Do you know what the ironic thing is, NALs? that for all their anti-american ranting and posturing, for the cuban regime, apparently, the US ARE the world, cuz' they can't cease to blame the US embargo for their economic shortcomings, even though there's nothing preventing them from trading with the rest of the 180-odd countries that comprise the rest of the world.
- Thread starter edm7583
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Mrs Clintons Bombshell. Cuba opening up to US!
Do you know what the ironic thing is, NALs? that for all their anti-american ranting and posturing, for the cuban regime, apparently, the US ARE the world, cuz' they can't cease to blame the US embargo for their economic shortcomings, even though there's nothing preventing them from trading with the rest of the 180-odd countries that comprise the rest of the world.
That's politics and beyond the scope of this thread.
I'll say this, the average Cuban has a different opinion of the U.S. than the one the Cuban government likes to present. Heck, the Cuban government itself has a different opinion of the U.S. than the one they publicly pretend to show.
But, that's another topic for another forum.
-NALs
"The problem is that some people think Americans and the U.S. are the world and some think that the DR eats because of them; which explains why some are having a problem accepting that the DR economy is not in a crisis despite what is occuring in "the savior of all saviors.".
I don't recall anyone saying the US was savior of anything, but I do think it's fair to say that US dollars have benefited the DR considerably.
The remittances from the US alone account for @10% of the DR's GDP, at around 2 billion US dollars annually.
Tourists from the US make up 27.5% of the total number of tourists visiting the DR, and spend much more money within the DR than any other nationality, by far.
Add to that number the aid given to the DR in various forms, and you will begin to get a realistic picture of how much the US impacts the economy of the DR.
If some people want to belittle or negate that contribution, they are certainly free to do so, but some people should at least realize that those kind of numbers could not be easily replaced by other sources.
I don't recall anyone saying the US was savior of anything, but I do think it's fair to say that US dollars have benefited the DR considerably.
The remittances from the US alone account for @10% of the DR's GDP, at around 2 billion US dollars annually.
Tourists from the US make up 27.5% of the total number of tourists visiting the DR, and spend much more money within the DR than any other nationality, by far.
Add to that number the aid given to the DR in various forms, and you will begin to get a realistic picture of how much the US impacts the economy of the DR.
If some people want to belittle or negate that contribution, they are certainly free to do so, but some people should at least realize that those kind of numbers could not be easily replaced by other sources.
Well... Let's see... I'd been to Cuba (the one between FL and Jamaica) about 147 times (the lesser number I can honestly recall), and KNOW the real situation that regular visitors (namely those that visit the tourist's attractions, etc...) will never have a look with their own eyes...
Cuba's nice streets are so b/c there's a faint number of actual working vehicles in the country; asphalt gets pounded by bicycles more than cars would dream of ever doing there...
The water systems underground burst on a timely schedule, mostly due to the age it has and lack of upgrades to meet the above ground demand, which tripled by square meter since a whole bunch of people moved from the rural towns and campos to the big cities, then populated as it was meant to be by the original structures.
Electrical system is holding up by a string, any more demand and it fizzles like a fish out of water...
The garbage is a non issue, since everything gets a second, third and so forth life span cycle there. If only a once filled Coke bottle could talk, it would tell epics... Even that which may be known to be non-recyclable in the developed world, finds a way into the scheme of the re-usable.
Havana dumps more sewage into local rivers and the sea than 100 Sosuas put together ever could! That's a recorded fact!
The face of Cuba you don't know is like the uncle that molested the kids next door, but got hushed within the family and sent to live elsewhere, but those that know, know!
Time stopped in Cuba, literally and in reality as well...
If you think that Cuba is the answer to the US tourist, you have another thing coming! The vast majority, that's people within our age level in Cuba, lived Batista's democracy with the blessings of the US administration then serving. They haven't forgotten anything and everything is still there... Even families ripped apart as the revolution reached the zenith, are still not talking to each other in both sides of the waters. Some in Miami others in Cuba...
Americans are the only people that don't visit Cuba openly and without restrictions as the rest of the world does. If you think that b/c the Embargo is tore down and the restrictions lifted, US tourists will elevate Cuba's tourism to new heights you're mistaken!
Cuba lacks modern infrastructure to the level of spike US tourists will visit the island first hand. The result will be a lot of quick profiteers making a quick buck by swindling tourists into mom and pop's home based B&B...
