Tourism collapses 87% in August

[Africaida]

Interestingly, here in Las Terrenas, Domestic tourism is booming and a influx of long term Americans and Canadians moving and working from home. It is nearly impossible to find a villa here, they are either reserved for short term rentals or ridiculous prices for long term (prices have nearly double). A 1,500 a month villa now would have been rented for barely a 1000 pre-covid

In the other hand, many businesses are not doing so well as they only fill during the week end (if they do).

 

[playacaribe2]

Interestingly, here in Las Terrenas, Domestic tourism is booming and a influx of long term Americans and Canadians moving and working from home. It is nearly impossible to find a villa here, they are either reserved for short term rentals or ridiculous prices for long term (prices have nearly double). A 1,500 a month villa now would have been rented for barely a 1000 pre-covid

In the other hand, many businesses are not doing so well as they only fill during the week end (if they do).

Must be pretty much local..............as the arrivals to El Catey for November were 56. Maybe some from Puerto Plata.................but even PP only 7,581 arrivals for November.

Perhaps those rentals, as you suggest, maybe longer term.......because the transient (7-14 day) international tourist market is just not happening right now.

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[Africaida]

Must be pretty much local..............as the arrivals to El Catey for November were 56. Maybe some from Puerto Plata.................but even PP only 7,581 arrivals for November.

Perhaps those rentals, as you suggest, maybe longer term.......because the transient (7-14 day) international tourist market is just not happening right now.

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

No, the short term rentals are reserved for Dominicans from SD and STI who fill the town every weekend. Most owners/agency prefer to rent short terms as they make more money.

The number of Canadians and Americans moving here are nowhere near the transient tourist numbers (very fews this year) of course, but they are a lot more than past years. I have met a couple of Americans who moved here sight unseen from fb and YouTube. Canadians come as far as Punta Cana because of the scarcity of flights, they here for 6 months or more, so they don't mind the trek.

LT is quite small so one notices right away. I am not saying the town is booming but it is not doing as bad as the numbers would lead you to think (at least in certain segments). Again, LT is a drop in the international tourism of the DR.

 

[william webster]

Getting out of SD and STI is what they want....

LT has always been a weekend getaway for SD people.... as I remember
More so now perhaps

AZS has so few flights..... 2 Cdn ones normally.... zero now

My UK daughter is coming into PUJ.... for lack of easy flights and restricted US entry

 

[playacaribe2]

No, the short term rentals are reserved for Dominicans from SD and STI who fill the town every weekend. Most owners/agency prefer to rent short terms as they make more money.

The number of Canadians and Americans moving here are nowhere near the transient tourist numbers (very fews this year) of course, but they are a lot more than past years. I have met a couple of Americans who moved here sight unseen from fb and YouTube. Canadians come as far as Punta Cana because of the scarcity of flights, they here for 6 months or more, so they don't mind the trek.

LT is quite small so one notices right away. I am not saying the town is booming but it is not doing as bad as the numbers would lead you to think (at least in certain segments). Again, LT is a drop in the international tourism of the DR.

The local market has been fairly strong with the promotions by the hotels and in conjunction with the tourist association.

But that alone is insufficient to sustain the tourism market that the DR needs and relies on.

Las Terrenas may be able to exist/maintain, but not thrive.

On the other hand, Punta Cana overall, the tourism engine of the DR, is suffering mightily.

No end in sight likely until at least next November. The government is doing what they can, but much of this is beyond their control.

According to family, lots more Dominicans are suffering this year.

Normally, I arrive and make the regular yearly in person donation rounds to the orphanage in Santiago and the poor in the campo near Moca. Unfortunately, for the moment, that is being put on hold and I need to enlist family to carry out the tradition..............but the need is far greater this year than ever.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[Africaida]

The local market has been fairly strong with the promotions by the hotels and in conjunction with the tourist association.

But that alone is insufficient to sustain the tourism market that the DR needs and relies on.

Las Terrenas may be able to exist/maintain, but not thrive.

On the other hand, Punta Cana overall, the tourism engine of the DR, is suffering mightily.

No end in sight likely until at least next November. The government is doing what they can, but much of this is beyond their control.

According to family, lots more Dominicans are suffering this year.

Normally, I arrive and make the regular yearly in person donation rounds to the orphanage in Santiago and the poor in the campo near Moca. Unfortunately, for the moment, that is being put on hold and I need to enlist family to carry out the tradition..............but the need is far greater this year than ever.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

I agree with all your point.

