The prices in the businesses linked to domestic tourism in Pedernales have increased with the upcoming development in the whole area of La Cueva and Bahía de las Águilas, as reported by Osvaldo Feliz Pérez, boat watchman.
“Before you could buy a lunch with 200 pesos, now you have to have 700 pesos and spending the night in the town costs 1800 pesos, with the disadvantage that on long weekends, Easter, Christmas or New Year’s Eve, there are no rooms available due to the large flow of visitors”, he said.
He explained that “the entrance fee to Jaragua National Park to travel by land to the beach of Bahía de las Águilas used to cost $50.00 pesos and now $150.00 pesos charged by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, and the boat trip to the beach, which used to cost 500.00 pesos, has increased according to the number of people”.
“If you do not have $3,000.00 minimum you will not be able to visit the beach by boat with a number of 1 to 5 people and if the number of people increases from 5 to 10 your cost will be $4,500.00,” he added.
He indicated that “when the group is from 10 to 15 people you will have to pay $5,000.00 pesos”.
“Relic houses, which had a good part of land, built by the mining company Alcoa Exploration Company that settled in Pedernales at the end of the 40’s, have been converted into small houses for room rentals with prices ranging between $1,200 and $1,800.00 per night”, he added.
He also said that “the prices per night at the Eco del Mar hotel, which for the arrival of the first cruise ship a night was around $500.00, with breakfast included”, according to El Nacional.
“With the passage of time Pedernales, a simple meal service: moro with fish and salad that used to be offered by the captain of the boat that transported you to the beach cost $200.00, today if you do not pay $700.00 you do not eat it,” he said.
Feliz Pérez, said that “however in the park area there is a variation of prices, you can get by with $400.00 to eat a lambí a la criolla or a la vinaigrette”.
Source: Arecoa.com
