The Governor Pedro Pierluisi announced today along with the Secretary of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) Rafael Machargo, the executive director of the Tourism Company (CTPR) Carlos Mercado, and the mayor of Camuy, Gabriel Hernandez, the reopening of the Rio Camuy Cave Park, which had remained closed after the passage of Hurricane María in 2017 and it was necessary to carry out clean-up work and take the necessary measures to condition and reopen it.
The park is open Wednesday through Sunday between 8am and 5pm and visits, by appointment, are limited to six groups of 20 people per day. This is to comply with health and safety protocols related to the pandemic.
“The reopening of the Parque de las Cavernas del Río Camuy is of the utmost importance not only for the municipality, but also for Puerto Rico, as it is one of our biggest tourist attractions with a multiplier effect on the economy of the northern region and the Island. I am satisfied with the great teamwork that has been done here between the tourism company, the ministry of natural resources and environmental resources, Foundation for Puerto Rico and the municipality of Camuy to once again receive visitors to this iconic place. Puerto Rico is an incredible tourist destination and we have a lot to offer, ”the governor said in a press release.
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The CEO added that “we are continuing our orientation and prevention efforts to ensure that everyone on the island, tourists and locals, continues to meet the requirements of the Executive Order. Little by little we are returning to normalcy and enjoying tourist areas such as the Camuy Caverns, but it is important that security protocols such as physical distance and the use of a mask are followed ”.
The DNER secretary, for his part, said that “ the reopening of the cave and cavern system of the world’s third largest underground river has enormous significance not only because of its tourist appeal and what this can mean for the economy, but also because of what it represents on an ecological, historical and cultural level ”.
“It is a resource that has been impressively shaped and expanded with the passage of groundwater, which has been driving this vast system of caves over 15 kilometers for millions of years. In the DNER’s National Parks Program, we are delighted and of course more committed than ever to the protection, conservation and reopening of these and other ecotourism attractions that attract hundreds of thousands of visitors year after year and contribute to both our economy and our pride, ”added added the DNER’s secretary, who indicated that the park received more than 100,000 visitors annually before its closure in 2017.
Meanwhile, the Director of Tourism stressed that “we have worked hard to bring about the safe reopening of the Río Camuy Caverns National Park. This tourist attraction, recognized worldwide for its importance and beauty, is invaluable in promoting the development of tourism in the island and its opening will result in an injection of economic activity and job creation across the region ”.
“In order to achieve our goal quickly, we have stepped up the collaboration in recent weeks with actions such as supporting cleaning duties with brigades of CTPR employees and promoting the details of the reopening in the media. It is an absolute pleasure to be here and have completed the process of enjoying this incredible place again, ”added Mercado.
The Camuy Caverns reopen and we take a tour #CamuyEstaDeModa #EnamorateDeCamuy
Posted by Metro Puerto Rico on Wednesday, March 24, 2021
For his part, the Mayor of Camuy said that the reopening of the Parque de las Cavernas del Río Camuy is an extraordinary event for the city due to its tourist appeal, especially at a time when internal tourism has aroused great interest among the island’s residents.
“In addition to increasing the number of tourists in Camuy, it encourages the purchase of goods from local businesses such as restaurants and craftsmen, among other services. This is good news for my people, ”said Hernández.
To facilitate the reopening of this important tourist park, the CTPR and the DNER signed a partnership agreement last October in which Tourism contributed $ 68K towards the purchase of materials and service items used to make improvements and necessary repairs to the facilities. Likewise, the DRNA hired 5 new guides and allocated $ 100,000 for the purchase of 5 carts, plus $ 147,000 was allocated for the repair of the Cueva Clara lighting system, which will be ready for the second phase of reopening.
Likewise, the Puerto Rico Foundation contributed $ 125,000 towards the improvements made to the electrical system, the sidewalks used to access the theatre’s caves, air conditioning, and sound system, as well as for the repair of the theater. bathrooms, purchases of safety helmets for employees and visitors and the purchase of a passenger car.
The founder and general manager of the Foundation for Puerto Rico, Jon Borschow, stated that “with this initiative, the Puerto Rico Foundation is once again delivering on our commitment to enhance and promote socio-economic development. The restoration of landmark attractions such as the Camuy Caves is essential as they act as magnets that attract significant visitor flows to the places they are located, thus reviving the social economy of Puerto Rico’s most needy communities. We have taken it upon ourselves to identify these distinctive assets in all regions of the island and make concerted efforts to save them. Efforts to restore and promote these assets are increasingly urgent as the island and the world progress in their post-pandemic normalization processes ”.