LT is able to survive, but definitely not thriving. I know a couple of long time expats who are even considering moving away from the country or the area (especially the ones NOT involved in Real Estate) as domestic tourism inflated rental prices.

If I weren't because I know the owner the house I am renting, I don't think I would still be here, there are no more decent houses in my price range (I refuse to pay 1 500 a month for a unmaintained house sorry). Also, some residents have had recurring issues with short term rentals being a discoteque every single weekend. Burglaries seem to be up (although it s being kept silent on social media as not to lure away foreigners).

Interesting times.

 

[Lobo Tropical]

The local market has been fairly strong with the promotions by the hotels and in conjunction with the tourist association.

But that alone is insufficient to sustain the tourism market that the DR needs and relies on.

Las Terrenas may be able to exist/maintain, but not thrive.

On the other hand, Punta Cana overall, the tourism engine of the DR, is suffering mightily.

No end in sight likely until at least next November. The government is doing what they can, but much of this is beyond their control.

According to family, lots more Dominicans are suffering this year.

Normally, I arrive and make the regular yearly in person donation rounds to the orphanage in Santiago and the poor in the campo near Moca. Unfortunately, for the moment, that is being put on hold and I need to enlist family to carry out the tradition..............but the need is far greater this year than ever.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

I was forced for family reasons to fly to Punta Cana in November and stay at an AI for a week.
I stayed at the Royalton Bavaro great hotel and service.
I would estimate occupancy at 20-30%
On the weekend more because of Dominican guests.
I also visited the RIU Palace P.C. very empty.
The beach was empty compared to normal times, a rare luxury.

The few Canadian flights available to PUJ only from YYZ and YUL are being used as ferry flight for Dominicans who need to return home.
There are also some Canadian AI tourists, but the 2 week quarantine reduces this largely.

PUJ was busy though.
Flights predominantly from the US, Latin America, 2 Canadian and one Swiss flight from Zurich.

So far CAN and EU flights are far from normal.
2021 will see severely reduced tourism in the DR.
Hopefully by 2024-25 some semblance of normalcy will return.
Of course flights to POP will have to be reinitiated.

 

[USA DOC]

.. I wonder what the owners of the Hotels in Punta Cana are thinking?... and how long some of them can hang on. on another note as I am doing alot of walking these days I am going thru la zurza 11.. am amazed at the amount of large expensive almost new homes that are for sale or empty or both. was walking by one 2 days ago when the realitor who was listing it offered me a tour, so I took a look. was over 10k square feet . 2 level. large pool. fully furnished..make a offer and you will probably own it..As the owner has already gone to Yonkers N.Y.C......YONKERS?.. wtf.........

 

[william webster]

Pretty deep pockets in PC.... really deep...

but it still must be painful

 

[playacaribe2]

.. I wonder what the owners of the Hotels in Punta Cana are thinking?... and how long some of them can hang on. on another note as I am doing alot of walking these days I am going thru la zurza 11.. am amazed at the amount of large expensive almost new homes that are for sale or empty or both. was walking by one 2 days ago when the realitor who was listing it offered me a tour, so I took a look. was over 10k square feet . 2 level. large pool. fully furnished..make a offer and you will probably own it..As the owner has already gone to Yonkers N.Y.C......YONKERS?.. wtf.........

Some like the TUI Group that owns a 49% stake in RIU hotels are seeking bailouts. In TUI's case..............it is a third bailout for this hotel and airline travel company.

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[reilleyp]

The local market has been fairly strong with the promotions by the hotels and in conjunction with the tourist association.

But that alone is insufficient to sustain the tourism market that the DR needs and relies on.

Las Terrenas may be able to exist/maintain, but not thrive.

On the other hand, Punta Cana overall, the tourism engine of the DR, is suffering mightily.

No end in sight likely until at least next November. The government is doing what they can, but much of this is beyond their control.

According to family, lots more Dominicans are suffering this year.

Normally, I arrive and make the regular yearly in person donation rounds to the orphanage in Santiago and the poor in the campo near Moca. Unfortunately, for the moment, that is being put on hold and I need to enlist family to carry out the tradition..............but the need is far greater this year than ever.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

Nice of you to help. What is the best thing to donate? Cash? Can you give more info on the orphanages? Like name and location?

 

[reilleyp]

.. I wonder what the owners of the Hotels in Punta Cana are thinking?... and how long some of them can hang on. on another note as I am doing alot of walking these days I am going thru la zurza 11.. am amazed at the amount of large expensive almost new homes that are for sale or empty or both. was walking by one 2 days ago when the realitor who was listing it offered me a tour, so I took a look. was over 10k square feet . 2 level. large pool. fully furnished..make a offer and you will probably own it..As the owner has already gone to Yonkers N.Y.C......YONKERS?.. wtf.........

