Souverir Sellers On Tourism Decline In Sosua

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Ken

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From today's Sosua News:

[h=5]In the program of Ola TV (local TV) sellers of souvenirs complain about the fact that tourism on the north coast and particularly in Sos?a and Cabarete has declined substantially in recent years. The entrepreneurs ?lvaro Antonio Pe?a, Luis Alberto Mart?nez and Luis B?ez believe that not only the global economic crisis can be designated as a cause of the decline.[/h] [h=5]Souvenir shop Playa Sos?a[/h]
[h=5]The facilities of the northern coast for the tourist are outdated and no longer attractive. Most of the hotels no longer meet the standards of the tourists today, according to the souvenir sellers. But besides a beautiful bay with a beautiful beach, Sos?a has not much more to offer to the tourist. For example, no promenade where tourists can shop and have a nice evening dinner in a restaurants without motorcycle and car noise and exhaust fumes. The closure of the main street Pedro Clisante for traffic apparently doesn't seem to succeed. But the entrepreneurs hope that the government will live up to their plans to improve Sos?a in 2013. The promises of the government for 2013 have already been made.[/h]
 
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the gorgon

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Ken said:
From today's Sosua News:

[h=5]In the program of Ola TV (local TV) sellers of souvenirs complain about the fact that tourism on the north coast and particularly in Sos?a and Cabarete has declined substantially in recent years. The entrepreneurs ?lvaro Antonio Pe?a, Luis Alberto Mart?nez and Luis B?ez believe that not only the global economic crisis can be designated as a cause of the decline.[/h] [h=5]Souvenir shop Playa Sos?a[/h]
[h=5]The facilities of the northern coast for the tourist are outdated and no longer attractive. Most of the hotels no longer meet the standards of the tourists today, according to the souvenir sellers. But besides a beautiful bay with a beautiful beach, Sos?a has not much more to offer to the tourist. For example, no promenade where tourists can shop and have a nice evening dinner in a restaurants without motorcycle and car noise and exhaust fumes. The closure of the main street Pedro Clisante for traffic apparently doesn't seem to succeed. But the entrepreneurs hope that the government will live up to their plans to improve Sos?a in 2013. The promises of the government for 2013 have already been made.[/h]
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apparently, the author of this report does not know what an entrepreneur is. the guys who sell souvenirs are diametrically opposed to entrepreneurs. an entrepreneur is a maverick. he is a guy who thinks outside the box. he has ingenuity. he creates things. guys who create google, and myspace, and robots, are entrepreneurs. guys who line up ten to a row, and sell the same crap as the guy beside them, twenty years in succession, are not entrepreneurs.
 
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redserge

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We get hounded when we first arrive until we get tanned and then they leave us alone. i am not a "tourist" I am a snowbird. I take the time to learn the names of the sellers so i can say hi as I walk by. So true about the duplication I get a kick out of 20 little booths each with a number and owner name and each one selling the exact same thing! Like putting in a 20 unit mall and renting all 20 spaces to Wallmart! When you buy from one guy they all crowd you and insist you must buy from them. I love to watch them work the tourists on a quiet afternoon!
 
Tamborista

Tamborista

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I only buy from Steady Eddie, he already knows I offer 1/3 of his price, and we usually settle on 1/2 price!
 
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CFA123

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perhaps business would be better if they offered more desirable items.
for the most part, pure junk being offered at high prices - and it's the same crap that's been around for 10 or more years with salesmen that are for the most part uncouth
 
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the gorgon

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CFA123 said:
perhaps business would be better if they offered more desirable items.
for the most part, pure junk being offered at high prices - and it's the same crap that's been around for 10 or more years with salesmen that are for the most part uncouth
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there is a guy in POP whom i met about 12 years ago. he walked around selling knick knacks, the most memorable being a man in a barrel, whose wheezer popped out when the barrel was raised. he is still selling the same crap today. that is not an entrepreneur. an entrepreneur would have abandoned that tired old piece of crap ten years ago, and come up with something new by now. then these guys blame the state of tourism for their lack of sales. am i going to buy a pair of fake Ray Bans from some wandering salesman, when i can get a better price in the USA? why are you trying to sell me a belt? don't you think they sell belts in Philly?
 
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xstew

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CFA123 said:
perhaps business would be better if they offered more desirable items.
for the most part, pure junk being offered at high prices - and it's the same crap that's been around for 10 or more years with salesmen that are for the most part uncouth
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The main problem is the tour guides They turn off the tourist with nasty remarks and pushy ways. I once had a tourist woman who was crying ask me why they do the things against their wishes. [she wanted to go to Mecardo Modelo ] The tour guide would not take her as they get no commission there. I told her this and the tour guide said he would come back and KILL me.
That is the type of tour guides they have here.
The main tourist attraction is taking pictures of the jumbled wires and falling phone poles. They get some amazement at this eye sore. Add to this the display made at the tour boats of our fine tour guides.They line up as if they were military before the ship. I guess they are readying for the ATTACK on the unwitting tourist.
 
