Overnight Tours: Your Opinion

Caribbeandreamto

Advertiser
Mar 26, 2011
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Hello All,

We are toying with the idea of offering overnight tours from Punta Cana hotels. We were interested in offering two hotels/areas to begin: Para?so Ca?o Hondo in Los Haitises National Park and Rancho Baiguate in Jarabacoa. Both these hotels offer a large contrast to Punta Cana resorts and have plenty of things to do in the surrounding area.

I am posting this because I was hoping to get some feedback since there are a couple issues we are dealing with:

1. Our market is US and Canada and I do not know if individuals will want to spend two days, 1 night away from an AI resort they have already paid for.

2. These tours would be expensive for couples but reasonable for groups. So, we will look to sell to either groups or let clients choose a date and then we can promote when we have individuals going on the tour so others can join in and lower the price.

It costs us nothing to load new tours to our website and we are always striving to be innovative. Any feedback from individuals who have visited Punta Cana would be greatly appreciated.
 
May 12, 2005
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Why not? An overnight stay might make for a more relaxing and slower paced tour. It's a break from the constant go.
 

caribmike

Gold
Jul 9, 2009
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Not sure...

Back in "the old days" being involved with tours I remember most people wanted to be back in the Hotel for their AI dinner...

They liked to be a day out of the Hotel but not a night...
 

hammerdown

Bronze
Apr 29, 2005
1,466
107
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Not sure...

Back in "the old days" being involved with tours I remember most people wanted to be back in the Hotel for their AI dinner...

They liked to be a day out of the Hotel but not a night...

Agreed, I was a tour guide in the National Park for over 3yrs and most people would plan their day around the food schedule. I'm not saying its impossible, but it may be tough.
We had a Monte Christi overnight tour (subsidized by the National Park) that worked out ok, but we were promoting it in a non-all inclusive.
Selling to a AI may be tough, but like they say: "Its better to try and not succeed, than not try at all." Good luck, sounds pretty good.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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But the package would include their supper at CH or RB. There will be a segment that will find the prospect of staying at somewhere like Ca?o Hondo irresistible!
 
Aug 19, 2004
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"The people I have met who have enuff money to go to the AIs seem to have unlimited bucks and will fall for most anything." Disagree - the USP of Punta Cana is the fact it is cheap and you can have "luxury" on a budget. Many people who come here pay for the holiday in advance and then spend very little in the country. IMO the business will be relatively small get back for the evening buffet and free booze will be a significant factor. Another option could be an over night stay in the Zona Colonial.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
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The "Lure" of the "AIs", not unlike a "cruise", is that you know before you go the amount of money you will spend.
Sure there are a lot of "Extras", both mandatory,Tips, etc. and optional,tours can add hundreds of dollars more, but you are not forced to take any tours.In my experience, the "AI Crowd" are not big on leaving the hotel.
But keeep us informed.
CC
 

agw

Member
Feb 14, 2010
156
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I would think you would have more luck with tourists who rent an apartment or condo and come for stays of a couple of weeks to a month.

A lot of the people we met at the various places we've stayed don't rent cars but would like to see more of the country than just Punta Cana. These tourists enjoyed the all day excursions that the property managers set up... Trips to Isla Saona, Boca de Yuma and shorter shopping runs to the Jumbo in La Romana. We could have packed them in on our overnight trips if we'd wanted to.

I would suggest finding the managers of multiple properties and letting them know of your tours. That's where I think your customers will come from.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
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I get requests for day trips all the time. When I explain they'd need to spend a night in Jarabacoa, 100% of the time the answer is "but I've already paid for the AI..."

Keep in mind the DR mainly attracts budget tourists anyway.
 
May 29, 2006
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I think you would do better by marketing Jarabacoa first with an overnight to a coastal AI. If they go to the beach first, they're going to want to stay there and work on their sunburns. Jarabacoa also is closer to STI than PC is to SDQ with less traffic.

