On 9 October 2001, the National Congress passed la Law No. 158-01 on promoting tourism development for low development poles and new poles in provinces and localities of great potential, with the aim of accelerating a streamlined process of development of the tourism industry in all regions with natural potential and conditions for its tourist exploitation throughout the Dominican territory.
In the above-mentioned Act, the Tourist Development Council (CONFOTUR) was established in order to implement the guidelines of Act No. 158-01, as well as to create the conditions and facilities necessary for innovative tourism projects to benefit from the incentives granted by law.
By Decree No. 372-14 was established the Technical Directorate of CONFOTUR, in charge of handling all technical matters arising from the application of Law No. 158-01 and its modifications.
Classification application files, in order to benefit from the terms of Law 158-01 and its amendments, must be sent through the CONFOTUR page completing the Application Form. The Technical Directorate shall carry out the technical and legal evaluation of the projects and is responsible for recommending to the Council the exemptions specific to each application it evaluates.
A Classification, whether provisional or Definitive, is nothing more than the approval by the Tourist Development Council (CONFOTUR) of a given tourism project, as capable of benefiting from the benefits and incentives of the Act.
Similarly, with the adoption of resolution 49-2014, tourist projects are given a step that can be welcomed under Law 158-01 and its amendments, for the purpose of offering health services, and that have the capacity to generate important tourist flows, under channels of marketing of medical tourism, not usual to holiday tourism.
Ultimately, all exemptions granted by CONFOTUR are provided for in Law 158-01 and its amendments. Each project is evaluated by the Technical Directorate of CONFOTUR following the guidelines of the same law, its Implementing Regulations (Decree No. 372-14 dated 9 October 2014) and Resolution No. 109-15 of September 25, 2015 approving the Guide to the Presentation of Tourist Projects to Access the Incentives and Benefits of Law No. 158-01.
