Asonahores: beaches should stay open, but with clear rules

Asonahores' executive vice president, Aguie Lendor, made it clear: Dominican beaches should stay open to everyone, but with clear rules. That is according to Arecoa. Behind that phrase is a fine balance: no privatizing the coast, no letting anyone do whatever they want. It is a sensible stance that goes straight to the heart of coastline management, and in my opinion places hotels on the right side of the argument.

The question is what “clear rules” actually means. The note does not say. But you can guess: organized use, limits for commercial activities, guaranteed access for Dominicans and for tourists who want to walk on the sand without hitting a fence. It is the model that works in many Caribbean destinations: public beach, but with coexistence rules. Without them, open access turns into chaos that ends up hurting everyone. This is not the time to improvise: the country needs a regulation that gives legal certainty to hoteliers and local governments.

Asonahores knows that Dominican tourism is the golden goose. Defending open access is not a gesture, it is a business decision: if the beach feels off-limits, the destination loses. The Arecoa reference suggests the debate is still on the table. Hopefully it will soon become a clear and enforceable rule. The sector needs certainty, and this would provide it.