Ministry of Tourism seeks to hire new company for tourism promotion; budget of US$75 million

[Dolores]

Tourism has been rebounding in leaps and bounds. The Ministry of Tourism says it is preparing to hire a new promotion company after 16 years with BVK of the United States handling the US, Canada, South America, and Made in Spain handling Europe. The Ministry says US$75 million is budgeted for promotion and improving the positioning of Dominican destinations abroad.

In an interview for El Caribe and CDN media group, Collado said the Ministry has had savings of RD$2 billion in the promotion area since the start of the new government in August 2020.

He explained: “We found no deficit, but we did focus on renegotiating contracts…. We sat down with the agencies that had been promoting the country for years. We negotiated the contracts; we made reductions of 50%.”

He said an observatory of good practices is in the works. Backing the effort is the rector of Instituto Tecnológico de...

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[windeguy]

Perhaps they can finally come up with a good "logo".

 

[MiamiDRGuy]

More BS. DR is so damn desperate for tourism for MONEY not for the country. Sad

 

[Mcinbrass]

You cant attract tourists unless you clean up the mess. Hotel doors at your emblematic hotel Nicolas de Ovando that do not lock, Hotel employees that steal from the guests, Constant poverty and aggressive begging in the streets, adulterated alcohol and thats just the beginning

 

[NALs]

Right, lets not forget that the DR is the most visited country in the Caribbean and before this Covid interruption had one of the highest hotel occupancy rates in Latin America too and the busiest air space in the Caribbean with most accounting of flights that either start or finish in the DR. Hmm... How did that happen if in fact the country "can't attract tourists?" For some reason 2 + 2 doesn't equal 4 in that example.

 

[MariaRubia]

Hotel employees usually make good money because they get the Propina Legal (their share of the 10%). In most hotels that takes their wages up way higher than they could earn in another job with similar skill requirements - ie. a cleaner may earn RD$ 25,000 a month when you add up all their tips and propina legal, but could maybe only earn RD$ 14,000 in another job. And because of this, it's quite rare for them to steal from guests because they know its instant dismissal and they will not work in a hotel again. I know that Mcinbrass had a bad experience at the Nic but I don't think this is the norm to be honest. Compared to other Caribbean islands, hotel rates in DR are incredibly good value and the overall proposition of price / quality is very good.

 

[NanSanPedro]

Hotel employees usually make good money because they get the Propina Legal (their share of the 10%). In most hotels that takes their wages up way higher than they could earn in another job with similar skill requirements - ie. a cleaner may earn RD$ 25,000 a month when you add up all their tips and propina legal, but could maybe only earn RD$ 14,000 in another job. And because of this, it's quite rare for them to steal from guests because they know its instant dismissal and they will not work in a hotel again. I know that Mcinbrass had a bad experience at the Nic but I don't think this is the norm to be honest. Compared to other Caribbean islands, hotel rates in DR are incredibly good value and the overall proposition of price / quality is very good.

Totally agree. But since you brought up the 10% propina, how often do you think the employees actually get it? Is it shared? I still tip above that for good service because I'm never 100% sure the employee will see the 10%.

 

[Mcinbrass]

Right, lets not forget that the DR is the most visited country in the Caribbean and before this Covid interruption had one of the highest hotel occupancy rates in Latin America too and the busiest air space in the Caribbean with most accounting of flights that either start or finish in the DR. Hmm... How did that happen if in fact the country "can't attract tourists?" For some reason 2 + 2 doesn't equal 4 in that example.

Punta Cana attracts tourists, thats it. The crowded airspace are folks returning to visit family etc. There are probably 15 full flights per day to DR from JFK and another 10 from Newark. Thats alot of air traffic but mostly Dominicans returning home.

 

[MariaRubia]

Totally agree. But since you brought up the 10% propina, how often do you think the employees actually get it? Is it shared? I still tip above that for good service because I'm never 100% sure the employee will see the 10%.

From what I understand, the hotels don't pay it all to the staff, but pay enough of it for them to keep quiet. Same in the restaurants.

 

[DR Solar]

Wife and associates are well known in their niche of reviewing and reporting that relate to advertising.

They are ROFL 🤣 at the budget unless it's +++.

 

[NALs]

Punta Cana attracts tourists, thats it.

Yep, like 70% and until Covid the area was still expanding with every year new massive hotels opening.

The crowded airspace are folks returning to visit family etc. There are probably 15 full flights per day to DR from JFK and another 10 from Newark. Thats alot of air traffic but mostly Dominicans returning home.

