Nonsense,
Casa Marina/Reef is widely marketed by the biggest tour operators in Canada and Europe.
Of course most of the volume goes to Punta Cana, for obvious reasons.
Airlines choose their routes on seat occupancy/volume and volume also woks for tour operators and travel agents.
Number of PAX booked.
Cobraboy has a niche market and a minuscule percentage of DR tourism.
While true, don't discount my relationships with other tour operators, resort corporations, travel agents, etc.
And don't discount my project which puts me in close contact with the Ministries of Tourism and Culture at the highest levels, AMET, CESTUR and others who are directly involved in or support tourism.
Many try to fit their opinions into a pre-conceived box as opposed to taking facts and basing an opinion on them.
Once again: when travel agents see fit to send clients to Sosua, the tourism drought will end. From my numerous conversations with them, much work will need to be done before that happens. I've had travel agents tell me they'd never even consider a free "fam tour" until that work is done.
It is what it is.
I've been coming to the DR since the late 80's and my first experience was Puerto Plata and Sosua in '88. The area was a different world back then and bears little resemblance to today. It's been dying for nearly a decade and folks in denial wonder why, make excuses and point fingers at everything but the actual reason. There is not one general metric that proves otherwise. But don't feel singled out. Boca Chica is under the same scrutiny, and "the powers" are concerned about the Bavaro/Punta Cana region becoming infected, the proof being some closures & busts there.
The term "planned re-gentrification" is accurate for the area. And I know of NO urban renewal/re-gentrification project anywhere in America where there were not pockets of push-back by locals satisfied with the status quo. Who remembers the Times Square clean up? Ybor City in Tampa? Little Havana in Miami? Old Town in Orlando? Virginia Highlands in Atlanta? Each and every one had massive objections, huge push-back, many alterations in planning and concept, took years to accomplish. While not directly apples & oranges, the scope is accurate: angst and pain come before renewal.
I don't understand why folks object to a master plan for the area creating a tide that raises all boats and boosts revenue flowing into the region. My advice: free up cash, keep your eyes open, and pounce on property when the bottom falls out.
But one fact is set in concrete: the area WILL change. To mix metaphors, one can howl into the night wind in protest, get with the program...or simple leave for greener, more fitting, pastures.