Maybe start in Jarabacoa for two days, day trip by bus, then dinner buffet and overnight in PC. Next day, some morning jaunt, then the afternoon on the beach, then the bus back to Jarabacoa for a late dinner. Once they've been in the mountains, they're going to say the beach is HOT!

A good demographic to market to is ElderHostel. They travel well and are usually looking for more than just a week on the beach. They LOVE guided nature tours. The AI crowd in their 50s are mostly couch potatoes.
 

Caribbeandreamto

Advertiser
Mar 26, 2011
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Thank you for your opinions. PeterInBrat, what you are proposing are vacation packages that mix AI and Eco. We already have these packages but we are not promoting them just yet. Actually, these overnight tours are to be a precursor to "Relaxploration" packages, as we like to call them.

The focus here is to try and offer Punta Cana tourists more of the Dominican Republic. If internal flights were not so incredibly expensive, we could easily coordinate day trips to nearly any part of the country. For a small Caribbean island, the Dominican Republic has 9 airports, the most in the region. I say small but we all know the DR is very big by Caribbean standards so getting to the Central, Southwest and Northern regions requires at least an overnight stay.

agw - you make a good point but the local, and very seasonal, Punta Cana rental market is not big enough for me to focus my time on sales. We've actually sent clients staying at condos on overnight trips but it's not enough to really focus our attention. If we decide to promote these tours, they will be listed on our website and we'll promote them with Google adwords to the US and Canada.
 

CaptnGlenn

Silver
Mar 29, 2010
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I have to agree with the others who think it will be a very limited market. As a former AIer, although we did spend a lot of dinero on excursions, etc.; a two or more day - over night- trip away from the resort would have been a tough sell even for me. I'd also guess that most of the Americans there (based strictly on appearances - so not necessarily accurate), wouldn't have been the types for something like this.

If it costs you nothing to try out, I'd say go for it... stranger things have happened.

Also... you might try marketing it as a add-on for people who might be planning a 3 or 4 or 5 day trip... this way they get to see more of the country and also leverage the ever increasing airfare.

Another potential market would be the condo vacationers... either the owners or those renting a condo. I know I would enjoy seeing some other areas, but have yet to arrange to travel around much. I suspect you might find others like me out there ... even better if they are spending extended several weeks to several months... and want a change of pace.

all the best of luck.
 
May 29, 2006
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I think the main pushback you're going to get is that the folks who normally stay in AIs really like the security and western comforts of internet, satellite TV,cell phones and flatscreens, critter proof rooms, immaculate bathrooms, being surrounded by light-skinned tourists and being able to get foods that they could order in most Mainland restaurants.

The AI folks will freak out when there's a gecko in their room, much less the giant cockroaches they get down there (and scorpions, and cacatas)

If you take them out to even a nice place in the campo, they are going to want to walk around outside at night with some kind of giant wall between them and the "real" Dominican Republic. I don't get it myself, but that is the AI demo I've met.

What's the worst that could happen in the Campo?
tumblr_ltswlusNuy1qmf9gqo1_500.jpg


Not that that's likely...unless it rains.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
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You're also dealing with psychographics: folks who gravitate toward AI's aren't necessarily looking for adventure...
 

jinty05

Bronze
Feb 11, 2005
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One minor observation. December/January is the peak season for Punta Cana. I suspect that the majority of tourists coming to the AI's are coming for the sun and as such would not have the appropriate clothing to spend a night in Jarabacoa which can get decidedly chilly this time of year.
 

Caribbeandreamto

Advertiser
Mar 26, 2011
461
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Cobraboy: You are correct. "Most" tourists doing the AI things are not interested in eco/adventure. In any case, these type of tours would never be directed towards the masses. About 2.5 million tourists visited Punta Cana in 2012. Even if only 1% were interested in these types of tours you're talking about 25,000 - way more than I would even want to think about.

For example, we have a day excursion that goes to Los Haitises. I considered this the most adventurous excursion we have because the ride out there is over 4 hours with several stops. In all, the tour lasts 13-14 hours. Fortunately, it is selling very well.