If you have ever been to a medium Cuban home, the basics are quite noticeable and ever present there. Even the paint seems to have taken a vacation into the deepest pores of the bare walls...
Water service within the cities is much like the lottery, everybody wants it, but few ever get to see the jackpot.
First of all, NO US CITIZEN visiting the island is allowed to roam freely into the rural areas without a tail. The city's housing for the median family there is out of bounds territory. Pretty much you could walk anywhere deemed "safe" for you to be at.
You have no idea of what lurks underneath that entire facade the Cuban gov portraits to US and other visitors in the island. The real Cuba is open to us Dominicans and most Latinos... We know their suffering and needs, b/c we too have our own problems at home that tourists will seldom if ever get to see and experience at all.
When I travel to Cuba to visit friends, I make it a point of making everything I take with me there a disposable item to me. Something I can part with without much problem, as the needs there are much greater than those at home.
Spare me the talk! I KNOW THE REAL CUBA! QUESTION IS: DO YOU?!?
Absolutely. The US has one of (if not the) largest concentrations of individuals wealthy enough to travel to the caribbean in the world. It also is extremely close to that region of the world, unlike our European and Canadian friends, making it a long weekend-type destination (and thus easily repeatable throughout the year.)
Full on American tourism in Cuba will have a significant impact on DR tourism. Sorry, Robert, but American tourism is, from a strictly economic perspective, much more significant than you and some others would like to attribute to it.
Compare the tourist trade in the last 10 years (with American participation) to the time prior (mostly euros on cheap caribbean junkets). It truly is night and day, as far as the contributions to the local economy are concerned.
DR isn't an 8-10 hour trip for us. We don't stay holed up in budget AIs. We eat drink and play at premium prices outside the resort. We tip and overpay. A lot. And due to our proximity, we can do all that a couple times a year.
Now, cut the travel time, triple the size of the country, add the "newness factor," make the USD go further, forget the incorrect rants that the roads are falling apart and their about to demolish the nacional hotel :tired: and allow American investment in tourism (which Cuba has welcomed from other foreign countries). What you get is a third-world country that is highly competitive with the other caribbean nations - which are also, by the way, all third-world countries.)
Does it mean DR tourism is over? Not by a long shot, of course. Does it mean DR, along with every other caribbean island will have to step up their game? Absolutely. And, frankly, everybody stands to benefit from the improvements that will have to be made to remain competitive.
Here is a perfect example of the DR's unwillingness and/or inability to exploit what they have to benefit their tourism sector(apologies for the bad photo, but it's all I have)-
Salto De Jimenoa-a beautiful waterfall that must be traversed by a couple of raggedy wooden bridges that I am certain will collapse one day. They just felt dangerous to cross-the pathway had missing steps and it swayed back and forth like it was about to disintegrate.
When you get to the end there is a pathetic excuse for a snack bar covered by a wooden shack that wasn't even open even though it was a Saturday and the traffic was brisk.
Then as we were going back, a police officer was arguing with a lady because he was demanding she pay the parking fee even though there was no one there collecting any fees when we arrived.
What will it take for something like this to improve? Loss of tourism revenue, that's what.
Nothing else will even register.
What does the DR need to do to combat this? Improve on what they already have with better facilities and make the natural resources of the country more accessible.
Why not be preemptive instead of reactionary? Or will the DR content itself by ruining the beaches they have left by building more and larger AI's all over the place?
Salto De Jimenoa-a beautiful waterfall that must be traversed by a couple of raggedy wooden bridges that I am certain will collapse one day. They just felt dangerous to cross-the pathway had missing steps and it swayed back and forth like it was about to disintegrate.
When you get to the end there is a pathetic excuse for a snack bar covered by a wooden shack that wasn't even open even though it was a Saturday and the traffic was brisk.
Then as we were going back, a police officer was arguing with a lady because he was demanding she pay the parking fee even though there was no one there collecting any fees when we arrived.
What will it take for something like this to improve? Loss of tourism revenue, that's what.
Nothing else will even register.
What does the DR need to do to combat this? Improve on what they already have with better facilities and make the natural resources of the country more accessible.
Why not be preemptive instead of reactionary? Or will the DR content itself by ruining the beaches they have left by building more and larger AI's all over the place?
