SANTO DOMINGO.- Dominican Republic is still an attractive destination for British tourists and hasn’t been determined otherwise by any study, said Dominican ambassador in Great Britain Aníbal de Castro, in reference to a negative report a London newspaper published recently. “Dominicans must understand that the professional standards of British tabloids don’t necessarily correspond with ours, and for that reason all material those newspapers publish must be read from a different angle."
London’s Sunday Mirror published an article picked up by local media, that the United Kingdom considers Dominican Republic the “dodgiest tourism destination," the U.S. equivalent of “shifty.”
"That description of a dodgy tourism destination is the exclusive opinion of a law firm specializing in lawsuits form complaints by holidaymakers and takes cases of British travelers who became ill whilst visiting the country in August last year, but in no way obeys to an independent survey, and rather from mere subjective considerations," said the diplomat.
De Castro said the number of British tourists who visits the country has grown significantly in the last four years, to more than 200,000 annually after falling to about 90,000.
He said when the problem with tourists lodged in a hotel at Rio San Juan (north) surfaced, Dominican authorities acted rapidly, and the British experts who came to the country to investigate didn’t definitively conclude on the causes of the stomach ailments.
He said there were reports that the tourists could’ve already been ill when they arrived.
Written by: BLANCO, 19 Jun 2008 11:58 AM
From: Dominican Republic
Dominicans must understand that the professional standards of British tabloids don’t necessarily correspond with ours, and for that reason all material those newspapers publish must be read from a different angle."
read in on the edge, or don't read it all, most of it is crap, and a waste of time
From: United States
unfortunately, Blanco, many people read these tabloids, and some people believe them. so you cannot take a dismissive attitude to what they say, whether you disagree or not. in this scenario, your opinion of them is inconsequential. it is the effect that they have on prospective tourists that counts. they might all be full of crap, but, in the larger sense, that does not matter if they do damage!
From: United States, California, San Francisco, Treasure Island
Written by: Duane, 20 Jun 2008 4:37 AM
From: United Kingdom
In the UK, no one really cares what the Sunday Mirror says, the paper is known as a rag. Men buy it to look at the tits and read the sport news. Women may take a look to see the latest fashions as worn by some second rate Hollywood star you've never heard of. No one buys it for its journalistic prowess.
I don't see what your average moron getting food poisoning at a resort has to do with a country in general. If you're prepared to stick your fork into food you know has been in the tropical heat for hours, that children have been picking at in between going to the toilet and stroking stray dogs, then to be quite honest you deserve what you get. 'Buffet' has always equalled 'the shits'
They should try leaving the resorts, and find out where Pedro goes to eat.
Resorts are to blame for brainwashing the tourists with horror stories of what could happen if they ever dared to go beyond the high walls. Instead they would rather you leave with them on a £100 bus trip to a rum factory.
From: United States, California, San Francisco, Treasure Island
duane ignore these stories at your peril because if you dont think after something is repeated and repeated it sticks in the publics mind you are wrong....when they are throwing the dart at their vacation destination we will no longer appear on their map....Remember the wedding scam story? this had a large number of UK victims Then it was repeated food poisoning incidents on the north coast receiving widespread publicity in UK...NOW the lawsuits from the food poisonings are in the news...the innuendo in UK is deafening ...you are whistling in the graveyard if you dont think these things will have an impact ....no matter if you eat where Pedro eats or you eat at the Ritz Carelton nobody likes to read about these things{Bad Publicity} ....Just ask the Tourism Dept. of Haiti... As dread says it matters not what you think if they think it ..THAT IS REALITY
Written by: Trujillo, 20 Jun 2008 7:44 PM
From: Dominican Republic
What gouletcolonial said. :) I don't really care about the brits and don't like their presence in this part of the world (malvinas, sandwish islands, antartica ect.) or in Gibraltar, but their garbage tabloids can do damage.
