AI are great... for some people. It?s a concept and it?s not about getting to know the DR really. It??s about offering beautiful, stressless beach vacations at a fixed price. The tourist does not have to bother about language or cultures and any dangers. They go there because they want to relax, swimm a little, maybe got some fitness or indulge in food or booze. They pick the place by pictures of palm trees bowing over pearly sand beaches and turqouise cristaline sea water. If it were in Switzerland they would go there... the place and it?s culture is not of interest... still, some may turn curiouse or bored and tempeted to investigate. So, the buy into a tour or what else. I think that some caution with that kind of tourist is not misplaced.
STILL, I spent 10 day at a place like this to start my investigation on the DR and I was digusted to whitness the daily "orientation" to the new guys by the representans of the tour operators. There were notably two American ladies that would put a lot of effort of warning anybody off any intent to leave the place without professional help. Do not get into one of these buses! They are dirty and you don?t know what kind of poeple may get on! Don?t take Taxis that don?t have the hotel label. Don?t eat out, you will get sick! Dangerouse people... don?t get into discussions!... and so forth, and so forth.
I found that way over doing it, specially in the presence of Dominican personel working together with them or around the meeting. Later I found out the two ladies had Dominican boy friends too.
Sure, it?s a different country and careless tourists waving money and valuables in a hood they don?t know may attract problems... but that?s the same in NYC, MIA, MAD and even ZRH.
But these people are operating in the DR, making a living there and certainly too adding to the economy. They should still treat the country and it?s hospitality oriented people with respect by not painting a wrong immage.
Just my opinion... J-D.