AmAL.1 Posted July 27, 2022 Posted July 27, 2022 https://www.lemonde.fr/en/environment/article/2022/07/27/dominican-republic-slowly-awakens-to-environmental-damage-from-mass-tourism_5991662_114.html Perched on the clubhouse terrace overlooking the pool and pristine beach, Jake Kheel pictured all that made him anxious: Sargassum, the brown algae in Caribbean waters that hotel groups are trying to stop offshore; the water shortage in the Dominican Republic that will eventually limit the growth of tourism; the illegal dumps and tons of daily garbage, which demonstrate the government's unpreparedness; and the ocean "that keeps [him] awake at night," as warming and pollution of water are bringing forth new challenges. Mr. Kheel runs the Grupo Puntacana Foundation, named after the tourism empire founded by his grandfather. He has few reasons to complain, but definitely some to worry about. Punta Cana, once an uninhabited jungle at the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic, has become a global icon of mass tourism and of the environmental damage caused by its uncontrolled development. This elegantly dressed American with a degree in environmental management is described as one of the responsible minds of Dominican tourism. By balancing the excesses of the past century, he also wishes to preserve the future of his family business.
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