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curlando

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I have been traveling to Sosua for eight years and the vendors on Sosua beaches all sell the same items. I hate not being able to walk down the beach without someone jumping out at you trying to talk you into touring their shop. Most of what those vendors sell is either stale/old or dry rot has taken over their goods.
One time, I ate on Sosua beach and the owner charged me a little over 400 pesos for some fried chicken, rice, bean and salad. Also, the only place to buy reasonably priced food and beer on Sosua beach is at the Scandinavian restaurant.
I do like the addition of the bathrooms on the beach.
In June 2012, we had some beers on Sosua beach and they padded the bill with extra drinks. I notice adding extra drinks on your bill was common on this trip to Sosua, because the waiter at Baileys added two Presidentes on my bill and I only had a water; then at Willies bar the bartender charged me for two extra drinks, one of my friends was charged for two more drinks he never saw and over charged my other friend for a meal.
One day someone will be blamed for the decline of tourism in Sosua and it won’t be the tourist.
 
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bizzyboneizo

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i hate when they jump out and stop you even when you walk by 20 times trying to think and enjoy your self plus if you do want to look so you can buy something they will hold you hostage there for a half hour so you can buy something. every thing is the same as the other vendors the pics are always wet and worn out.
 
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rubio_higuey

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Feb 7, 2007
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curlando said:
One time, I ate on Sosua beach and the owner charged me a little over 400 pesos for some fried chicken, rice, bean and salad. Also, the only place to buy reasonably priced food and beer on Sosua beach is at the Scandinavian restaurant.
I do like the addition of the bathrooms on the beach.
In June 2012, we had some beers on Sosua beach and they padded the bill with extra drinks. I notice adding extra drinks on your bill was common on this trip to Sosua, because the waiter at Baileys added two Presidentes on my bill and I only had a water; then at Willies bar the bartender charged me for two extra drinks, one of my friends was charged for two more drinks he never saw and over charged my other friend for a meal.
One day someone will be blamed for the decline of tourism in Sosua and it won?t be the tourist.
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These (I assume mostly foreign owners) of food and drink establishment have learned the tried and (long term not sustainable) Dominican way of doing business - what you cannot make in volume, make up in price. When sales drop, raise the price.
 
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PeterInBrat

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May 29, 2006
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If the casitas are having trouble selling, maybe it's because the majority of shops sell 80% of the same goods and most of them are very poor quality. I'd love to pick up a beach wrap for a gift, but the ones they have are all cheap prints that say SOSUA on them. The larimar quality has gone WAY down so that the stones look like toothpaste and they are held in with a dab of glue. The one good jewelry shop is right near the entrance to El Batey and they are being undersold by the crappy ones. And cigars? Forget it. Anyone who buys "Cuban" cigars on the beach is an idiot.

Then most of the Dominican owned food stands have the same menus. Hey looky, should we have overcooked espaghetti here, or 20 ft closer to Los Charimicos?

The casitas do not have enough of a set back from the beach. Even another 50 ft farther back for the half closest to El Batey would make a huge difference. When you have to run a gauntlet of people standing in front of you to get to the beach, it makes a very poor first impression of the country as a whole.
 
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PeterInBrat

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I think a casita with fixed prices would work well. Everything 100, 200 and 500 pesos with signs~ no haggling. No junk either...
 
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PeterInBrat

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Not sure if this is also Casita 37. But that's the problem. The beach needs ONE shop like this.

317094_2519217977279_575165368_n.jpg
 
drstock

drstock

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Put some lights and Politur patrolling along the beach, restrict the hookers to Pedro Clisante only and maybe there would be some good business for some quality restaurants and bars, with tourists enjoying the beauty of Sosua Bay at night. Doubt it will ever happen, but it could be a start to a big change for Sosua!
 
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sayanora

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Feb 22, 2012
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drstock said:
Put some lights and Politur patrolling along the beach, restrict the hookers to Pedro Clisante only and maybe there would be some good business for some quality restaurants and bars, with tourists enjoying the beauty of Sosua Bay at night. Doubt it will ever happen, but it could be a start to a big change for Sosua!
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I have never had any issues on Sosua beach by hookers. I regularly go with my wife and 3 year old son. I have never even had a problem on pedro clisante and we REGULARLY went to Rocky's , The cuban cafe, tres amigos, and scotch & sirloin.. Are people bothered by just seeing young women with older guys or something? It doesn't bother me, I sorta feel proud of the guy, and hope when I'm older I'll have a young woman on my arm :)
 
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Vinyasa

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drstock said:
Put some lights and Politur patrolling along the beach, restrict the hookers to Pedro Clisante only and maybe there would be some good business for some quality restaurants and bars, with tourists enjoying the beauty of Sosua Bay at night. Doubt it will ever happen, but it could be a start to a big change for Sosua!
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and reduce the number of shacks on the beach....maybe 4 or 5 busy bars would be better than 30 with 1 or no people in?
 
K

Ken

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Vinyasa said:
and reduce the number of shacks on the beach....maybe 4 or 5 busy bars would be better than 30 with 1 or no people in?
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Reducing the number of shops and bars on the beach and access road is such a hot issue that it is not going to happen unless all the present ones are leveled by fire, earthquake or giants waves. Several years ago the Sosua Bay Hotel tried but was met with determined, organized resistance and threats of violence.
 
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young seniors

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What gets me is that if the vendor doesn`t have what you want, he runs around the street trying to find it! Gotta feel for these guys just trying to make a living, albeit selling crap!
 
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sayanora

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Feb 22, 2012
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young seniors said:
What gets me is that if the vendor doesn`t have what you want, he runs around the street trying to find it! Gotta feel for these guys just trying to make a living, albeit selling crap!
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pro-tip, there's a shop across the street from jose o shays on the 2nd floor that sells all the same crap every street vendor has for clearance prices.. literally 10% of the prices you get on sosua beach :)
 
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