Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.- Dominican Government and Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) representatives began to implement a sustainable tourism program in Puerto Plata, with the participation of the public and private sectors, to relaunch the country’s North coast as a tourism destination.
This 4 year program, to be set in motion with a US$3 million contribution by Japan’s Government, aims to benefit the zone’s communities through the development of tourist product and services using local resources, said the Economy Ministry in a statement.
“To combine efforts to motor Puerto Plata’s tourism development and confront the reduction of tourists since the mid 90s is the main joint goal which we must all undertake,” said JICA official Tadashi Ikeshiro.
The sustainable tourism project seeks to have positive impact on that province, benefiting the more than 312,700 residents in the municipalities Altamira, Guananico, Imbert, Los Nobles, Luperón, Sosúa, Villa Isabela and Montellano.
The project looks to provide more opportunities for the zone’s local population to participate in tourism development, in collaboration with the industry. “This would improve the population’s quality of life and thusly the tourism sector’s sustainable and appropriate development.”
Written by: xwill7, 19 Jan 2010 3:22 PM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
Great that they are going to help since most cars in DR are Toyota, Honda, and Nissan
Written by: josean, 19 Jan 2010 4:19 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
Puerto Plata has been re-launched more than the Space Shuttle.
3 million dollars is not enough to cover the potholes!
Written by: xwill7, 19 Jan 2010 4:38 PM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
japon qiere cuero de puerto plata
Written by: Atabey, 19 Jan 2010 6:32 PM
From: United States, NYC
Josean,
3 million are 3 million more than yesterday, no?
Written by: skysail, 19 Jan 2010 7:33 PM
From: Libya
3 mil for some more Bently's and other high end cars ...... for the fricking bandidos
Written by: dagtan, 19 Jan 2010 8:46 PM
From: United States
i think that this is a great news for the area and turismo in POP.
i was there with my family this past summer, we stayed at the Holiday Village Golden, because it was a family oriented place. They had some good kids' activities, but other than that it really sucked.
Going outside the freaking resort was an issue, since transportation is poor and the town of POP is in no shape to attract tourists who will spend some cash.
Finally, the service really sucked, Punta Cana is much better and I have no idea how many years is going to POP to catch up to PC or the rest of the caribbean.
i did enjoyed the Sun Village more, this past December, i was there for a wedding, but do not know how is it as a guest.
Written by: Pepe32, 19 Jan 2010 11:17 PM
From: Dominican Republic
I am still waiting for one even slightly positive comment from Josean about jis adopted country!
I have seen him find a silver lining in the dark clouds of Haiti (no pun intended) but somehow he can only display disdain for DR!! Even some Haitians have better things to say about DR than he does ..
From: Dominican Republic, Civil Rights and Peace Activist for Our Dominican People
And hopefully Dominicans from the barrios get the new jobs.
The moto conchos, sanki pankis, and prostitutes need to go.
As always the North East landscape is of unparallel beauty.
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
When will some people learn to thank you for assistance given instead of mean mouthing the benefactors !! I am glad that most writers appreciate the gesture from Japan and I am sure that Puerta Plata tourist authorities welcome it ..A 4 year plan is definitely needed because all the infrastructure is already in place in POP and of course enthousiastic and energetic people to promote the place
Written by: josean, 20 Jan 2010 8:20 AM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
"enthousiastic"
My God, Martha is slipping!
Written by: josean, 20 Jan 2010 8:29 AM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
Written by: skysail, 19 Jan 2010 7:33 PM
From: Holy See (Vatican City)
3 mil for some more Bently's and other high end cars ...... for the fricking bandidos
Skysail,
Some of my compatriots just love promises of BAMBOOLZE cookies from strangers and like to wash it down with government issued KOOL-AID!
