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I completely agree with this. Buffets are the worst way to spread a virus as literally thousands of people are picking up the same tongs, touching plates, touching food, then eating. This is one of the main reasons viruses spread so rapidly on cruise ships. But without buffets, the...

On a much smaller scale and on much poorer scale, at least for the majority of Dominicans. Nowhere near the number of tourists that it has today, nowhere near the levels of income or prosperity that the country enjoys today. I know we tend to focus on the corruption, but the huge investment...

Absolutely agree, once you remove tourism the rest comes crashing down like a pack of cards. Please remember that US tourists are maximum 50% of the tourists that come. Planes from Europe, Russia, China and places like Argentina are also an important part of the market, and they have to fly...

It's not just me that it will affect though. Anyone reading this who lives or has connections to the Dom Rep will be affected if there is no tourism as it is such a key component of the economy. So many industries in Santo Domingo exist to service and support tourism. Most people in the...

It didn't, but Punta Cana airport, which is by far the busiest on the island, will not reopen until the hotels reopen. And the loads at Santo Domingo would not be sufficient for anything other than a handful of routes (e.g. New York, Miami, maybe Atlanta, maybe Madrid, maybe Panama) if there...

If you're referring to my post, the person involved is quite senior with Ministry of Tourism and in charge of liaison with major tour operators and airlines for a particular region. I own a hotel, I do know a fair few people who work in positions of power, you have to if you want to run any...

People were warned several times about the quarantine. I know that the British embassy contacted everyone in hotels who wasn't returning to make them aware that they would be stuck. Some people decided to stay, and then bleated that they had broken a toe nail and needed the UK government to...

In the UK where we have had 30,000 deaths so far, only 261 people were aged under 60 with no underlying health conditions. 261 people out of a population of 70 million. It's really important to get this disease into perspective, for most people it is a very mild disease.

Agreed, I was told this morning by someone in the know that there is probably going to be some flex in the dates hotels open as a lot of powerful people who own hotels are not happy with this idea.

Oh yes I can do it in one phone call, just getting someone to answer that one phone call in less than 9 hours is a bit tricky.

I had a really bad experience with Avis at Punta Cana airport, they tried to give me this seriously beaten old wreck and when I refused it the only vehicle available was $1,000 extra. Their branch in Santo Domingo also couldn't spell the word customer. And I have had good experiences with...

I've done the same thing, but now British Airways is making you call them to cancel even reward flights, and this can involve days of being held waiting for someone to answer. Hopefully the system works better in the US.

Yes I think you're right there John. And maybe flights to Panama as it's a good transit hub and those Copa flights are alway reasonably busy.

Yesterday there was a free webinar, focusing on the non-touristy parts of the Dominican Republic by a British travel writer, Monty Hall. It's nice viewing for anyone like me who is missing the beautiful country and for anyone who hasn't really seen much of the non-tourist areas. There are...

I think the airlines are going to struggle to fill a normal flight to Dom Rep, let alone a cruise ship.

Booking is always easy, no shortage of airlines willing to take your money. But the airspace is not yet confirmed as open, so there is a risk your flight will be cancelled, and if it is all you will get is a voucher, not your money back. Also bear in mind when you do get to Santo Domingo...

I would say 99% of people arriving on flights into Punta Cana, the busiest airport, are people going to hotels so I don't think they'll even open the airport again until August. In Santo Domingo it's more of a mix of other travellers and tourists, but if you take the tourists off those...

I would suggest there is a great deal more to worry about than a possible quarantine. If the hotels don't open until just before the start of the main hurricane season, so no real business until November, then it is going to have a serious effect on the economy, making what is largely a very...

Wait until they hear that flights are probably not going to start until August 11th

There are no restrictions on travel into the UK, so I think you could get to Spain then to London OK. Not sure about the London to Austria part