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Interesting.Here is a perfect example of the DR's unwillingness and/or inability to exploit what they have to benefit their tourism sector(apologies for the bad photo, but it's all I have)-
Salto De Jimenoa-a beautiful waterfall that must be traversed by a couple of raggedy wooden bridges that I am certain will collapse one day. They just felt dangerous to cross-the pathway had missing steps and it swayed back and forth like it was about to disintegrate.
When you get to the end there is a pathetic excuse for a snack bar covered by a wooden shack that wasn't even open even though it was a Saturday and the traffic was brisk.
Then as we were going back, a police officer was arguing with a lady because he was demanding she pay the parking fee even though there was no one there collecting any fees when we arrived.
What will it take for something like this to improve? Loss of tourism revenue, that's what.
Nothing else will even register.
What does the DR need to do to combat this? Improve on what they already have with better facilities and make the natural resources of the country more accessible.
Why not be preemptive instead of reactionary? Or will the DR content itself by ruining the beaches they have left by building more and larger AI's all over the place?
I find Salto Jimenoa charming.
Obviously, opinions vary...
I never said I didn't enjoy it-but if they fix the small problems I mentioned it will be to the benefit of DR tourism.
I agree 100%!
I lived in Cuba for over 3 months and travelled the entire island. Out of the over 40 countries I have travelled to Cuba is one of my favourites, and the one I get the most quetsions about from people all over the world. I love the Cuban people.
For the traveller looking for a unique and different travel experince in the Caribbean Cuba is it, and one of the new trends in tourism is just that culture and the arts. For many, another beach and waterfall gets boring after awhile, many want variety.
Cuba is set up for independent backpackers to travel easily and very safely, the DR is not. One of the main reasons why people like resorts is for safety and ease. I would travel around on the VIAZUL bus (very similar to Caribe Tours), get off at my destination and there would be a bunch of casa particulars or bed and breakfast owners you could choose from. The accomodations were very nice, not crumbling, and clean and excellent service. The option of living with the locals and not in some hotel with non locals, is a big plus and draw.
The art scene is fabulous! I am sorry the DR just cant even come close to competing. Some of the best artists in the world in my opinion, painters, musicians,singers and dancer, etc.. The govt has always supported and encouraged the arts, and it is varied with African and European influences and everything in between. You can go from the ballet to the opera to salsa to a santeria ritual dance performance. As my Cuban friend said art is all we have so thats why there are so many great artists here.
There was ALWAYS a great live band or singer playing in some square, bar, restaurant, alley way, streey, in someones house you name it...great music, great dancers, etc is a big part of the culture and the arts was everywhere and it is beautiful.
Any of you Cuba travelers get to tour a political prison while you were there?
Might There Be Two Cubas?
Some of this is harsh. Be warned: YouTube - Tourism in Cuba
Might There Be Two Cubas?
Some of this is harsh. Be warned: YouTube - Tourism in Cuba
I've heard the very same thing from everyone I know who's visited Cuba. And one of my main regrets in life is not going there when I had the perfect chance to do so as a student in 2001. Now it's much harder for a U.S. citizen to go there.
Seriously, I love the DR and it's culture. But I can't wait for the inevitable demise of the embargo and will be among the millions of Americans who will flock to Cuba as a result.
Vince.
"Any of you Cuba travelers get to tour a political prison while you were there?"
Which one, Guantanamo?
Which one, Guantanamo?
The one on Cuban soil.
I thought Gitmo was for terrorists (at least the POTUS Elect said so), not political prisoners.
Ironically, one of the most infamous detainment facilities on the Island is actually controlled by the U.S. military. So infamous, in fact, that I doubt that I have to tell you it's name.
Do you honestly think we have the right to judge?:ermm:
Vince.
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Guest
"The Ownage of Cobraboy"
(Now on display at your nearest internet connection. Rated A for accuracy)
(Now on display at your nearest internet connection. Rated A for accuracy)
I'm sure Castro, and many other dictators, define their political prisoners as terrorists as well. I am equally sure there are some real terrorists in Castro's political prisons, as there are in Gitmo.
Most countries lock up political criminals when they cross a certain line. Where the line is drawn, and who draws it, determines who is be classified an innocent victim and who is a terrorist.
Most countries lock up political criminals when they cross a certain line. Where the line is drawn, and who draws it, determines who is be classified an innocent victim and who is a terrorist.
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Guest
Eight years after POTUS Select said so.
(Not necessarily an "inside" SCOTUS fact - we all know about it)