From: United States
Tourism is a double edge sword. Because of low cost chartered flights, cheap tour package offers, the area attracted low end tourism but it subsequently backed fired. It failed to change and adjust to the changing trends in travel. I repeatedly and always saw low lifes coming in from Europe and Canada bringing their bad habits and decadent behavior to further corrupt the local natives of a once quiet coastal town. Today the consequences are evident, tourist numbers are down, an increase in crime, a subsequent lack of security, pollution, a string of dingy hotels and whore houses everywhere. Unless this was purposely done, allowed to happen as a way stop competition for Punta Cana, then it was just plain irresponsibility of DR tourism officials to neglect such a beautiful jewel of a once pristine location.
Written by: rokin, 20 Jan 2010 7:42 PM
From: United Kingdom
guillermone
The DR in Europe is called " the poor mans Caribbean " by the " high end " newspapers and it's only recently that there has been a couple of articles about Punta Cana in them and even then they are saying how cheap it is, as in a 5* AI Punta Cana for the same price as a 4* R/O Barbados but i think the customers in Barbados will put far more into the Barbados economy than the customers cocooned in the AI in Punta Cana, So what benefit does the DR get from these " high end " tourists ? If they build another Punta Cana on the Playa Dorada do you think they " high end " tourists will venture into Puerto Plata to spend money ? There has only been 4 things on the TV about the DR in the UK in the last year,(1) programme about hundreds of tourists being struck down with food poisoning at DR hotel ( 2 ) follow up programme with undercover reporters who showed although a lot better there were still problems with the hygiene standards. ( 3 ) Programme about sex tourism.
Written by: rokin, 20 Jan 2010 8:22 PM
From: United Kingdom
Cont ( 4 ) Plane with tourists coming back from the DR Quarintined at airport. So that's why the tourist numbers may be down from the UK, because that's all the have seen about the DR. I have never seen the DR advertising in the UK, all you get is a two page spread 2 or 3 times a year in the tabloids ( high end tourists don't read tabloids ) which is 2 reporters getting a freeby paid for by the holiday company so it's just a bit of cheap advertising for the company and a perk for the reporters so they never say anything bad about the holiday. I've been to Playa Dorada twice both times 5* hotels ( 4* in the UK ) the last time i was there Presidente Tap, piss water coming out of it, buffet mediocre, time share reps constantly hustling will not take NO for an answer, a beer at the pub in the mall 4 times the price of a beer in Puerto plata, cigarettes in the bar mor than twice the price of the shop, taxi into puerto plata twice the price of a taxi in london or paris.
Written by: dagtan, 20 Jan 2010 8:43 PM
From: United States
rokin,
WOW, I think that you are one those undercover to know all those dirty secrets about our tourist attractions. I have never been to barbados, but have been to san marteen, anguila and trinidad and tobago, and you are right on point, so on point that i think that you work for some undercover agency.
Also, the highest rated place I have been in PC is the Paradisus hotel and Resort, i think that it was great, but not as great as anguila, but very, very good.
Another point that you touched on was the spending part, even me as Dominican it is difficult to even get out of the freaking citadel and go out and enjoy the local food. Plus there is very little in terms of stores where the missy will want to go shopping, so there goes the cash.
in the Bahamas in general, you'll find high end stores in or close to the 4 and 5 star places.
Written by: rokin, 20 Jan 2010 8:50 PM
From: United Kingdom
Cont They are biting the hand that feeds them, by thinking the gringos are stupid. And guillermone although i was AI i spent about $2,000 when i was there which might be more than a " high end " tourist who doesn't leave the AI at Punta Cana, i don't see the point of going on a 9 hour flight to be stuck in a compound. And if Cuba opens up to Americans you might be begging the " low end " tourists to come back.
" Low lifes from Europe and Canada bringing there bad habits and decadent behaviour to further corrupt the local natives "
When i was there i would say more than 90% of the people were not like that, things must have changed. And from what i've been reading in this paper some natives a very easily corrupted.
In saying all that i liked the DR.
Written by: rokin, 20 Jan 2010 10:21 PM
From: United Kingdom
Dagtan
I hear you, maybe it was a blessing in disguise there was not a lot of shops in the Puerto Plata area for her indoors to run riot, the wallet remained healthy.
