Strengthening local tourism entities and cluster sustainability...

The ultimate goal of the Dominican Republic Sustainable Tourism Alliance (DSTA) is to better equip and strengthen local small, medium-sized and community based tourism enterprises, and relevant tourism entities (most notably the existing tourism clusters) to independently sustain efforts once external funding from USAID/DR is removed. This will best be achieved through continued public-private collaboration and outreach to new development partners at the national, regional, and global levels that is subsequently led by stronger, more capable Dominican tourism institutions. 

To achieve this goal, the DSTA, among other things, will build on, expand, and consolidate the considerable investments already made by USAID/DR in the following principal areas:
 
1) Moving the tourism clusters developed under the Competitiveness and Policy Program (Romana-Bayahibe, La  Vega, Barahona, Puerta Plata, Altagracia, and Samaná) towards self-sufficiency and sustainability;

2) Strengthening municipal environment management capabilities and stimulating small, medium, and community-based tourism efforts; and 

3) Improving protected area management initiatives in selected locations originally begin under the Parks-in-Peril Program.  
 
In addition, the DSTA will also help:
• Develop a common vision of sustainable development for the Dominican Republic;
• Improve local production capacities while enhancing the quality of local tourism offerings, products, services, and handicrafts in selected areas; and 
• Connect small, medium, and community-based entrepreneurs with the global market place.  
 
This will be accomplished by establishing linkages between the traditional tourism sector, international buyers, and local service providers, and developing marketing strategies that achieve long-term financial sustainability.