From: United States, California, San Francisco, Treasure Island
Be it dodgy, shifty and even slimy, the Brits are still coming{.SAYS THE PHOTO ABOVE.}..be it ever so humble there is no place like the DR
Written by: Duane, 23 Jun 2008 5:33 AM
From: United Kingdom
Goule - You aren't seeing the whole picture, we've heard these stories for 20 years, you go to Southern Spain, you'll get the shits from the drinking water. Don't eat salads in Greece, take you're own packed lunch to Africa, on and on, year after year. Its boring, we've heard it too many times, it doesn't stop people from travelling. It doesn't have any impact. What stops people from travelling is price.
So the average person wants to see the Caribbean, well if he isn't in the league of owning his own luxury yacht, Barbados, Saint Kitts and Dominica are out. Where next? Dominican Republic, I can see the Caribbean for 2 weeks for around £500 including flight. Its just these days, its more like £1000 or £1200 for 2 weeks and £700 for 1 week. Thats whats stopping people visiting, ludicrous prices - not the risk of getting the bloody shits. I believe your biggest threat is Cuba and what will happen there in the next 5 - 10 years. I think many tourists will divert their course to Cuba.
Written by: Duane, 23 Jun 2008 5:55 AM
From: United Kingdom
Trujillo - As for your opinion - you aren't fit to carry the name.
Should we give up those places? Pack up our things and just leave?
Grow up and wise up - you should know enough about stealing land and building colonies, you have a Spanish name for f**ks sake! Why not have a go at them and the places they still hold onto, the two near Gibraltar in Northern Africa for starters.
Ask the people in Gibraltar what they would like, you'll find most of them don't see themselves as Spanish or British, but their own separate people.
Written by: Duane, 23 Jun 2008 5:55 AM
From: United Kingdom
The British won't be stopped by bad press - They'll be stopped by better deals going to other places.
From: United States, California, San Francisco, Treasure Island
Bad press nor bad teeth then British are coming says duane....what duane sees from his catbirds seat at the local pub is not necessarily how the industry sees it...Duane should go to his local tour operator and ask him if bad press does not mean anything....On the other hand if the brits are looking for pure lowball... eat and drink till you puke cheeseball hotels then cuba and Jamaica can have them ..That is the direction they are going ...The DR is not......PS I have lived in southern Spain for 4 years and have lived in various parts of the Caribbean for 35 years and have experienced many tourist crashes due to bad press
From: United States, California, San Francisco, Treasure Island
By the way have they found that young american girl in the dutch islands yet?
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read in on the edge, or don't read it all, most of it is crap, and a waste of time
I don't see what your average moron getting food poisoning at a resort has to do with a country in general. If you're prepared to stick your fork into food you know has been in the tropical heat for hours, that children have been picking at in between going to the toilet and stroking stray dogs, then to be quite honest you deserve what you get. 'Buffet' has always equalled 'the shits'
They should try leaving the resorts, and find out where Pedro goes to eat.
Resorts are to blame for brainwashing the tourists with horror stories of what could happen if they ever dared to go beyond the high walls. Instead they would rather you leave with them on a £100 bus trip to a rum factory.
So the average person wants to see the Caribbean, well if he isn't in the league of owning his own luxury yacht, Barbados, Saint Kitts and Dominica are out. Where next? Dominican Republic, I can see the Caribbean for 2 weeks for around £500 including flight. Its just these days, its more like £1000 or £1200 for 2 weeks and £700 for 1 week. Thats whats stopping people visiting, ludicrous prices - not the risk of getting the bloody shits. I believe your biggest threat is Cuba and what will happen there in the next 5 - 10 years. I think many tourists will divert their course to Cuba.
Should we give up those places? Pack up our things and just leave?
Grow up and wise up - you should know enough about stealing land and building colonies, you have a Spanish name for f**ks sake! Why not have a go at them and the places they still hold onto, the two near Gibraltar in Northern Africa for starters.
Ask the people in Gibraltar what they would like, you'll find most of them don't see themselves as Spanish or British, but their own separate people.