SANTO DOMINGO.- In the January-August period 2.8 million tourists came to the country by air, a fall of 67,039 visitors, or -2.29% fewer compared with the same year ago period, influenced mostly by the negative (-1.14%) figure in August.
However the collapse in the country’s tourism forecast six months ago when the global economic crisis pounded the main markets didn’t materialize as feared, and instead a pleasant surprise has been the United States, Dominican Republic’s top emitting market, has had a positive flow.
Despite the crisis tourists from Canada, Portugal, Russia and Argentina have also contributed to the surprisingly strong figures.
North American tourists posted the biggest flow, with 22,306 more visitors in August than the same period the previous year: 15,158 from Canada and 7,148 from the United States, revealing a recovery of that important market.
In the last four months United States tourism to the country grew 13.9% just in August, as the arrival of 890,940 visitors meant a 1.58% growth compared with that same period last year.
From: United States
It is really snowing with this type of government propaganda.
Written by: xwill7, 5 Oct 2009 10:01 AM
From: United States, Chicago
really?
From: United States
Whoa. Somebody tell the poor merchants in Puerto Plata and Sosua. These American tourists must be hiding somewhere.
LF, lies and more lies. No morals.
Written by: Gringo_1, 5 Oct 2009 10:34 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Maimon (Bonao)
Funny. We just read where two of the big hotels in Playa Dorada closed and there is like 3000 people total in the hotel sector laid off. Shameless govt crap!
From: United States
A lot of Dominican nationalized in USA and other countries, when they go back are registerd as "Tourist" and with the economy as it was few months back, many peole that were laid off went back to DR for few moths, Believe I know at least 10 who did it.
Invest in remodelin what we have in DR, not constructing new strudtures and buildings in the already abandoned and terribly maintained cities, and that will boost the tourist flow almost to double.
great economy adviosry for LF, but it does not matter how good you could be if you do not invest at the right proportion in the right place. LF cabinet has done a great job maintaining the currency frozen, but that's about it. Everything else continues to declined or raise against the population.
A garduate from DR with 4 years degree, just got a job earning RD$3000.00 a month, but He/she pays RD$3500.00 in rent alone,
How do they do it?
From: United States
A cry for help after everything else has failed.
Our boys and girls are hungry.
Our professionals need good paying jobs
Our people need reliable affordable transportation
Our families need better housing
Our schools need more learning stimuli, better paid teachers, teacher’s aid, lighted and conditioned classrooms,
Our neighborhood need water, electricity, police surveillance 24/7
….A cry for help after everything else, has failed…
I love DR,
-Juan Pablo Duarte- “I am sorry for the way it has turned out, we have failed you”.
Written by: lovingit, 5 Oct 2009 11:59 AM
From: United States, Delaware
Why is this so hard to believe?
I was at the Majestic Colonial this past July and the place was completely sold out. I had some family memebers that wanted to extend their stay and they simply couldn't because of that.
Written by: josean, 5 Oct 2009 12:11 PM
From: United States
That settles it; one personal experience by lovingit is enough to proof the PLD propaganda!
From: United States
I have no recolection of turism decreasing it's percentage, I can only speak of the people who live there.
Let's not forget that it is way cheaper to visit DR, than to go on vacation within USA, considering the fact of "All Inclusive,"
many of my friends had gone this past summer for reasons stated previously and for it is more affordable
From: Dominican Republic
Puerto Plata has issues well beyond world economics. When I worked there in 2005, it was obvious that the area was in need of a bulldozer.
Punta Cana has remained strong throughout the year. I know some of you don't want to believe anything...but the reality is Punta Cana has seen little in the way of decline this year.
Sept is traditionally slow, as is October...nothing new there.
From: United States
PLD, PRD, PRSC they are all the same, we fight defending one of them while they all drink 1962 wine and whiskey.
New set of minds, old ones has not worked out for us, Politicians with new ideas, youngblooded individuals with sence of propsperity.
almost thought I was reading "Don Quijote de la Mancha," let's not argue an illusion, let's talk with some sence of constructive critism, as all political parties in DR have their own personal agenda as the priority.
Written by: josean, 5 Oct 2009 12:25 PM
From: United States
Guillermo Moreno the only bright prospect on the horizon!