In all honesty, I believe tourists would go for excursions that offer a more genuine experience than the run of the mill buggies, party boat, Isla Saona, etc - if they are given the option. For us, we make lots of money on these run of the mill tours but I am thinking more about the future; and the future traveller, even to the Dominican Republic, will be looking for a genuine experience. It doesn't have to be Eco versus AI, but instead the best of both worlds. To me, people looking for sun and sand would not be opposed to an adventurous tour into the Dominican mountains, for example, and an eco traveler would not be opposed to a moment of relaxing on a white sandy beach.

In any case, my big concern with these overnight tours is the fact that visitors will be losing some of what they paid for. Fortunately, our tours are sold online well before the clients arrive. So, maybe they can plan for this overnight tour beforehand. Also, in regards to jinty05 comments, clothing and preparation would not be an issue because bookings are made in advance.
 

flyinroom

Silver
Aug 26, 2012
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You mentionned that your market was primarily the U.S. and Canada. My experience with this market tells me that the idea of an overnight excursion would definitely be out of the question.
Having spent years and years in the business of selling "excursions" to this very market out of the A.I.'s in Punta Cana, I can fairly safely assume that the price point would be beyond the limit of what most tourists in this group would bear.
Believe me, I suggest this with all due respect to my fellow North Americans.......:pirate:
 
May 29, 2006
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I can't see anyone going into a bank for a loan with a business plan that would cater to 1% of the population unless that demographic wasn't being served by any other potential competitor. You'd still have to market to 100% of the PC demo just to reach that 1% that might be interested in spending more money. These folks are already being served by the PC AIs.

Where I think it might work is by marketing to your existing client base and starting small. If you can get 5% of the people already taking your tours and make it work, then you might have something. They have already taken baby steps into the "Real DR."

When people ask for advice on this forum, it's all too common that they don't like what they hear. They really aren't looking for advice as much as validation for an idea. Fixating on an unproven concept is a hard path in the long run.

The ex-pats see start-ups fail all the time down here. Almost all the time, they can tell before the place opens whether it's going to work or not. Ideas that work rarely need a complicated sales pitch. Most of the time with the ideas that do work, the ex-pats are thinking, "Wow about time!"
 

jinty05

Bronze
Feb 11, 2005
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I beg to differ re the clothing needed for Jarabacoa in January. Your tourists who have never been here previously would be ignorant of the different climate in this area. If your web site advises the type of clothing required then you have to consider the baggage limitations imposed by the airlines these days.

Don't know much about US AI operators but their European counterparts do not pre-sell tours at the time of booking an AI holiday.

Cobraboy: You are correct. "Most" tourists doing the AI things are not interested in eco/adventure. In any case, these type of tours would never be directed towards the masses. About 2.5 million tourists visited Punta Cana in 2012. Even if only 1% were interested in these types of tours you're talking about 25,000 - way more than I would even want to think about.

For example, we have a day excursion that goes to Los Haitises. I considered this the most adventurous excursion we have because the ride out there is over 4 hours with several stops. In all, the tour lasts 13-14 hours. Fortunately, it is selling very well.

In all honesty, I believe tourists would go for excursions that offer a more genuine experience than the run of the mill buggies, party boat, Isla Saona, etc - if they are given the option. For us, we make lots of money on these run of the mill tours but I am thinking more about the future; and the future traveller, even to the Dominican Republic, will be looking for a genuine experience. It doesn't have to be Eco versus AI, but instead the best of both worlds. To me, people looking for sun and sand would not be opposed to an adventurous tour into the Dominican mountains, for example, and an eco traveler would not be opposed to a moment of relaxing on a white sandy beach.

In any case, my big concern with these overnight tours is the fact that visitors will be losing some of what they paid for. Fortunately, our tours are sold online well before the clients arrive. So, maybe they can plan for this overnight tour beforehand. Also, in regards to jinty05 comments, clothing and preparation would not be an issue because bookings are made in advance.