From: United States
now that all that has been said by rokin, i guess that i can chime in without all the backlash being aimed at me alone. i have said it a million times for those who will listen. the tourist product in Puerto Plata is a fifth rate joke. many people listen to the hype and believe that we are way ahead of other caribbean islands, because some tourist rag says so. WRONG. in the first place, POP has no real asset to attract tourists. the beaches are not anything special, when compared to others such as Punta Cana and Negril. the roads are a disaster, and the area is littered with pestilent hustlers. the same can be said of other islands like Jamaica, incidentally. but constant bad reports in the European press do nothing but more damage. as i have said, and i stand by it, Puerto Plata is finished. KAPUT. it is over. tourism has a life cycle. when it comes to the end, it cannot be resuscitated by half assed ideas and an injection of 3 million dollars. it has to be completely reinvented
From: United States
minus the crap that killed it in the first place. there is no point in changing the nature of the product, when an airbus full of Brits ends up in intensive care in London from eating chateaubriand in a five star hotel. besides, people from the core countries are used to service. where they come from, tomorrow means the day after today. here, it means NOT TODAY. untile we can get the service thing down pat, the Japanese, the Chinese, the Albanians, and all the king´s men, will never put POP together again.
Written by: xwill7, 21 Jan 2010 11:44 AM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
dread
they will need to remove all of the cuero and aggressive vendors off the beach first.. Also,pop is good for the people of Santiago who want to take a quick dip and drive back not too far. I have found that rio san juan is better than pop... But you are right, 3 mill will only put a band aid on the wound
From: United States
great insights, xwill. but it will be extremely difficult to remove the cueros. let me tell you why. most of the crud that comes from Europe and Noth America to POP come there for just that. the sankies and the ladies of easy virtue. take that away, and all you have left is the teleferrico. when you come from New York, for instance, the cable car is not something that impresses you. if you live in the southern part, you can see the Roosevelt Island version. if you are up north, such as the Catskills, you can see the ones on the ski slopes. so, what you have left is the malecon....hmmm..
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
Even if POP has not spent sufficient money in improvements , Sosua is a nice place for a holiday and Cabarete has developed its own character so maybe POP can reinvent itself ..If it can find some young promoters with great enthusiasm it may have a second life ..Bayahibe is a mecca for Italians so maybe POP could be the same for the Japanese . Honolulu reinvented itself to suit the Asian market so there is a precedent .
From: United States
whaaaaat the heck this guy is trying to say evades me more often than not. Sosua is a nice place for a holiday, he informs. that is what i said. a nice place for people looking for cueros and sanky pankies. bring your wife and 15 year old Annabelle there for a week, and it is not so charming. i must say that i enjoy your optimism, which is laced with an overdose of fantasy. IF it can find enthusiatic young promoters, it can be reinvented, he opines. IF your aunt had balls, she would be your uncle, i say.
Written by: josean, 21 Jan 2010 1:52 PM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
And all the Episcopalians I have met over the years seemed pretty down to earth and realistic people!
From: United States
I remember when POP first emerged as a tourist destination. It was clean, serene and picturesque with rows of beautiful, freshly renovated victorian homes. I use to love its quaint village like atmosphere and the innocence of the people. The nearby horse shoe shaped Sosua beach was pristine, cristal clear aqua-blue waters, white sand shoreline seen from above the surrounding hills with dramatic panoramic views. The beach was mostly empty during the week, but a favorite week-end get away for natives from Stgo. There were no ocean front hotels, only sparcely spaced beach houses, owned mostly by the well-to-do from the Cibao. While swimming in the bay, you could look up and see a majestic pagoda designed, hill top house protruding out through the vegetation which everyone called "La Casa del Coño." At the time is was the best and most beautiful house in the area, so when you saw it, the first words out of the mouth was "Coño que casa." Sadly, today these characteristics are all but gone
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
I was not directing my comments at you Dreadlocks which I consider a waste of time as you are opposed to doing or saying positive things and I prefer to back those people who are prepared to do things and am grateful for the interest of the Japanese. Luckily Sosua has several nice hotels that are good for family holidays and some good restaurants also ...there are many good things there.
