Visitor Fee And Discrimination

AmericanSentiment said:

I just wanted to post as to why do visitors to the Dominican Republic have to pay more for things than non Dominicans?

Click to expand...

Aren't visitors and non Dominicans the same thing or do you mean expats?

Visitors paying more than locals was discussed recently.
http://www.dr1.com/forums/north-coast/72230-foreigners-rates.html

Care to tell us about your experiences?

I felt the same way on my first trip to the DR. Each subsequent experience has been better and better. There will always be people who will totally take advantage of you. You just have to learn to be more assertive, learn what the fair price of things and services are, and insist that you pay that and no more. Some tips:

1)Motoconchos do not cost 200 pesos. They will charge as much as they think they can get away with. Learn what the going rate is and just hand them the 20 pesos or so when you get off and confidently walk away. If you show any uncertainty, they will take advantage of it.
2) If you don't now that much Spanish, a good phrase to learn for Customs (in my experience) is "no te dare ni un centavo."
3)whatever a beach vendor quotes you, offer half (or less) Don't be afraid to negotiate.
4) Don't be bashful when they deliberately take a long time to bring you your change back after paying your bill at a restaurant. This is nothing but a ploy. I waited 15minutes at a certain restaurant on the strip in Sosua for the girl to bring me the change for my 1000 peso note. (It was a 450 peso bill) She just seemed to be wandering around the restraurant ignoring me and chit chatting. Finally I get up and head back towards the kitchen and ask for mi cambio. All of a sudden she acts like she "forgot" about the 550 pesos just sitting on a little tray behind the bar and quickly gives it back to me. Don'tbe shy!
5)Always ask the price of everything beforehand!!!

Without getting into the 'local rates' for visitors versus Dominicans, two examples unfairness in this realm that I can think of are the Teleferico cable car in Puerta Plata, and Ocean World in POP. One thing is a motoconcho getting what he can, but to me, a government cable car charging separate rates is plain discrimination, And Oceanworld clearly states to very different prices for foreigners and Dominicans. On these I agree with AMericanSentiment wholeheartedly. Anyone from the Oceanworld office care to clarify this? Actually, AI's do the same. Once, travelling with my girlfriend, we used her cedula to book our rooms to receive a substantial discount. If a non-US person came up against the same discrimination inside the US I'd guess there would be marches, lawsuits and who-knows-what.

While I am not disputing the experiences had by the above posters, and I guess having been lucky in this regard, this "problem" is not endemic to the DR. Anyone who has travelled to many other foreign lands may have experieced the same. ( I have in Asia previously).

fightfish, what do you mean by "unfairness in this realm that I can think of are the Teleferico cable car in Puerta Plata". I'm a gringo and my brother went on the cable car for 200 peso's each. Is there a different charge for Dominican's? thanks

Phil&Gerry said:

fightfish, what do you mean by "unfairness in this realm that I can think of are the Teleferico cable car in Puerta Plata". I'm a gringo and my brother went on the cable car for 200 peso's each. Is there a different charge for Dominican's? thanks

Click to expand...

This is in fact correct as far as the Telefercio goes. The posted rates state the difference quite clearly. ( I was there recently). I was with Dominicans whi just said that I live there, the lady enquired how long I had lived there and then did proceed to give me the local rate. I dont remember the price as I didnt pay but if I recall (memory isnt the best lol), the tourist rate is USD$10 and the local rate 100-150 peso range?? ( I stand to be corrected). There is a discrepancy but like it was pinted out on a recently discussed thread of this nature, arent tourists in a position to pay more?

I am not justifying it nor criticizing it, there are many different opinions.

This is true everywhere you go- visit Niagara Falls sometime. Anywhere where tourists go on a regular basis. Here in Canada the rates are the same for everyone, but they go up during tourist season. Try buying/doing anything at Whistler Ski Resort in British Columbia - bring a small bank with you. If you think it's too expensive don't do it, just don't whine about it. My son had to a large fee to from the international terminal in Beijing China to the Domestic- internal transfer - $100 US.

I found that at some museums, at the zoo and the aquarium there is a Dominican price and a tourist price. I chalked it up to we can afford it more than they can. So, as a tourist we are supplementing it. Should we be? I don't know. Probably not. But if we didn't it wouldn't exist.

