Cancelling your trip? Yes or No

Hlywud

Hlywud

Gold
Jan 1, 2002
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Member of DR1 since 2002
www.beyondthebeach.ca
Cancelling is not in the cards for me and reading many other posts and other forums where there are talks about disease etc and a massive influx of refugees, are simply unrealistic (?), yes there will be disease in Haiti and there is much suffering in the area of Port Au Prince, but people must realize that this place is located many many miles and many hours away from Puerto Plata and Punta Cana across very rugged terrain and very poor road conditions, that are even worse now due to the earthquake damage, nothing like the 401, I95 or I75 corridors we see in North America.


l have travelled these roads are not even comparable to secondary roads we have in Canada and the USA.




Staying home, will not help the situation in Haiti or the Haitian workers in the Dominican Republic. Cancellations of trips will lead to lower occupancy levels at resorts which in turn will lead to lay offs of workers at resorts, loss of income and more hardships for many of these people, both Dominican workers and Haitian workers




In a nutshell by staying at home and watching the news you will do more harm than you will by sitting on the beach sipping on a cold cocktail, not only will you be hurting the economy there but also at home, take some additional clothes and supplies with you, there are many organizations out there that can use your help in the Dominican Republic as well as Haiti.


We will be taking additional items and the giving will make me feel good even if it just a mere drop in the overall bucket, as I sit and relax on the beach knowing that somebody has been helped.
 
E

Ezequiel

Bronze
Jun 4, 2008
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It will be ridiculous for someone to cancel a vacation they have planned to the DR just because the country next door (Haiti) had an earthquake.

If a Hurricane hits Florida, it doesn't mean that you need to cancel you trip to Cancun, Mexico because the Hurricane didn't affect Cancun.

The Earthquake WAS in Haiti NOT in the DR. The tourist destination in the DR are far from the Haitian border.

If an Earthquake hits California, it doesn't mean that the whole country (USA) was affected by the Earthquake in California.
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
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Ezequiel said:
It will be ridiculous for someone to cancel a vacation they have planned to the DR just because the country next door (Haiti) had an earthquake.

If a Hurricane hits Florida, it doesn't mean that you need to cancel you trip to Cancun, Mexico because the Hurricane didn't affect Cancun.

The Earthquake WAS in Haiti NOT in the DR. The tourist destination in the DR are far from the Haitian border.

If an Earthquake hits California, it doesn't mean that the whole country (USA) was affected by the Earthquake in California.
Click to expand...
True.

But I can assure you how little most of the world knows about the geography of the DR.

We have pending guests expressing great concern.
 
D

drloca

Silver
Oct 26, 2004
2,097
216
63
Lets not forget that as with any major "event", (not just natural disasters, remember the "malaria outbreak"?) the media loves nothing more than to instill this type of fear in prospective travellers. This would create a domino effect with a very negative outcome.

Now more than ever, inject your $$$ into the DR economy.
 
bachata

bachata

Aprendiz de todo profesional de nada
Aug 18, 2007
5,360
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Ezequiel said:
It will be ridiculous for someone to cancel a vacation they have planned to the DR just because the country next door (Haiti) had an earthquake.

If a Hurricane hits Florida, it doesn't mean that you need to cancel you trip to Cancun, Mexico because the Hurricane didn't affect Cancun.

The Earthquake WAS in Haiti NOT in the DR. The tourist destination in the DR are far from the Haitian border.

If an Earthquake hits California, it doesn't mean that the whole country (USA) was affected by the Earthquake in California.
Click to expand...


Hello...

unfortunately, I must call off my transfer of Santiago to Maimon, because we have cancelled unsereen vacation by the topical situation in Haiti. If the situation has calmed down, we come back with pleasure to an offer.

Thank you and lots of love

XXXXXX

look, I received this Email last night.

Cancellation are coming from everywhere.

JJ
 
AlterEgo

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,161
6,330
113
South Coast
bachata said:
Hello...

unfortunately, I must call off my transfer of Santiago to Maimon, because we have cancelled unsereen vacation by the topical situation in Haiti. If the situation has calmed down, we come back with pleasure to an offer.

Thank you and lots of love

XXXXXX

look, I received this Email last night.

Cancellation are coming from everywhere.

JJ
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What a shame. Absolutely ridiculous. People need to get a grip on reality. If there was a shred of danger in DR I wouldn't have let my daughter, her husband and my grandson fly here last Friday.

While waiting for their flight to arrive at SDQ we couldn't help but notice that there were masses of white travellers arriving, we assumed they were transferring to Haiti by land or chopper? Aid workers? Press? Saw piles of luggage wrapped with colored duck tape with HAITI printed all over them in black marker. Saw bales of clothes wrapped in plastic with metal strapping.
 
C

catcherintherye

Silver
Mar 2, 2008
2,902
544
0
Look, I would be absolutely delighted if all the tourists stayed at home cringing in their closets.