From: Dominican Republic, la Romana
Bayahibe has also been very busy even though it is the off season and I believe that Cabarete has also been quite busy so seems that much of the downturn was confined to the Puerta Plata and Sosua area ,,,not too sure why anyone sees this article as propaganda when it is merely giving statistics !!
The figures are very good news for anyone who wants the DR to prosper and maybe will get better soon with the direct BA flights
Written by: josean, 5 Oct 2009 1:01 PM
From: United States
Figures don't lie but unfortunately liars figure!
And we certainly have no shortage of liars in DR, although tourists might be a whole other question!
From: Dominican Republic, la Romana
another quote from readers digest !!
From: United States
Some Characters in here, I wonder what they do for a living,
Maybe they are politicians?
When someone cannot argue constructivily, he or she is a Dominican politician
From: Dominican Republic, Santiago
PC Mike, you are spot on, what was the % decline in Tourist #'s reported for POP in 2009? (30%)Playa Dorada operating at 40% of thier facilities. Breezes in Cabrette closed, Sun Village closed, what's next, tourist minister reporting that the north coast is offering a trick o treat sale on rooms as long as you're wearing a maid's outfit!
Written by: josean, 5 Oct 2009 3:29 PM
From: United States
Written by: Ricardolito, 5 Oct 2009 2:00 PM
From: Dominican Republic, la Romana
another quote from readers digest !!
As long as you don't pull facts from your rectum, all other sources are acceptable!
From: United States
steviewonder, give me a link to that statistic, I would like to take a look at it
From: Dominican Republic, Boycott Dominican Tourism
boycott dominican tourism,demand your beaches back and an end to the death of the dominican constitutional rights
From: Dominican Republic, la Romana
oh dear me what a lot of things tonight !!
Written by: lovingit, 5 Oct 2009 10:28 PM
From: United States, Delaware
gmiller261
My father side of the family is from Sosua, and I actually paid a visit to the area while I was in the DR, and yes, you could see how things are much more slower in Puerto Plata & Sosua than it is in Punta Cana, but this has been an on-going trend because the continuous grow of all inclusive hotels, Cabarete becoming a more and more of a preferred destination than Sosua and main Puerto Plata, and the fact that the government keeps messing with these small merchants with unfair regulations and taking their bread away such as not allowing jet skis, banana boats, etc, etc.
Although Punta Cana overall offers the better, newer resorts, Puerto Plata is still a much more fun destination for people who are looking for nightlife, go outside the hotel, etc. I love Punta Cana, but even me, as a Dominican, don't get out of the Hotel unless its an excursion, because 1. Don't know the area 2. Hotel does not do much to advertise outside places 3. All inclusive - why spend more money
Written by: danny00, 6 Oct 2009 3:16 PM
From: United States
if you are in miami or new york look at the TRAVEL SECTION of any major newspaper.
LOTS of money spent on adds for PUERTO CANA, and that area. none for POP.
i dont believe theses numbers but that does not mean they are not TRUE.. puerto cana is also one TOURISTS TRAP and that word is getting though to the public. puerto plata is a nothing city never was and never will be. so they HAD or HAVE playa dorda so what!...... all u can EAT! so what u get the CHEAP TOURISTS that want to send a few hundread dollars on one trip from the u.k.
guys go to pop for the ladies and thats about it. i ran a small tour company in pop years ago and i know what im talking about.
Written by: danny00, 6 Oct 2009 3:22 PM
From: United States
dr needs to CLEAN UP their act, their water fronts, beaches, rivers, streets ect!..
IF U REALLY WANT TO MAINTAIN THE FLOW OF TOURISTS.
bring in new ideas, new sights, things to do {beside the shows the hotels run at night}. GET SOME REAL POLICE TO PROTECT THE TOURISTS. HAVE POLICE THAT CAN SPRAK ENGLISH AND NOT POLICE THAT WANT TO ROB THE TOURISTS ALSO
.MAYBE PUT IN SOME MORE TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN POP.... BUT INFORCE THEM NOT LIKE THEY DO NOW THE POLICE WITH THE STUPID NEW LIGHTS THEY HAVE NOW AND NO ONE OBEYS THEM., FIX UP THE AIRPORTS....
