The SARS virus and the WAR in the M.E. the poeple heading to safety places as the Caribbean. This is only profiting for the DR but im not happy with SARS for the people and tourism in their country is bad.
- Thread starter Samana1
- Start date
SARS&WAR do increase tourism in Dominican Republic
That's easy Tony C.
'Cause Americans are afraid to leave home just now!!!
The State dept. is recommending they don't travel outside the country for fear of terrorist activity and Iraqi repercussions!
I couldn't even convince my son and daughter-in-law to come down for a visit!!
'Cause Americans are afraid to leave home just now!!!
The State dept. is recommending they don't travel outside the country for fear of terrorist activity and Iraqi repercussions!
I couldn't even convince my son and daughter-in-law to come down for a visit!!
A survey just released yesterday belies your point, Samana 1. The survey just confirms what those of us in the tourism industry in the DR are thinking when we survey our empty hotel rooms and restaurants: that current external world events such as the Iraqi war, poor economies, sars and terrorism are seriously affecting the DR contrary to what our Minister of Tourism glowingly reports as 90% occupancies.
Although this report is related to US travel, with 50% of tourism in the DR now composed of Americans, it DOES affect us. I suspect that reports from many of the world's other nations would be the same. The story from the AP that appears today in many US newspapers is printed below.
Travel survey: war, economy keeps people from traveling overseas
Last updated: Apr 8, 10:41 PM
ORLANDO (AP) -- Nearly a third of people surveyed about travel plans are not interested in going overseas because of the weak economy and the war in Iraq, according to a poll released Tuesday by the Travel Industry Association of America.
The online poll of 1,200 U.S. residents found that 31 percent of those surveyed planned not to travel overseas because of those two factors. The poll, conducted March 20-25 by Greenfield Online, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
It was the first survey on how the war is affecting tourism conducted by the Travel Industry Association, which is planning three additional polls to gauge how travel sentiment changes as the war progresses.
"The trend is traveling shorter distances, being in control by driving one's car," said Betsy O'Rourke, the association's senior vice president of marketing.
Fifteen percent of all travel spending by U.S. residents is on travel outside the United States, said Suzanne Cook, senior vice president for research at TIA. In 2001, U.S. residents spent $67.8 billion on overseas travel, a 13 percent decline from 2000.
The survey showed that the economy more than the war caused travelers to change their vacation plans, whether they were traveling domestically or abroad. A third of those surveyed who had taken a trip in the previous year made changes to their travel plans because of the economy, while less than a quarter did so because of the war, according to the survey.
The survey showed that domestic travel, especially journeys by car, remained strong, although people were waiting to make their plans.
Showing a similar trend, AAA reported Thursday that customized online trip maps had jumped by 4,000 the previous week, indicating that interest in auto travel may be growing since the start of the war in Iraq.
Eighty-one percent of those surveyed by TIA said they planned to travel for vacation during the spring and summer. But about half of those people hadn't made any plans yet.
"They are waiting and waiting and waiting until closer to departure dates before they make their plans," O'Rourke said.
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Although this report is related to US travel, with 50% of tourism in the DR now composed of Americans, it DOES affect us. I suspect that reports from many of the world's other nations would be the same. The story from the AP that appears today in many US newspapers is printed below.
Travel survey: war, economy keeps people from traveling overseas
Last updated: Apr 8, 10:41 PM
ORLANDO (AP) -- Nearly a third of people surveyed about travel plans are not interested in going overseas because of the weak economy and the war in Iraq, according to a poll released Tuesday by the Travel Industry Association of America.
The online poll of 1,200 U.S. residents found that 31 percent of those surveyed planned not to travel overseas because of those two factors. The poll, conducted March 20-25 by Greenfield Online, had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
It was the first survey on how the war is affecting tourism conducted by the Travel Industry Association, which is planning three additional polls to gauge how travel sentiment changes as the war progresses.
"The trend is traveling shorter distances, being in control by driving one's car," said Betsy O'Rourke, the association's senior vice president of marketing.
Fifteen percent of all travel spending by U.S. residents is on travel outside the United States, said Suzanne Cook, senior vice president for research at TIA. In 2001, U.S. residents spent $67.8 billion on overseas travel, a 13 percent decline from 2000.
The survey showed that the economy more than the war caused travelers to change their vacation plans, whether they were traveling domestically or abroad. A third of those surveyed who had taken a trip in the previous year made changes to their travel plans because of the economy, while less than a quarter did so because of the war, according to the survey.
The survey showed that domestic travel, especially journeys by car, remained strong, although people were waiting to make their plans.
Showing a similar trend, AAA reported Thursday that customized online trip maps had jumped by 4,000 the previous week, indicating that interest in auto travel may be growing since the start of the war in Iraq.
Eighty-one percent of those surveyed by TIA said they planned to travel for vacation during the spring and summer. But about half of those people hadn't made any plans yet.
"They are waiting and waiting and waiting until closer to departure dates before they make their plans," O'Rourke said.
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Andy B.
I have to agree with you, where people get the figures and notions that stuff like the war and SARS would increase tourism is beyond my comprehension.
I recently spoke to my tavel agent and he said he might just as well shut the doors, traffic to book trips was down considerably to all destinations.
I have to agree with you, where people get the figures and notions that stuff like the war and SARS would increase tourism is beyond my comprehension.
I recently spoke to my tavel agent and he said he might just as well shut the doors, traffic to book trips was down considerably to all destinations.
Traveling during these uncertain times.
I can see why the Americans would not want to travel do to the fact that they started this war (even though it was warranted) they are afaird of back lashes and still feeling from 9-11. But on the other hand as a Canadian it has not hurt our industry, sure overseas flights might be down but that is only natural, no one in their right mind would go overseas right now. But to the Carribean? I wouldn't give it a second thought. I am going down to the DR on the 19th, and we are all sold out up here I was lucky to get that spot.
I can see why the Americans would not want to travel do to the fact that they started this war (even though it was warranted) they are afaird of back lashes and still feeling from 9-11. But on the other hand as a Canadian it has not hurt our industry, sure overseas flights might be down but that is only natural, no one in their right mind would go overseas right now. But to the Carribean? I wouldn't give it a second thought. I am going down to the DR on the 19th, and we are all sold out up here I was lucky to get that spot.