Authorizes 9 hotels and 6,625 homes. Villa Montellano. – The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MMRN) approved the environmental license for the development of the Punta Bergantín tourism project in the province of Puerto Plata, which will allow construction work on its various components to begin next August. Andrés Marranzini Grullón, Executive Director of the Punta Bergantín Tourism Project, explained that the environmental authorization covers an area of ​​9.6 million square meters and excludes the use of infrastructure construction in wetlands, mangroves, dunes, marshes, ravines, and any other environmentally vulnerable areas within the scope of the project's development. The Trust for the Economic and Social Development of the Punta Bergantín Zone (Fideicomiso Punta Bergantín) is an initiative of the Dominican Government managed by the Banco de Reservas and the Ministry of Tourism. Its objective is to "replace Puerto Plata on the world's tourism map," leveraging the "power of its natural beauty" and the human quality of its people. The license approves the construction of nine hotels, with apartment buildings, villas, mixed-use townhouses, and commercial use; an Innovation Center; film studios, administrative offices, a hospital area, a golf club, a beach club, a tennis club, a club for the apartment area, an equestrian club, and a theme park. The project currently has agreements with developers for the development of three hotels to date: an 800-room Hyatt Ziva and Zilara, and a Melia Hotel, with a joint investment from Melia Hotels and Grupo Punta Cana, for 400 rooms in the project. Karisma Hotels, with 300 rooms, is also planned. This initiative, according to the Punta Bergantín Trust, has a comprehensive development approach and aims to accommodate at least 4,500 hotel rooms, 2,000 tourist and mixed-use residential units, publicly accessible beach clubs, and the creation of a unique themed village in the region, in addition to a film studio and an innovation center. The MMRN also mandates the establishment of hydrological zoning, prioritizing wetlands, water production, and biodiversity conservation areas to ensure a mandatory 30-meter protection strip on both banks of existing rivers and on the shores of lakes, lagoons, and reservoirs. In addition, a 30-meter strip will be specifically respected on both banks of the rivers, ravines, and streams in Muñoz, Jacuba and Limonal, Chicigua, Polanco, and Atollador, which cross and border the project development area. The 30-meter strip around Bergantín Lagoon will also be respected. The developer will comply with environmental land use planning best practices and establish hydrological zoning, prioritizing wetlands, water production, and biodiversity conservation areas, among others. This initiative, the project states, "pays tribute to Puerto Plata as the country's leading tourist destination and recognizes this region's contribution as a leader and pioneer in positioning the Dominican Republic as one of the leading tourist hubs in Latin America and the world."