Written by: danny00, 6 Oct 2009 3:24 PM
From: United States
punta cana when u go from the hotel what is their to do? nothing! tourists trap.
Written by: danny00, 6 Oct 2009 3:31 PM
From: United States
yes cabarete.. ok! only because of the 'windsurfing" most from germany.
also very small city... and again pop is a bull-sh---t city. full of liars and cheats. i call it the city of liars.
very few work in this city they target the tourists. dominican men set up their girlfriends to have sex with the tourists, the gudies cant wait to take the [ guides receive 30% comm from the shop owners}tourists shopping around central park shops that all sell the same things. every one one one them. guides sell the tourists drugs also. so this is life in pop... dont forget the motorcycles...... more bikes then people in this city.
Written by: danny00, 6 Oct 2009 3:37 PM
From: United States
Dominican Republic, Boycott Dominican Tourism
boycott dominican tourism,demand your beaches back and an end to the death of the dominican constitutional rights , ok! im dominican, i live in florida....... i cant TRASH THE BEACHES OVER HERE..... if u want your beaches back why not stop using them as GARBAGES CANS?... in any country u cant just throw your nSH--T on the streets, beaches, in your RIVERS, ! give me a break.... go see COSTOMBAR on any given SAT OR SUNDAY, after they open the gets up for the locals to come use the beach u want i can send u some PHOTOS I HAVE..... looks like world war2 ..
Written by: lovingit, 6 Oct 2009 3:40 PM
From: United States, Delaware
WOW danny00!!!
I have not seen that many misspellings in a while, you may want to check/edit your post.
Written by: danny00, 6 Oct 2009 3:43 PM
From: United States
last week on writer on this site said 'just look at COSTOMBAR" the closed gates they have i say bullshit.... most get though security.. and i mean most... LOTS OF DOMINICANS have homes in COSTOMBAR..... THEY WANT SOME SECURITY AS DO THE GRINGOS that live their also... "what wrong with this'...
HEY! LOTS OF sh---t from pop try every day to get into costombar "WHY" TO TRY AND STEAL OR ROB SOME ONE OR SOME THING......i have a security guard in the complex i live in florida.... all over the world it is the same "WHATS THE PROBLEM",........ CRY BABIES ABOUT EVERY THING U ARE.
Written by: danny00, 6 Oct 2009 3:44 PM
From: United States
thanks im nervous today and dont have much time..... maybe i will go back to college.... lol
but thanks any way i just want to state whats in my head... some times this site makes me upset.....
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Whoa. Somebody tell the poor merchants in Puerto Plata and Sosua. These American tourists must be hiding somewhere.
LF, lies and more lies. No morals.
Invest in remodelin what we have in DR, not constructing new strudtures and buildings in the already abandoned and terribly maintained cities, and that will boost the tourist flow almost to double.
great economy adviosry for LF, but it does not matter how good you could be if you do not invest at the right proportion in the right place. LF cabinet has done a great job maintaining the currency frozen, but that's about it. Everything else continues to declined or raise against the population.
A garduate from DR with 4 years degree, just got a job earning RD$3000.00 a month, but He/she pays RD$3500.00 in rent alone,
How do they do it?
Our boys and girls are hungry.
Our professionals need good paying jobs
Our people need reliable affordable transportation
Our families need better housing
Our schools need more learning stimuli, better paid teachers, teacher’s aid, lighted and conditioned classrooms,
Our neighborhood need water, electricity, police surveillance 24/7
….A cry for help after everything else, has failed…
I love DR,
-Juan Pablo Duarte- “I am sorry for the way it has turned out, we have failed you”.
I was at the Majestic Colonial this past July and the place was completely sold out. I had some family memebers that wanted to extend their stay and they simply couldn't because of that.
Let's not forget that it is way cheaper to visit DR, than to go on vacation within USA, considering the fact of "All Inclusive,"
many of my friends had gone this past summer for reasons stated previously and for it is more affordable
Punta Cana has remained strong throughout the year. I know some of you don't want to believe anything...but the reality is Punta Cana has seen little in the way of decline this year.
