Río San Juan, DR.- President Luis Abinader and Tourism Minister David Collado inaugurated the Gri-Gri Lagoon renovation project in Rio San Juan this Saturday, marking a significant step to boost eco-tourism in this unique natural site. Select media representatives attended the event, providing coverage of the project’s completion and its potential impact on the region’s tourism.
The project, led by the Ministry of Tourism, forms part of a broader investment totaling over 150 million pesos in María Trinidad Sánchez Province from 2021-2024.
The Gri-Gri Lagoon renovation, with an investment of approximately 77 million pesos, addresses a longstanding community demand. The project is set to directly benefit over 70 local families who rely on income from tour guiding, food sales, and restaurant services around the lagoon.
“The new Gri-Gri Lagoon is here to transform the lives of an entire province, fulfilling our commitment to Rio San Juan,” said Minister Collado. “We are delivering a project that goes beyond aesthetic improvements—it’s about progress for countless families,” he added, pledging continued efforts to make Rio San Juan a premier ecotourism destination.
The environmentally friendly renovation covers an area of 3,500 square meters and includes 2,630 square meters of paved access roads to the main plaza surrounding the lagoon. Key features also include accessible ramps and stairways connecting various points around the spring, new public restrooms, a ticket office, indoor and outdoor lighting, concrete seating, waste bins, signage, a photo stop, a small amphitheater for local events, and a nature trail to nearby Los Guardia and Mino beaches. The landscaping highlights the region’s native flora, with abundant Gri-Gri trees, guayigas, magueyito, and ferns.
Through its Infrastructure Committee for Tourism Zones (CEIZTUR), the Ministry of Tourism funded the project with a vision to create a sustainable, accessible, and ecosystem-respectful environment.
Further investments in María Trinidad Sánchez
Additional completed projects in the province include the construction of the Cabrera waterfront promenade and a pedestrian pathway from Lorenzo Alvarez Street to Calle Duarte, with investments of RD$63.4 million and RD$10.4 million, respectively. Currently, streetlights are being installed along the Cabrera waterfront at an estimated RD$12 million, bringing the Ministry’s total investment in the province to RD$162.7 million.