Sustainable Tourism Empowerment Program Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) October 1, 2012 – May 30, 2013

The program was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through a 24-month agreement worth $2.4 million. The program's performance monitoring plan (PMP) for the period October 1, 2012, to May 30, 2013, was submitted to USAID. The program's objectives were to strengthen institutions, promote environmental sustainability, and improve the competitiveness of the tourism sector. To achieve these objectives, the program developed seven performance indicators, including the number of institutions strengthened, the number of environmental activities implemented, and the number of people trained in environmental and climate change topics. The program's results for the period October 2012 to May 2013 showed significant progress in achieving its objectives. The number of institutions strengthened, as measured by the number of clusters with financial autonomy, increased from 0 to 10. The number of environmental activities implemented, such as those related to climate change and adaptation, increased from 30 to 56. The number of people trained in environmental and climate change topics increased from 650 to 1,515. The program also reported progress in promoting sustainable tourism products and services. The number of products incorporated into the local tourism offer increased from 25 to 36. The number of people consuming sustainable tourism products in cluster areas and Dominican Treasures increased from 6,000 to 12,179. The program also reported an increase in the number of capacity-building activities for small and medium-sized enterprises (MiPYMES) in the tourism sector, from 900 to 4,271. The program's financial performance was also reported, with clusters generating income from various sources, including sales, membership fees, and donations. The total income generated by the clusters during the period October 2012 to May 2013 was $14,444,111.25. The program's performance monitoring plan was developed to measure the program's progress and impact. The plan included seven performance indicators, which were categorized into three areas: economic, social and cultural, and environmental. The program's results were reported in the plan, which also included a detailed description of the data collection methods and the indicators' definitions. The program's success in achieving its objectives was attributed to the strong partnership between the CDCT and the clusters, as well as the program's focus on building the capacity of the tourism sector. The program's results demonstrated the potential of sustainable tourism to contribute to the economic development of the Dominican Republic and to promote environmental sustainability.