Sosua's comeback

I find it truly amazing that a town that is literally 7 minutes from an International Airport that is just 3hours and 20 minutes from NY via direct flights, has the amenities of one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, a people that absolutely love Americans, prices on Hotels of just 15-dollars a day and up is dead anytime of the year let alone all times of the year.

For me this place was a FIND. I have been to the DR as long ago as 1968 and stayed in Sto. Dom. which I hated. Anyone remember the Pan American Hotel and Casino? I would't go back for 20 years it was so bad. Now I can't stay away. I am sort of glad that the place isn't discovered by Americans. I would hate to have to wait in line at a restaurant. Too bad for the business people there because as a business man myself I hate to see anyone doing badly.

As far as it being simply the will to promote it I don't agree. I don't think that the DR is going to go anywhere in tourism unless they fix the corruption and ineptitude in government. People need an even playing field and it certainly isn't that. I for one have a hard time doing business with Payoffs being the norm along with ballbusting if you don't. Not for me.

Regards
Escott

Jazz

The bottom line is that Americans are under the impression that the DR is not a safe place to visit.Americans have been directed to the safe all inclusives at Cancun or hedonism or onto cruise ships by travel agents for decades.Your average sheltered non-spanish speaking American refuses to travel to a "banana republic" like DR where guerillas kidnap you or execute you in the street or the police will throw you in jail and you will never be released or found by your loved ones.This is the impression a lot of people have.When I tell people I go to DR they say.."be careful down there".I am careful everywhere.The only reason why some Americans are going there now is the all inclusives are being pushed a little by the travel agents and when they arrive..they never leave the resort.An American going on vacation wants peace, traquillity,sun and a beach...not the confusion of staying in a hotel in strange town in some country where everyone speaks spanish.This is why despite DR being so reasonable and wonderful to us...it is not frequented by many Americans.That is fine with me because they would only ruin a good thing anyway.
ILoveDR

abe said:

A recent phone conversation with a longtime Sosua business person was very disheartening. The attitude was that the recent "suggestion" that the President of the Republic has taken a new interest in improving the business climate is just more of the old bs.

With the opening of the new resort overlooking the beach, is there anyone in Sosua who feels that a corner has been turned and that the former glory days are within reach once again?

Click to expand...

I have lived in the DR for a long time and have heard more than my share of hype about one glorious project or another, most of which never got off the ground or, if they did, were stopped before completion.

However, in the case of Sosua, I think it is too early to write it all off as hype and bs. The new resort complex is being constructed, part is already open and workers are busy on the rest. Progress is evident. The complex has taken a special interest in the central park and improvement of it is part of the President's plan. It has also taken a major interest in the beach and the approach to it.

With this new resort, we seem to have a force for improvement and promotion that has been lacking, heretofore. And much of the success of this new resort will depend on the success of the improvement/promotion efforts.

It is hard to see what your long time businessman friend and the other businessmen are doing other than complaining about the lack of business. Sosua is looking shabbier than ever, with litter very much in evidence. Walk through the beautiful central park, for example. It could be a delightful place for tourists to pass through. But it is hard to overlook the empty water bottles and styrofoam food containers that are scattered everywhere.

I understand that the new resort complex intends to keep the park clean and beautiful and make it part of the approach to the resort. I hope that their efforts are successful.

No, none of this may come to pass. It won't be the first time I've witnessed this in the DR. But most of the business people that I know in Sosua are not rushing to a negative judgement.

In my opinion, there is nobody doing any grass roots marketing for the DR in the US. For example, nobody is putting a package together, including flight, ground transfers, and hotel, and advertising this in Miami or Atlanta or Chicago, etc. newspapers or radio. It would work because the prices would beat the Bahamas or other destinations. It would help if the government would do a TV advertising campaign, and I believe this in the works via the North Coast Hotel Assocation where local hotels and government have agreed to spend $1M or so on this type of advertising. Hopefully, most of it wont be spent on bribes, kickbacks, and payoffs before it goes into real advertising money. There is definetly potential here and I am sure someone will step up onto the plate.

A few weeks ago in a Local NY newspaper Liberty Travel devoted about 1/8th of the page to Punta Cana and Puerto Plata. Cant speak for Atlanta nor Chicago and Miami.

One million is a drop in the bucket. Not enough to saturate one of any of these cities.

Good way to do it is to maybe put a spiff on DR vaca's the Travel Agents sell. Pay them an extra twenty dollars a head and they will push it harder.

Most of the ads I see in the travel section don't even mnntion the Dominican Republic by name. They'll say something about "Punta Cana "The New Caribbean" Someone mentioned that when they tell their relatives they're going to the DR they tell them to be careful. I got the same comments from people I told I was going. I don't know why, but people think they will either get some dreaded tropical disease or get shot. I think it's more dangerous in the US. You're more likely to get shot here and you might just get West Nile. I've traveled by myself to the DR a few times and have felt safe as anywhere else.

I have been going to Sosua for several years 3-4 times a year staying in smaller hotels & regretfully must say that this recent trip (August) will likely be the last.