Written by: dagtan, 21 Jan 2010 7:27 PM
From: United States
Ric,
I hear what you are saying, but I believe that the last good place in POP was the Jak Tar, and is no longer there. I love POP, since I can kill two birds with one shot, I go for a good time and also get to visit la familia del perro de mi papa.
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
dagtan I have never stayed in POP for a night but have played golf at the very ordinary course there and have had lunch and dinner there ..I have stayed several times in Sosua and also in Cabarte. the hotels and the beaches are very different in Sosua than say in Punta Cana as they do not have the wide expanses but the less glossy, understated main beach at Sosua has appeal ..maybe needs a tidy up . Cabarete does have a wide expanse of beach and has a good ambiance with the little restaurants along the sand ..again different to Bavaro and Punta Cana but very aappealing ..not everyone has the same tastes and actually I like the laid back atmosphere of the north coast
From: Dominican Republic
Thank you gentleman , this was the most insightful and entertaining thread that I' ve read all day until somebody turned the blue lights off and let Martha out of K-mart before her shift was over.
guillermone, thank you for your vivid picture of what Sosua was before it became the thailand of the carribean . True, even if the eventual dream of punta cana-izing the north coast comes to fruition, it will take more than a few 4 star resorts and fancy gift shops to give its reputation the facelift it desperatly needs to draw in something other than your cast of run of the mill sex tourist s and of all you can burger Brits and Canadiens that bring nothing but a 20 dollar bill and 1 change of underwear to the island and dont change either one of them .
From: Dominican Republic
Those who travel to Punta CANA may stay at a beautiful resort , but they will not experience the real D.R . or anything authentically Dominican. Its worth mentioning that the ''sanky'' in Coratcito and plaza Bavaro is more and more starting to resemble that of Sosua and Boca with an increasing number of street hustlers, lambones, putas on the beach and 3rd rate wanna be chullos. Those who listen to lonely planet and want nothing more than a 5 star resort with 2 star service without experiencing anything authentically Dominican should go there .I spent a summer working in the Paradisus Palma Real but the quality of life that I had in the P.P area was non-existent and I couldnt wait to get out . I love the northcoast .Its what lured me to the D.R 4 years ago. Personally. there are few things as precious or authentically Dominican to me than dancing bachatta and merengue with a few cold presidentes on Sosua beach as the sunsets over the domino tables on a Sunday afternoon.
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
Another positive comment from the quasi Josean .!! Sure the people in Sosua and POP love reading you throwing all the mud .and with the usual personal comments that low minds have.
From: Dominican Republic
I guess the sushi bars will start popping up next to the mens spas as well a panda zoo next to ocean world ? SELL LEO, SELL !
Written by: josean, 22 Jan 2010 12:12 AM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
" Brits and Canadiens that bring nothing but a 20 dollar bill and 1 change of underwear to the island and dont change either one of them ."
DH,
I am going to frame that!
Written by: josean, 22 Jan 2010 12:17 AM
From: United States, Dedicating 4 more years to fighting the Dictatorship of the Narco PLD Mafia
Martha use to claim her knowledge was limited to the east. Now she is "SURE" of what the people of Sosua and POP like to read about!
Written by: dagtan, 22 Jan 2010 12:19 AM
From: United States
" Brits and Canadiens that bring nothing but a 20 dollar bill and 1 change of underwear to the island and dont change either one of them ."
DH,
Very true, again, I was there for 15 horrific days this past July and i really felt sorry for my daughter who had to catch up to the british accent in order to participate in the activities. I was like a freaking stranger in my own country. I did like Paradisus a little better, just for what you stated Ric. There was no one trying to sell me a fu$%king coconut for $50US, I was about to kill that guy.