Sept is traditionally slow, as is October...nothing new there.
New set of minds, old ones has not worked out for us, Politicians with new ideas, youngblooded individuals with sence of propsperity.
almost thought I was reading "Don Quijote de la Mancha," let's not argue an illusion, let's talk with some sence of constructive critism, as all political parties in DR have their own personal agenda as the priority.
The figures are very good news for anyone who wants the DR to prosper and maybe will get better soon with the direct BA flights
And we certainly have no shortage of liars in DR, although tourists might be a whole other question!
Maybe they are politicians?
When someone cannot argue constructivily, he or she is a Dominican politician
From: Dominican Republic, la Romana
another quote from readers digest !!
As long as you don't pull facts from your rectum, all other sources are acceptable!
My father side of the family is from Sosua, and I actually paid a visit to the area while I was in the DR, and yes, you could see how things are much more slower in Puerto Plata & Sosua than it is in Punta Cana, but this has been an on-going trend because the continuous grow of all inclusive hotels, Cabarete becoming a more and more of a preferred destination than Sosua and main Puerto Plata, and the fact that the government keeps messing with these small merchants with unfair regulations and taking their bread away such as not allowing jet skis, banana boats, etc, etc.
Although Punta Cana overall offers the better, newer resorts, Puerto Plata is still a much more fun destination for people who are looking for nightlife, go outside the hotel, etc. I love Punta Cana, but even me, as a Dominican, don't get out of the Hotel unless its an excursion, because 1. Don't know the area 2. Hotel does not do much to advertise outside places 3. All inclusive - why spend more money
LOTS of money spent on adds for PUERTO CANA, and that area. none for POP.
i dont believe theses numbers but that does not mean they are not TRUE.. puerto cana is also one TOURISTS TRAP and that word is getting though to the public. puerto plata is a nothing city never was and never will be. so they HAD or HAVE playa dorda so what!...... all u can EAT! so what u get the CHEAP TOURISTS that want to send a few hundread dollars on one trip from the u.k.
guys go to pop for the ladies and thats about it. i ran a small tour company in pop years ago and i know what im talking about.
IF U REALLY WANT TO MAINTAIN THE FLOW OF TOURISTS.
bring in new ideas, new sights, things to do {beside the shows the hotels run at night}. GET SOME REAL POLICE TO PROTECT THE TOURISTS. HAVE POLICE THAT CAN SPRAK ENGLISH AND NOT POLICE THAT WANT TO ROB THE TOURISTS ALSO
.MAYBE PUT IN SOME MORE TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN POP.... BUT INFORCE THEM NOT LIKE THEY DO NOW THE POLICE WITH THE STUPID NEW LIGHTS THEY HAVE NOW AND NO ONE OBEYS THEM., FIX UP THE AIRPORTS....
also very small city... and again pop is a bull-sh---t city. full of liars and cheats. i call it the city of liars.
very few work in this city they target the tourists. dominican men set up their girlfriends to have sex with the tourists, the gudies cant wait to take the [ guides receive 30% comm from the shop owners}tourists shopping around central park shops that all sell the same things. every one one one them. guides sell the tourists drugs also. so this is life in pop... dont forget the motorcycles...... more bikes then people in this city.
boycott dominican tourism,demand your beaches back and an end to the death of the dominican constitutional rights , ok! im dominican, i live in florida....... i cant TRASH THE BEACHES OVER HERE..... if u want your beaches back why not stop using them as GARBAGES CANS?... in any country u cant just throw your nSH--T on the streets, beaches, in your RIVERS, ! give me a break.... go see COSTOMBAR on any given SAT OR SUNDAY, after they open the gets up for the locals to come use the beach u want i can send u some PHOTOS I HAVE..... looks like world war2 ..
I have not seen that many misspellings in a while, you may want to check/edit your post.
HEY! LOTS OF sh---t from pop try every day to get into costombar "WHY" TO TRY AND STEAL OR ROB SOME ONE OR SOME THING......i have a security guard in the complex i live in florida.... all over the world it is the same "WHATS THE PROBLEM",........ CRY BABIES ABOUT EVERY THING U ARE.
but thanks any way i just want to state whats in my head... some times this site makes me upset.....