for the Isabel de Torres Mountain Vendors Association, connected merchants, service workers and adjacent sectors have collectively suffered losses exceeding 500 million Dominican pesos over the 26-month period that the cable car has remained non-operational.
Isabel de Torres Mountain is one of Puerto Plata’s most visited landmarks, drawing thousands of domestic and international travelers annually who rely on the cable car to access the mountain’s panoramic coastal views, botanical gardens and historic monuments. The prolonged suspension of cable car operations has choked off the steady stream of tourist foot traffic that sustained the area’s local economy. Santana explained that every segment of the regional tourism ecosystem, from street vendors selling handcrafted souvenirs and local snacks to tour guides, transportation providers and hospitality workers, has felt the severe impact of the shutdown.
Many of the affected merchants have built their businesses around the attraction over decades, with their household incomes and livelihoods entirely dependent on tourist visits to the mountain. The sustained loss of revenue has left hundreds of families in precarious financial situations, sparking growing anxiety across the local business community. Santana has issued a public call for urgent intervention from local authorities and tourism regulators, emphasizing that immediate action is required to restart cable car operations and rebuild the area’s collapsed commercial and tourist activity before the damage becomes irreversible.