SANTO DOMINGO. – The vice president and spokesman of the Hotels and Restaurants grouped in Asonahores disagrees with the proposal to amend the Law which transfers holidays that fall on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday to the nearest Monday.

Arturo Villanueva said the main reason for approval of Law 139-97 wasn’t to favor tourism, and instead to prevent a halt to the country’s productivity and so people can join Saturday Sunday and Monday and that way take a vacation in different regions of the country. “When a factory or an industry must stop production since workers are free on a Tuesday or Wednesday, they must again to turn on all that machinery the other day and reinitiate production again, then what was sought with this was not to stop production of the companies, and stop it for two days, Sunday and holiday.”

He said Law 139-97 also motivated the Tourism Mystery’s campaign to promote internal tourism in the country, with ads showing attractions for eco-tourists and adventure tourists.

The hotelier added that when there are two holidays together many people travel to their hometowns, which spurs those communities’ economies. “It’s also a way of expanding the economy a bit, as people actions’ promote business in other more depressed regions.”