In a landmark gathering of local government officials, business leaders and grassroots community representatives held in Jamao al Norte, the Espaillat Province Ecotourism Cluster has launched a bold new proposal to develop inclusive, sustainability-focused tourism across the province’s northern mountain range. The collaborative assembly concluded with a major institutional step forward: the formal establishment of a Provincial Tourism Board, a cross-sector body tasked with streamlining coordination between public and private tourism actors and expanding grassroots community involvement in every stage of regional tourism growth.
Rooted in the work of the Dominican business association ADEPE, the Ecotourism Cluster positions sustainable ecotourism as a transformative new economic engine for Espaillat, moving beyond the region’s traditional economic activities to create shared, long-term prosperity. The cluster’s comprehensive development blueprint includes targeted investments to upgrade local access roads, expand conservation protections for critical montane forest ecosystems, bolster small-scale mountain agricultural operations, and unlock new market opportunities for local small and medium-sized entrepreneurs.
Among the most ambitious projects unveiled at the meeting is the “Luminous Paths” initiative, an ecotourism circuit modeled after the world-famous Camino de pilgrimage routes in northern Spain. The project plans to repurpose existing rural footpaths and trails that currently link the municipalities of Jamao al Norte, Villa Trina and Gaspar Hernández into a welcoming, low-impact travel destination suited for multi-generational family groups.
Meeting participants also prioritized infrastructure improvements to unlock cross-regional tourism growth. The Ecotourism Cluster issued a formal call for the Dominican central government to accelerate the long-delayed construction of a cross-river bridge over the Yásica River in Jamao al Norte. Once completed, the bridge will create a direct overland connection between Espaillat and the neighboring popular tourist province of Puerto Plata. Cluster leaders argue that improved connectivity will open the door to integrated multi-destination travel packages between the two provinces via the coastal town of Sosúa, drawing more international and cruise-based visitors to Espaillat’s mountain destinations.
Expanding access to the fast-growing cruise tourism market emerged as a central topic of discussion during the gathering. Dorca Balcácer, a long-time leader of both ADEPE and the Ecotourism Cluster, called on the national Ministry of Tourism to add Espaillat’s natural and cultural attractions to the official shore excursions offered to cruise passengers disembarking in Puerto Plata.
Cluster representatives emphasized that tighter integration between Puerto Plata’s established cruise sector and Espaillat’s emerging ecotourism offerings would help spread the economic benefits of cruise travel beyond Puerto Plata’s established resort zones, bringing much-needed income and job opportunities to rural communities in Espaillat that have historically been left out of tourism growth.
Santiago Álvarez, executive director of the Strategic Development Plan of Espaillat Province (PEDEPE), echoed these priorities, underlining that connecting the region’s dispersed tourism attractions is key to unlocking long-term growth. Álvarez singled out the Amber Highway as a critical strategic infrastructure link that will support coordinated regional tourism development.
Rosa Anllela Rivas, executive director of the Espaillat Province Ecotourism Cluster, emphasized that the newly created Provincial Tourism Board is designed to address longstanding coordination gaps between different stakeholders. Rivas noted the body will streamline initiative planning, strengthen cross-sector collaboration, and center the needs and priorities of local communities in all regional tourism planning decisions moving forward.