Conversation heard this morning

They never leave the compound, its absolutely amazing..
Have met even Euros, who are usually more adventurous, who never left the AI for weeks,, just same routine every single day..
Can you imagine ??
never mind the Machetes, I would slit my own wrists ..

I overheard my coworker discouraging another coworker from going to Punta Cana.
He said something along the same lines as the OP stated with some added racial connotations.
Unfortunately many people have this bad impression yet they don't mind traveling to a resort in these
"jungles", smh, as long as they are behind the pearly gates. So eating food, being tend to by the locals
and using local products, utilities,roads etc is ok. Just don't look at them or Medusa will turn you to stone.
I know better than to believe some scathing generalization about somewhere or someone I know nothing about.
Yes we all have preconceived notions at times. But really? Ignorance at it's finest.

As a tourist, I talk with other tourists every chance I get about destinations.

The attitude in the conversation is the prevailing attitude of infrequent travelers. This attitude is the first thing I think about when I hear people here talking about tourist in the SD colonial zone, historic Havana, or cruisers leaving the port, etc.

Safety or the perception of safety is in the forefront of their minds.

That said, this conversation is ridiculously stupid. People still say "natives" in 2016. The "Haiti is close by" takes the cake though.

I have heard similar stories. When we first started coming to the DR we came on AI package deals. Most of this crap and fear mongering comes from the tour operators.

I actually made it a point to go to most of the indoctrination's and every one of the tour reps made it painfully clear that if you venture away from the hotel on your own, without buying their package, evil things would happen to you.

The short term stupidity of these people will be there own demise.

melphis said:

I have heard similar stories. When we first started coming to the DR we came on AI package deals. Most of this crap and fear mongering comes from the tour operators.

I actually made it a point to go to most of the indoctrination's and every one of the tour reps made it painfully clear that if you venture away from the hotel on your own, without buying their package, evil things would happen to you.

The short term stupidity of these people will be there own demise.

Click to expand...

It has worked for half a century.
Der Fish

....and they think what they are doing in Sosua will bring families.

ramesses said:

....and they think what they are doing in Sosua will bring families.

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I dont think they ever planned on Marketing to Families.. has anyone really ever seen a print ad or Commercial for Sosua ?
They placed 100% faith in the Cruise ships dropping off enough people that it would trickle into Sosua, and then catch on that way perhaps.
Punta cana is all most people know, and some may know Santo Domingo and Boca Chica, and Puerto Plata, Maybe..

But , mention even the entire Peninsula of Samana or specific places on Samana, I guarantee you will get blank stares almost all of the time
, and Sosua or Cabarete.. 99% probability the average traveler has never even heard of it, if they have never been to the Dominican Republic..
Try it with random people at your Job.

Bronxboy said:

Waiting for the elevator to head to the office, 3 gents were speaking to a co-worker of theirs. (All white, not that there is anything wrong).

There conversation went as follows:

Gent: Hey, wazz up? Nice tan. Back from vacation? (The gent had a piece of luggage with him)

Co-worker: Yeah. Just got back from the airport.

Gent: Where did you go?

Co-worker: Dominican Republic. (I am standing there waiting for the elevator as well)

Gent: How was it and where did you stay?

Co-worker: I was in Punta Cana for 6 days.

Gent: Nice. Did you like?

Co-worker: Weather was amazing. Had a great time BUT had to stay in the resort as everyone was saying not to venture out w/o a guide. Something about it is dangerous out there. I actually saw a bunch of natives running after a van full of tourists with machetes.

Gent: Yeah. Not a nice place to wander around in. All the natives are out there to get you.

Another gent: Haiti is close by. Those people are animals.

Some people have no scruples.

I just laughed at them to myself.

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Has he also been reading DR1.com?

melphis said:

I have heard similar stories. When we first started coming to the DR we came on AI package deals. Most of this crap and fear mongering comes from the tour operators.

I actually made it a point to go to most of the indoctrination's and every one of the tour reps made it painfully clear that if you venture away from the hotel on your own, without buying their package, evil things would happen to you.

The short term stupidity of these people will be there own demise.

Click to expand...

There are a couple of things going on with the tour reps and resort staff. First of all they want the AI clients to spend their money at the resorts and use only resort approved tours. The reps get a percentage of the tours so lining their pockets is their motivation. The best way to do that is to tell their clientele the resort booked excursions are safe and insured while the ones you buy from reps at the beach are dangerous. Or going off the resort to book excursions from reps on the shops and malls is dangerous. Discrimination is not the main focus here. Money is.

Regarding the safety of tourists in the DR, the ignorance of tourists, and the fear generated by the reps and resort staff, the best defence is education, by word and example. I've taken many tourists on tour with me in my rental cars free of charge and they come back with a new perspective which they pass on to their friends. I stop at local beaches and bars with them and watch them start to relax and enjoy the people and the culture. The worst resort for fear mongering is Lifestyles in Cofresi. What's worse is a lot of the fear mongering is done by Dominican staff at Lifestyles so some of the blame lies with them.

i completely agree with fearmongering of hotels. it's a simple safety measure against stupidity of their clients that may result in lawsuits, arguments and loss of reputation.

hotels do not want to held accountable for petty crime that happens outside of resorts. they don't want bad press and bad reviews. it's easier to keep control over all inclusive lemmings by making them stay inside resorts. they do not want to be blamed and hear: "but you did not warn us, we want compensation!"

i agree and i approve. i would do the same.

These tourist kill me.
Natives, locals, machetes, shotguns, throwing candies to kids, bringing supplies to kids, throwing shiny quarters like daddy warbucks or something!
Jesu cristo.
And jungle!, are we on an african friggin safari?
Then the most have bachlor partie in boca chica or sosua, going at it raw!
That hot n spicy latina, all for $20 bucks, very proud while bragging about it. Living there fantasy out.

I had one guy at work showing off his laptop pics of him having un protected sex with some sankies from boca chica. The guy was smiling and proud of getting sik you know what..
It just amazes me.

The worst part is when they get back home, and have that distorted view of dominican people.

it's not "distorted view". it's the reality.

Bronxboy said:

Those people are animals.

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In general, he is right. Of course, there are some exceptions, but tourists will never see them.