However, try as I might to find some reason to give them to stay put, I have to be honest, and there is nothing at all to worry about here, aside from getting a couple of rainy days.

What a bunch of babies.
 
A

Alyonka

Silver
Jun 3, 2006
2,757
155
0
I am on the flight Charlotte-Punta Cana and it is full. Don't worry, people will still travel to the DR. Those who cancel are just exceptions,
 
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Lambada

Gold
Mar 4, 2004
9,478
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www.ginniebedggood.com
Maybe resident expats should be writing to newspapers in their countries of origin explaining why there is no mass exodus of foreign residents from the DR. Why? Because life is NORMAL here.

The DR Tourism board put out a statement but unfortunately, even though it's accurate, it might not be believed because it's from the DR government. It is times like this when earlier spin by the government resulting in skepticism from the outside world, comes home to roost.

We expat residents have credibility, however, particularly in our countries of origin. So.............how about everyone writing at least one letter to an online publication and posting the results here?
 
L

Lambada

Gold
Mar 4, 2004
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www.ginniebedggood.com
Rattus_Rattus said:
Of cource i can try to help you, meet me in Sosua tomorrow or another day, and let us take a look on the papers.
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Whilst it would be a pleasure to meet you, there is no need to meet in order to carry out this task. All you need do is look up some online newspapers from your country of origin and post an online message that there is no need to cancel holidays to the DR. This is to get an accurate message out and help DR tourism, rather than to help me. Thanks so much.

Anyone else prepared to post a comment to an online newspaper from your country of origin? Any Canadians and US citizens prepared to spend a few minutes doing this? Any French, German or East Europeans? It takes very little effort, folks, and it might be more effective than opining on DR1 alone.

Here's another UK one I posted on, The Guardian:
I let out a cry, as if I'd heard everybody I loved had died | R?gine Chassagne | Comment is free | The Observer
 
P

Pyth0s

New member
Dec 8, 2009
42
12
0
Not Cancelling

Hello Folks, and a very touching story Regine.

We're 7 guys heading down to DR and not once did I even think of cancelling the trip. People @ work keep coming up to us all and asking if we are SURE we want to go. It's absurd. Yes there was a World disaster that has just happened, and I still cannot get over how many times Haiti has been hit with saddness, they must be incredible people to survive through some of the most heinous and violent times that they've witnessed.

Anyhow, cancelling your trip to DR because Haiti has suffered is ridiculous. If any country requires tourists it is DR right now. For some of the Gov money is in fact being sent to Haiti or paying Doctors/Nurses/Help to go to Haiti and help.

The thought of cancelling my trip because I'm going to a country near Haiti for the reason that I am afraid of disease, crime? Come on!!!!!

Keep your trip plans intact, go down, have fun, enjoy the hospitality of the locals and yes, if you can bring some extra clothes or unwanted items that we all collect in our consumerish countries and bring them down with you and give them to a local church or school who are collecting items for Haiti. We get to spend time in their country for a week or two then return to our homes, cars and jobs. They still have to deal with what happened long after we're gone.

So Saturday January 30th, I'll be at the Montreal Airport with my friends ready to come and spend a beautiful week with you all!

Cheers!

Pyth0s
 
B

Black Dog

Bronze
May 29, 2009
1,761
154
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Another great idea Lambada! I've done the Daily Mail/Mail on Sunday but they have temporarily removed the comments from the report. I'll post the link if they come back on!
 
L

Lambada

Gold
Mar 4, 2004
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www.ginniebedggood.com
Pyth0s said:
We're 7 guys heading down to DR and not once did I even think of cancelling the trip.
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Splendid Pyth0s. Now can you send that to some of the Canadian newspapers please?

Black Dog said:
Another great idea Lambada! I've done the Daily Mail/Mail on Sunday but they have temporarily removed the comments from the report. I'll post the link if they come back on!
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Thank you Black Dog. Nice to see someone taking the initiative :). Meanwhile, I posted a comment on the Telegraph, about a third of the way down the page, comment showing as 18 Jan at 6.01 am:
Haiti response shows the difference between the EU and a superpower - Telegraph

and the Daily Mail Travel section
The Crafty Traveller: How to get the best all-inclusive bargains

Anyone prepared to contact US & Canadian papers please?
 
J

jgotz

New member
Jan 14, 2010
6
0
0
Not going to cancel. but still deciding between DR and Cuba. was set on punta cana but still trying to understand what implications there may be from the disaster. I know that cana is pretty well as far as you can get from PAP but need to be sure since I will be bringing along 2 very young children. im sure there is nothing to worry about but when given the choice I must eliminate any "what if's"
 
C

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
113
Please, you have to understand that apart from the distress we are experiencing at the situation in Haiti, Punta Cana is about as much affected by this earthquake as Monte Carlo or Paris. :)
 
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