They do it at Disney. If you are a Florida resident you get a discount so....

I enjoyed myself. If I can pay for a little Dominican kid to see a zebra at the zoo .... I'm happy to do it.

As Malibook correctly pointed out, this topic has been discussed in http://www.dr1.com/forums/north-coast/72230-foreigners-rates.html
This OP is trying to put a racist twist on this topic, just as the OP in the above thread did.
So there are 3 choices here.
1) Continue this thread and stay away from racial issues. (Strictly prohibited on DR1, and for good reason)
2) Continue the discussion in the above posted thread.
3) Drop it completely.

I went back and re read his post. I missed the race line. Would've never occurred to me that it could possible construed as racist. To me it's all about poverty.

planner said:

It is pretty common practice to offer a price for "locals". the reality is few locals could ever afford to do something like this without local pricing.

Put is in perspective of how much foreigners earn vs locals and maybe you will understand the logic.

Click to expand...

Here is your answer

2LeftFeet said:

I went back and re read his post. I missed the race line. Would've never occurred to me that it could possible construed as racist. To me it's all about poverty.

Click to expand...

When a first time poster starts a thread as his first post and the subject borders on racial issues, you can pretty much bet that you're dealing with a troll.
As for the discussion continuing along lines of poverty or any other reasons, apart from race/creed/nationality, etc, there is absolutely no problem and it is a topic of interest to all, I presume.

I have asked this question before, but I dont remember if it was answered. Is there a law against this multi level pricing? But how is it different than "ladies night" or "senior day?"

Luperon said:

I have asked this question before, but I dont remember if it was answered. Is there a law against this multi level pricing? But how is it different than "ladies night" or "senior day?"

Click to expand...

There certainly is no law.
It is based on the fundamental principle of Capitalism, "selling a product at a price that the market will bear".

No, Rocky what I'm saying is.... I can't imagine someone thinking that they are being overcharged because they are are a different color!??? I would have never thought that it WAS or could be a racial issue. I think that it's an odd way of viewing it.

I always thought that I was being overcharged because they knew that I had more money because I was a foreigner.

2LeftFeet said:

No, Rocky what I'm saying is.... I can't imagine someone thinking that they are being overcharged because they are are a different color!??? I would have never thought that it WAS or could be a racial issue. I think that it's an odd way of viewing it.

I always thought that I was being overcharged because they knew that I had more money because I was a foreigner.

Click to expand...

You are correct on both counts and it supports the theory that the OP is trolling.

Trying to post this for the third time AArrggghhh.....

Keeps getting lost in cyberspace!!

Keep in mind that if you are white/yellow/green/blue it is automatically assumed you are NOT Dominican, so you WILL be charged 'tourist' rates!

Ever been to Europe???

In Rome my husband and I were quoted US$400 for a hotel room ......until....PapaTony spoke to the clerk in a very good Roman dialect and told him he was crazy (exact words were: "Are you crazy? Do we look like tourists!).

After a bit of negotiation we eventually paid US$120. for a five star hotel room!

I could give a thousand examples including the cost of a bouquet of flowers from a florist shop (not a street vendor) in Buenos Aires!!

ALL the world LOVES a tourist!!

MommC said:

Keeps getting lost in cyberspace!!

Keep in mind that if you are white/yellow/green/blue it is automatically assumed you are NOT Dominican, so you WILL be charged 'tourist' rates!

Ever been to Europe???

In Rome my husband and I were quoted US$400 for a hotel room ......until....PapaTony spoke to the clerk in a very good Roman dialect and told him he was crazy (exact words were: "Are you crazy? Do we look like tourists!).

After a bit of negotiation we eventually paid US$120. for a five star hotel room!

I could give a thousand examples including the cost of a bouquet of flowers from a florist shop (not a street vendor) in Buenos Aires!!

ALL the world LOVES a tourist!!

Click to expand...

Very well put!

fightfish said:

And Oceanworld clearly states to very different prices for foreigners and Dominicans. On these I agree with AMericanSentiment wholeheartedly. Anyone from the Oceanworld office care to clarify this?

Click to expand...

Disney in Florida charges special rates for Florida residents. There is no discrimination, they simply give a break for people that live close by and visit more frequently.