Camping, Campgrounds in The DR?

[M4kintosh]

Hey everyone, just to give you a perspective from a local. My 2 cents:

- Yes, @MoJoInDR, there's plenty of local Mountain Bike groups. Mostly with middle class Dominicans from every province, especially the most montainous ones. Lots of activities happen each month (from small groups to big gatherings) There's a small but growing economy that started in the 80s/90s to today of events, retail stores and even big brands sponsoring events nationwide.


- Camping mindset in the DR: Growing, and in all flavors: it all started with aficionados and today, plenty of companies (from experienced camping groups to tour companies) provide camping services all around the country. Just for a quick search:

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To make this camping experience more attractive to DR locals, companies do ellaborate on combos (either staying in a cabin or a tent) and do experiences (hiking, river tubing, cooking) even mix it as camping as a luxury

- Jarabacoa isn't the only location: people are exploring more and more isolated or non touristic places. I remember the main trend was going to Loma Redonda in Miches just to take pics with the swing over the air but people are deep exploring more and more: Pedernales/Bahía de Las Aguilas, Azua, Ocoa, San Juan, Sajoma, Santiago Rodríguez, San Cristobal, El Valle, Rincón, Hamaca de Dios, Partido, El Aguacate... and more and more. The deeper, the better the experience.

There's a BIG BAD asumption that 95% of Dominicans want noise and musicón all times and that's incorrect. A lot of DR people want to feel within nature and not with WiFi. cc @El Hijo de Manolo. And yes, we have lots of camping sites @NALs

- A whole industry with influencers: As @RollingStone says, there's plenty of "camping stars". I consider them as internet/tv influencers who been taking advantage and profiting of this:

Aquaman https://www.instagram.com/aquamanrd/
Alejate con Ale https://www.instagram.com/alejateconale/
Andariego https://www.instagram.com/andariegodo/
Carlos Torres https://www.instagram.com/carlostorresrd/
Williams Ramos https://www.instagram.com/williamramostv/
Keila Rodríguez https://www.instagram.com/theadrenalinetraveler/

These guys even have TV shows seen by hundreds of thousands here nationwide.

And yes, there's RVs in the DR:

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I can relate of many things, but please... stop making assumptions of "people don't do camping here because Dominicans are poor people".

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

I think you have this backwards macintosh. No one is saying dominicans don't camp because they are poor. Who said that lol? I personally was referring to camping as a poor business concept for the tourist market. I simply don't think it's a sustainable model as most tourists come for the white sandy beaches and all u can eat buffets. Why would someone want to come here and get down to nature with the kakata and cienpie when you can drink your face off in AC and get a massage with happy ending 🤣🤣🤣

 

[MoJoInDR]

but please... stop making assumptions of "people don't do camping here because Dominicans are poor people".

Great comment with lots of good info... Though I'm not sure if the above was directed at me... But just to make clear... I in no way think that Dominicans don't do camping because they are poor. My intention was to try and encourage more of it, including the ecotourism aspect.

As I think I said in an earlier comment, when I looked at a map of the DR I was amazed at just how much area seems untouched by development and saw this as an asset for an eco-industry such as camping.

And I say this with the understanding that it's not just a matter of some individual's outdoor extracurricular activity... There is a real industry that can be developed around it... One in which jobs are created at various levels (guides, camp managers & maintenance, transportation) and income is earned from non-traditional land/farm activities (space rental, food supply). Locally, it brings the potential for greater sales of related specialized equipment/gear.

Also, there the bonus of having yet another aspect of the DR to promote.

 

[Meemselle]

Who would want to camp here? I mean, camping---even in the First World---is a special place in hell. Walk to bathrooms. Get in and out of sleeping bags that are always wet. Eat horrible food. Camp=campo. If you want to camp, definitely glamp.

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

Who would want to camp here? I mean, camping---even in the First World---is a special place in hell. Walk to bathrooms. Get in and out of sleeping bags that are always wet. Eat horrible food. Camp=campo. If you want to camp, definitely glamp.

I wouldn't even Glamp, unless it was at the Ritz Carlton

 

[M4kintosh]

I personally was referring to camping as a poor business concept for the tourist market.

Sorry @El Hijo de Manolo. Got confused then. My apologies.

It is not. We've been seen the success of mass scale tourism as the main pattern to compare it with the amount of players in the camping/glamping/lodging arena (which is big too, but not similar as in the AI Tourism industry.

There is a marked difference between who are the big players of all inclusive (AI) (who won't touch camping/ecotourism) because isn't profitable to them to the companies who ARE indeed profiting of this. The companies (and individuals and influencers) I mentioned are just a small salt grain in the whole ecotourism industry. Even this government administration marked the frontier between AI (managed by foreign brands) and ecotourism (local brands) to establish a difference in the industry for consumers and for companies.

 

[M4kintosh]

My intention was to try and encourage more of it, including the ecotourism aspect.