I am particularly disgusted by the continuing Gestapo-like operations of the various police forces that indiscriminately arrest any dark-skinned girl found on the streets in Sosua after 9:00 p.m. or so. I understand that the authorities want to keep the prostitutes away but their action has resulted in the opposite, i.e. the ONLY dark skinned girls found in Sosua after dark are aggressive prostitutes who don't care if they are arrested. I do not like to see human beings chased down the street & dragged into wagons where they are held for sexual favours or a 600 pesos salida. The putas have the 600 pesos & they are out the next night harrassing patrons again while the good girls stay in jail for a few days until the police decide to let her go.

Last Christmas, my friend's girlfriend was dragged from a bar where they were simply having a drink & he had to bail her out for 1000 pesos! This 'regular' girl from Santiago was petrified & has never set foot in Sosua again, neither has my friend. On this trip, I met a 'regular' girl in Puerto Plata & when I asked her to come to the beach in Sosua she said that she was afraid to come to Sosua even in the day time because of the Tourist police harrassing her and her friends on a previous outing.

I like to mix & meet 'regular' Dominicans (especially ladies!) just like I do in my own country but it seems that the autorities want to rid Sosua of all that is Dominican & make it an all-inclusive type town. Why not put a Berlin-type wall around the city so that the Germans, Dutch & Canadians aren't bothered by the locals.

I wonder if you locals are aware of this situation with the police. Some all-inclusives won't even let a 'regular' Dominican girl into their premises for a 2-week stay with a registered guest. Isn't that discrimination? and against their own people.

I spoke to a Tourist Police & he told me that Sosua was 'dead' because of the putas but that everybody must pay, i.e. all the girls because they don't always know who is a good girl and who is a bad girl!!!! It seems to me that there are so many things to explain the demise of Sosua, like trash, aggressive touts and scammers, gross overpricing in restaurants, scamming taxis, etc.,

Thanks for letting me vent - I had to get this Gestapo thing off my chest! I have been staying out of Cuba as a means of protesting against human rights abuses but think I will also give the DR a pass for a while. But I will miss that beautiful beach so much!!!

You are Right about the Parks

abe said:

I am glad to hear that the resort is including the park as a prominent feature. As I am sure you all know, parks in Central American cities are truly village centers--they are fun to visit and they can be real cultural showplaces.

Click to expand...

My wife and I spent about a year in Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela, and thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent in the central park. It was well maintained and landscaped and a large number of iguanas lived in the park. Walking into this beautiful park in the middle of a busy city was like finding an oasis in the desert. Many of the benches were always occupied with people reading, chatting or resting. Such a pleasant place. The park in Sosua has great potential; I, too, hope they develop it.

PS: When I walked through the park this morning, two men were just finishing cleaning it. It really looked great!

Pierre747

I could not have said it better. On my last 3
visits I promised myself this is it NEVER AGAIN
and everytime I got to met somebody that made me
give Sosua another try. May the gestapo rott in hell. X

One answer is undercover police. If they had people looking like tourists walking around, they could stop crime and also bust the women that are soliciting. Women that are not soliciting would then be left alone.

One answer is undercover police.

Click to expand...

I don't think the police are overly concerned with the doing the job correctly, conchman. They couldn't care less if they pick up "good" or "bad" girls, as long as someone forks out some $$ for them, anyone is fair game. Pierre's friend's girlfriend was a "good" girl, but they were able to net $1000 RD through her turista bf, so what's the diff?

Very early on, my husband made me promise never to pay any $ to spring him from the clink - once they see you have a gringo or gringa "meal ticket" there will be no end to your trips to the cuartel. Also, if you haven't done anything wrong, what are you paying for? I brought him food and stuff, but I never offered any propinas or anything to get him out.

undercover state police ??

geheime staats polizei (GESTAPO)??


my god, what have those poor girls done?

ruin the profits of some expat businesses?

keep killing the goose that layed the golden egg!

X

I personally have no problems with prostitutes, I was only answering the question as to what can be done about cleaning up Sosua and its reputation for being a 'whore town.'

Just like drugs, prostitution should be legal and regulated - it's gonna happen anyway but only with crime and health problems if illegal.

Oh by the way, there is a big difference between some undercover police getting rid of prostitutes in a town, compared to terrorizing your citizens, throwing innocent people in jail and concentration camps, and torturing them as the GESTAPO did.

Dr ads in Atlanta

The only type ads you see in Atlanta are for the AI's in Punta Cana. The deals are through Vacation express and others who package deals cheap. To get stright to POP AA airlines is about the best choice, but if you can not catch the fare on sale it cost as much as a package deal to Punta Cana, which gives you air fare, food and drinks. Most people in Atlanta are fake, they go to an AI and do not tip a soul, This just chaps my butt. In Atlanta we have fake stucco, stone and now even fake brick houses. A lot of the people are just the same. Glad I am arriving in POP after lunch Thursday!!!!!!!!

conchman

we are in total agreement. Thanks X

sosua has a bad rep from years ago, a wonderful spot that has not been taken advantage of, maybe the new construction will help ut it is doubtful, might become another Boca, but dont tell Hinsch I said that. It will never match PC and what about the big bucks going into Cap Cana. sosua and the North coast is already 25% cheaper than the south and east coast in most travel brochures, will be a big bargain in the future. Hang in their Eddy your place is still tops on the north coast.