From: Dominican Republic, vieja Santo Domingo
Having reviewed my postings, I see I wrote that I had first hand knowledge of schools only in la Romana...and that is still the case ,,As I drive around the DR often and stay in different locations,I believe that I am quite well qualified to give my views on areas where I have been and the people I have met - One of the good things is that I always seem to meet nice and corteous Dominicans where ever I go but especially outside the capital and I put it down to the fact that if I am happy and polite to those I meet ,then it is usually reciprocated.
I can only repeat that Sosua has much charm and is not just a red light area as suggested . I think that is you are looking for something you will probably find it in most places .
From: United States
Ricardolito, in light of the fact that you have degraded into even more childish behavior, might i remind you that you do not need to direct comments to any particular person in order to get a response. this is an internet forum, not your kindergarten playpen. as long as you keep making nebulous, indeterminate remarks, i reserve the right to challenge them in my ornery, cantankerous sytle. when you get down to business, and make substantive remarks, rather than pie in the sky meanderings, i will tone things down.
From: United States
Ricardolito, i read your assessment of Sosua, and Cabarete, and i have no idea what you mean, as you just do not get it. Sosua is ruined as a tourist destination, unless you are trolling for whores. Mr Chad Billingsley 111, from Darien , Conn, will not find it entertaining when he takes little Matilda to the pizza parlor for a slice with extra cheese and mushrooms, only to have some Euro rodent called Dieter , all of 70 years old, and quite malodorous, winking at her from a stool, and trying to peek up her skirt. i guess you get the picture. for the homeboy african american crowd from Philly and Atlanta, and the Euro vermin, along with the bus drivers and firemen from the USA, Sosua is the shizznit...families, on the other hand, find it appalling. the attendant motoconcho slimeballs who shadow the ladies of the evening, the noise, the dust, the perils at every turn, plus the miscellaneous other hustlers, have all turned Sosua into paradise lost.
From: Dominican Republic
Sosuas true charm and beauty must be found between the lines (and the alley ways) . I've always said that Sosua is a place that is best experienced , not explained and Inspite of a Pedro Clisante motconcho lined street with bars full of speedo short , gold wearing , fat hairy backed cigar smoking old Witzeldorfs that still think they have what it takes to sweep Cinderella off of her feet as they wave 1000 pesos in her face, it still has a magnetic ambiance that draws one back to what Guillemore nostagically described as what once was coupled with the hope of the what could be . The dodge caravans should go no further than the parking lot of Casa Marina with the exception of a Mels tour excursion to Ocean world for a swim with flipper and the new panda zoo that the japs may build as a complimentary side dish .
From: United States
dominicanheartbeat, besides the fact that everything you say is true, i must confess my delight in reading your post above. you are the consummate wordsmith, and i have a soft spot for those who wield a mighty pen. thanks.
From: Dominican Republic
Por Nada Dreadlocks,
I must confess that I enjoy listening to your fingers talk as well !
From: United States
Oh cut it out you two already, not in front of the children, please!!!!
From: United States
ah, guillermone, you´re just jealous.
From: Dominican Republic, No Spin Zone
Mutual testicle massage and log rolling is a specialty of the Dreaded one
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3 million dollars is not enough to cover the potholes!
3 million are 3 million more than yesterday, no?
i was there with my family this past summer, we stayed at the Holiday Village Golden, because it was a family oriented place. They had some good kids' activities, but other than that it really sucked.
Going outside the freaking resort was an issue, since transportation is poor and the town of POP is in no shape to attract tourists who will spend some cash.
Finally, the service really sucked, Punta Cana is much better and I have no idea how many years is going to POP to catch up to PC or the rest of the caribbean.
i did enjoyed the Sun Village more, this past December, i was there for a wedding, but do not know how is it as a guest.