Not really. If the amount of international airports was based on Dominican demand, there would only be two plus La Isabela. No Dominican airport handles the amount of passengers and flights as Punta Cana International Airport (and the number of airlines). On top of that, before Covid it was the only Dominican airport that was continually growing because of the traffic created by the airplanes.

Below are Central Bank stats for airport arrivals per airport, per month for 2019, 2020, and 2021 (first 6 months). A simple glace reveal the total Dominicans and foreigners passengers arrival and how esch airport fared.

 

[Mcinbrass]

Yep, like 70% and until Covid the area was still expanding with every year new massive hotels opening.


Not really. If the amount of international airports was based on Dominican demand, there would only be two plus La Isabela. No Dominican airport handles the amount of passengers and flights as Punta Cana International Airport (and the number of airlines). On top of that, before Covid it was the only Dominican airport that was continually growing because of the traffic created by the airplanes.

Below are Central Bank stats for airport arrivals per airport, per month for 2019, 2020, and 2021 (first 6 months). A simple glace reveal the total Dominicans and foreigners passengers arrival and how esch airport fared.

Great stats all this proves is that out of 2.7 million visitors in 2020 1.7M were Dominicans and 1M were tourists nearly 2/3 to 1/3. Also when thinking about tourist spots what comes to mind? The only viable one any longer is Punta Cana. Folks used to go to Puerto Plata and Boca Chica but those spots have turned into sewers. Why do you think that is? Even Santo Domingo could be a tourist haven but attracts mostly business folks mongers. Where does the $$ from these initiatives go?

 

[NALs]

Great stats all this proves is that out of 2.7 million visitors in 2020 1.7M were Dominicans and 1M were tourists nearly 2/3 to 1/3. Also when thinking about tourist spots what comes to mind? The only viable one any longer is Punta Cana. Folks used to go to Puerto Plata and Boca Chica but those spots have turned into sewers. Why do you think that is? Even Santo Domingo could be a tourist haven but attracts mostly business folks mongers. Where does the $$ from these initiatives go?

Maybe you have different eyes from everyone else. That's the only way I can think that for the 6 months of 2021 600k is greater than at least 1.2 million foreigners, that for all of 2020 700k Dominicans is greater than at least 1.7 million foreigners or that in 2019 1 milion Dominicans is the greatest part of over 6 million non residents that arrived in Dominican airports.

I say you need to go to the eye doctor asap.

 

[Mcinbrass]

This is the pertinent information related to total entries. Shouldnt be that hard to crunch Numbers can be interpreted in many ways perhaps that why I am the professional and you are a moderator for a DR message board.

 

[NALs]

So you are saying that residents and non-residents doesn't matter in a discussion that from its start is about tourists and Dominicans living abroad. You have a very weird way of interpreting things.

Plus, even in that example it's very clear that out of more than 2.7 million passengers, a whopping 11% are residents. What percentage are non-residents?

Let me know if you want a phone number to a good eyes doctor. It's either that or you are extremely horrible in math.

BTW, the moderator function is just in this forum, in reality I'm an economist.

 

[JD Jones]

Great stats all this proves is that out of 2.7 million visitors in 2020 1.7M were Dominicans and 1M were tourists nearly 2/3 to 1/3. Also when thinking about tourist spots what comes to mind? The only viable one any longer is Punta Cana. Folks used to go to Puerto Plata and Boca Chica but those spots have turned into sewers. Why do you think that is? Even Santo Domingo could be a tourist haven but attracts mostly business folks mongers. Where does the $$ from these initiatives go?

There are a lot more tourists in Santo Domingo than you may realize. And more upper-class Hotels and smaller hotels and guest houses are being constructed every year.

 

[NanSanPedro]

There are a lot more tourists in Santo Domingo than you may realize. And more upper-class Hotels and smaller hotels and guest houses are being constructed every year.

Exactly. I stayed one night once at the Renaissance on the Malecon. Very pricy but impressive.

 

[Mcinbrass]

There are a lot more tourists in Santo Domingo than you may realize. And more upper-class Hotels and smaller hotels and guest houses are being constructed every year.

Monger traffic. Dudes down from DC and Atlanta to get their freak on.

 

[JD Jones]

Hardly.

 

[keepcoming]

Monger traffic. Dudes down from DC and Atlanta to get their freak on.

I do not see that. There are many tourists that come to Santo Domingo as well business travelers. Also the selection/range of hotels is pretty good.