Price range?

 

[playacaribe2]

Nice of you to help. What is the best thing to donate? Cash? Can you give more info on the orphanages? Like name and location?

You can donate cash............but I prefer and suggest to donate the actual goods themselves.......i.e. food, towels, toilet paper any everyday essentials. Individually this year I also sent school backpacks. You can actually see where things go. One of my prior donations to an orphanage involved new bunk beds sourced from PriceSmart and then three years later..........new mattresses for those bunk beds.

One of my favorite orphanages (yes I donate to several) is Hogar Infantil Visitacion de Jesus in Santiago. It is a smaller orphanage (usually 10-15 children and that is a good thing) that handles abused/abandoned kids. Run by Rosa Nunez, who is singularly laser focused on those children, it is pretty much self funded by small groups and individuals.

I believe they may also be on Facebook.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[USA DOC]

Price range?

..the lady who is probably in Yonkers now...was asking about $300K USD.,,fully furnished...but as the realitor said make a offer and you are the new owner..About $75k to $100k usd should work........

 

[playacaribe2]

And the numbers for December are just out..........and they are also ugly.

Using stats from PUJ, there were slightly under 100,000 tourist arrivals for December 2020.

For that same period in 2019, pre-pandemic, there were 300,000 tourist arrivals.

PUJ consistently hits 300,000 tourist arrivals for their high season December-February;

Sector turismo

Banco Central RD Nuestro objetivo principal es mantener la estabilidad de precios, por mandato constitucional y la Ley Monetaria y Financiera No.183-02 #BCRD

www.bancentral.gov.do

And the new travel restrictions forthcoming from the US in January do not bode well for the short term future of tourism in the DR.



Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[playacaribe2]

And the January numbers for PUJ are getting worse not better.

January and February are the two peak tourist months in the DR.

January 2020 there were 301K arrivals at PUJ

January 2021 there were 80K;

Sector turismo

Banco Central RD Nuestro objetivo principal es mantener la estabilidad de precios, por mandato constitucional y la Ley Monetaria y Financiera No.183-02 #BCRD

www.bancentral.gov.do

And that 80K number was down, when it should have been up versus December 2020.

Add in the new travel requirements for US travelers, the ban for flights coming from Canada, another economically challenging year is in store for the DR.

On a positive note, Marriott will be re-branding a number of hotels (19 throughout the Caribbean) in the DR.......Royalton being one of those brands that will now operate as a Marriott property. (Good news for those who belong to Marriott rewards or who hold a Marriott branded credit card.)

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[AlaPlaya]

And the January numbers for PUJ are getting worse not better.

January and February are the two peak tourist months in the DR.

January 2020 there were 301K arrivals at PUJ

January 2021 there were 80K;

Sector turismo

Banco Central RD Nuestro objetivo principal es mantener la estabilidad de precios, por mandato constitucional y la Ley Monetaria y Financiera No.183-02 #BCRD

www.bancentral.gov.do

And that 80K number was down, when it should have been up versus December 2020.

Add in the new travel requirements for US travelers, the ban for flights coming from Canada, another economically challenging year is in store for the DR.

On a positive note, Marriott will be re-branding a number of hotels (19 throughout the Caribbean) in the DR.......Royalton being one of those brands that will now operate as a Marriott property. (Good news for those who belong to Marriott rewards or who hold a Marriott branded credit card.)

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

PUJ was like I ghost town when I flew in last month. Significantly less than when I flew in September 2020. But hotels seemed to have more people in January 2021 when compared with September 2020.

 

[SKY]

PUJ closed Terminal B. Now only operating out of the old Terminal A.

 

[playacaribe2]

PUJ was like I ghost town when I flew in last month. Significantly less than when I flew in September 2020. But hotels seemed to have more people in January 2021 when compared with September 2020.

The numbers trended up after the shutdown (they had no where to go but up). Any significant revival of tourism in the DR is still a long way off. My original thoughts had been a solid upturn beginning in November 2021, but with the recent actions by the US and Canada regarding travel, I see that possibility..........becoming less and less..........possible.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[william webster]

And globally, the airline industry is nowhere near capacity..... 50% or less

Airplanes are mothballed around the world

Tourism is suffering - yes
Travel is suffering too.....all types of travel

Appears the vaccine will be a help.... we'll see