to run a business

Here is a suggestion:

Check the archives about working in tourism

The check the archives for making contacts.

The DR is all about networking especially in tourism, competition for jobs is high and there are plenty of people who have similar experience or drive as you already there.

No one will hand you a job or a hotel/small business to run with out knowing you first.

My observations

My vacations to the DR run into double didgets now and since I have never gone the AI route, I am very familiar with the smaller hotels in many parts of the country, and count a few owners among my personal friends. Many of them are Dominican owned, and I would estimate your chances of being hired to manage such a property to be about the same as that of opening a (snow)ski lodge in Samana. Actually, I know one Canadian who ran a hotel for a Dominican owner for a while. They had been friends for 10 years. Those jobs usually go to family.

As for hotels owned by expats/foreigners, many if not most represent the culmination of a dream for these people. They have invested a large share of their life savings in the property, often live on site, and faced with stiff competition, need to keep cost to a minimum, so they handle management duties themselves. If health or personal reasons make it impossible to do so, the first choice is usually going to be to sell, but if a buyer can't be found quickly they might look for a competent person to run it for them. Even in this situation, most would probably choose to offer it to someone less "qualified" who they know and trust over a more experienced "outsider". If you read the threads here about seeking employment, you'll discover that a resume doesn't seem to carry a lot of weight in the DR if it isn't accompanied by your presence.

If this is what you really want to do, your best bet is to prepare for a self-funded stay of several weeks or months and network like crazy, face to face.

Just a thought. Not everyone who is a contributor here and who may have pertenant information for you checks the board every day. To display impatience when you don't get a response in less than 2 days probably doesn't help your cause.

sweetdbt, I agree with you, and you give alots of correct information.
I can not speak for other areas, but if I put my experiences together with the situation in this area where I live for several years, Puerto Plata, this is the case here for all hotels.

Castilla - runned and owned by Joanne
Sofys - runned and owned by Noelle, who lives there
Ilra - Local family runned
Serena - Local family runned
Lomar and Portofino - runned by kids of the owner
Sunshine - local owner, runs it himself
Condado - Family runned, family lives on property
Serena - Family runned

etc etc.

And as you say, for the places owned by people who have moved here from other countries, it is a business they usually run themselves for the reasons you put, and it is absolutely a part of the dream of moving here, and more important it is a part of life.
Its to live the dream, or if it doesnt work out, to sell, lease or if you have to go away, there will be someone you trust and know for a long time who would handle the business in the meantime.

But nothing is impossible, it is just a matter of how you start the path.. For living in the Dominican Republic it would be as said, to come here, to live and create a network of friends, experiences by working, learning the system and so on..
The kind of work asked for will not be offered online, only by being here and by knowing people for a long time, if ever.

sweetdbt said:

... Many of them are Dominican owned, and I would estimate your chances of being hired to manage such a property to be about the same as that of opening a (snow)ski lodge in Samana. Actually, I know one Canadian who ran a hotel for a Dominican owner for a while. They had been friends for 10 years. Those jobs usually go to family.

Click to expand...

Thee's always the exception to the rule. Hotel Europa in Boca Chica is owned by Dominicans but was run by a French couple. (Because of problems it is now run by the owner).

Possibilites

I have clients that may want someone like you to work for them, when they have chosen a business. send me an email, to keep in touch.