I have seen him find a silver lining in the dark clouds of Haiti (no pun intended) but somehow he can only display disdain for DR!! Even some Haitians have better things to say about DR than he does ..
The moto conchos, sanki pankis, and prostitutes need to go.
As always the North East landscape is of unparallel beauty.
My God, Martha is slipping!
From: Holy See (Vatican City)
3 mil for some more Bently's and other high end cars ...... for the fricking bandidos
Skysail,
Some of my compatriots just love promises of BAMBOOLZE cookies from strangers and like to wash it down with government issued KOOL-AID!
The DR in Europe is called " the poor mans Caribbean " by the " high end " newspapers and it's only recently that there has been a couple of articles about Punta Cana in them and even then they are saying how cheap it is, as in a 5* AI Punta Cana for the same price as a 4* R/O Barbados but i think the customers in Barbados will put far more into the Barbados economy than the customers cocooned in the AI in Punta Cana, So what benefit does the DR get from these " high end " tourists ? If they build another Punta Cana on the Playa Dorada do you think they " high end " tourists will venture into Puerto Plata to spend money ? There has only been 4 things on the TV about the DR in the UK in the last year,(1) programme about hundreds of tourists being struck down with food poisoning at DR hotel ( 2 ) follow up programme with undercover reporters who showed although a lot better there were still problems with the hygiene standards. ( 3 ) Programme about sex tourism.
WOW, I think that you are one those undercover to know all those dirty secrets about our tourist attractions. I have never been to barbados, but have been to san marteen, anguila and trinidad and tobago, and you are right on point, so on point that i think that you work for some undercover agency.
Also, the highest rated place I have been in PC is the Paradisus hotel and Resort, i think that it was great, but not as great as anguila, but very, very good.
Another point that you touched on was the spending part, even me as Dominican it is difficult to even get out of the freaking citadel and go out and enjoy the local food. Plus there is very little in terms of stores where the missy will want to go shopping, so there goes the cash.
in the Bahamas in general, you'll find high end stores in or close to the 4 and 5 star places.
" Low lifes from Europe and Canada bringing there bad habits and decadent behaviour to further corrupt the local natives "
When i was there i would say more than 90% of the people were not like that, things must have changed. And from what i've been reading in this paper some natives a very easily corrupted.
In saying all that i liked the DR.
I hear you, maybe it was a blessing in disguise there was not a lot of shops in the Puerto Plata area for her indoors to run riot, the wallet remained healthy.
they will need to remove all of the cuero and aggressive vendors off the beach first.. Also,pop is good for the people of Santiago who want to take a quick dip and drive back not too far. I have found that rio san juan is better than pop... But you are right, 3 mill will only put a band aid on the wound
I hear what you are saying, but I believe that the last good place in POP was the Jak Tar, and is no longer there. I love POP, since I can kill two birds with one shot, I go for a good time and also get to visit la familia del perro de mi papa.
guillermone, thank you for your vivid picture of what Sosua was before it became the thailand of the carribean . True, even if the eventual dream of punta cana-izing the north coast comes to fruition, it will take more than a few 4 star resorts and fancy gift shops to give its reputation the facelift it desperatly needs to draw in something other than your cast of run of the mill sex tourist s and of all you can burger Brits and Canadiens that bring nothing but a 20 dollar bill and 1 change of underwear to the island and dont change either one of them .
" Brits and Canadiens that bring nothing but a 20 dollar bill and 1 change of underwear to the island and dont change either one of them ."
DH,
I am going to frame that!
DH,
Very true, again, I was there for 15 horrific days this past July and i really felt sorry for my daughter who had to catch up to the british accent in order to participate in the activities. I was like a freaking stranger in my own country. I did like Paradisus a little better, just for what you stated Ric. There was no one trying to sell me a fu$%king coconut for $50US, I was about to kill that guy.
I can only repeat that Sosua has much charm and is not just a red light area as suggested . I think that is you are looking for something you will probably find it in most places .
I must confess that I enjoy listening to your fingers talk as well !