Gov and Private entities are making lots of efforts in that side. Just read/watch/scroll social/newspapers/tv outlets and you'll notice that there's been an amount of promotion of ecotourism in the last 24/36 months. Just check the links I posted above for a glimpse of the industry. YouTube is flooded with videos, too.

 

[MoJoInDR]

Who would want to camp here? I mean, camping---even in the First World---is a special place in hell. Walk to bathrooms. Get in and out of sleeping bags that are always wet. Eat horrible food. Camp=campo. If you want to camp, definitely glamp.

The global camping equipment market size was valued at USD 77.94 billion in 2022.

I'm thinking that suggests quite a few people "...want to camp...".

In a recent survey, it was reported that around 67% of US households stated they camp at least occasionally.

The global camping tent market is currently at USD 3-billion and is expected to grow by 7.5% through 2028.

All in all, it seems like there are quite a few people who "...want to camp...".

Perhaps not all 8-billion world inhabitants though... Thankfully.

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

The global camping equipment market size was valued at USD 77.94 billion in 2022.

I'm thinking that suggests quite a few people "...want to camp...".

In a recent survey, it was reported that around 67% of US households stated they camp at least occasionally.

The global camping tent market is currently at USD 3-billion and is expected to grow by 7.5% through 2028.

All in all, it seems like there are quite a few people who "...want to camp...".

Perhaps not all 8-billion world inhabitants though... Thankfully.

Not here D'Mojo

 

[MoJoInDR]

Gov and Private entities are making lots of efforts in that side. Just read/watch/scroll social/newspapers/tv outlets and you'll notice that there's been an amount of promotion of ecotourism in the last 24/36 months. Just check the links I posted above for a glimpse of the industry. YouTube is flooded with videos, too.

I've spent the past few months going through YouTube videos on many aspects of DR life, mainly on moving and living there though.

I brought this topic up here on dr1 because as I went through many of the threads there seemed to be an overwhelming negativity to business development in the DR by folks making comments. While carrying out research for my own specific project I gained insight into many aspects of ecotourism relevant to the DR, and I thought it would be a good subject to create a thread on in the hope of possibly encouraging some to take a look at the business potential.

I also thought that feedback from comments would help me better understand the thoughts of the local community on this and other matters... And it certainly has.

The links you provided are very helpful... The only thing I would say is that the activity seems somewhat hidden. It could be for me because my research is pretty much limited to English... But given the various responses, it seems many here were not aware of these efforts either, and they are local to DR.

This is why I made the suggestion of creating an official DR camping/RVing association of sorts... Which would give a kind of foundational anchor to the industry as a whole, and may even be useful in promoting/representing it for access to both government support locally and international recognition.

If this is already established that would be great and I'd love to have contact info (website link).

 

[M4kintosh]

The global camping equipment market size was valued at USD 77.94 billion in 2022.

I'm thinking that suggests quite a few people "...want to camp...".

In a recent survey, it was reported that around 67% of US households stated they camp at least occasionally.

The global camping tent market is currently at USD 3-billion and is expected to grow by 7.5% through 2028.

All in all, it seems like there are quite a few people who "...want to camp...".

Perhaps not all 8-billion world inhabitants though... Thankfully.

Gotta stop you here, bro.
Those numbers are from US/1st world countries.
In DR, is different. Is growing, yes. But isn't yet a massive thing. Please stick on my suggestions above.

 

[MoJoInDR]

Gotta stop you here, bro.
Those numbers are from US/1st world countries.
In DR, is different. Is growing, yes. But isn't yet a massive thing. Please stick on my suggestions above.

My experience in new business development has shown me that understanding global trends can help identify opportunities in local markets.

My presenting this info is not me saying that the industry in the DR is going to grow to 67% of the population, or that there's going to be a 7.5% growth in camping tent sales.

The DR, like many other countries, with the exception of somewhere like North Korea, has direct links to developed countries such as are found in North America and Europe. And given that a large percentage of DR's tourism is sourced out of these markets, it should be understood that as trends in these markets go... So do related business opportunities in the DR.

Just to be clear... My comment you referenced was actually made to meemselle, in response to his or her comment about "...who would want to camp here...".

As I said in my response to your comment... "...Great comment with lots of good info...".

No debating on my part... Just exploring ideas.

 

[M4kintosh]

The only thing I would say is that the activity seems somewhat hidden. It could be for me because my research is pretty much limited to English...

No. This is mainstream here (in Spanish). But not so in English content.

But given the various responses, it seems many here were not aware of these efforts either, and they are local to DR.

Consume local (in Spanish) and you'll discover a whole new world

This is why I made the suggestion of creating an official DR camping/RVing association of sorts... Which would give a kind of foundational anchor to the industry as a whole, and may even be useful in promoting/representing it for access to both government support locally and international recognition.

If this is already established that would be great and I'd love to have contact info (website link).

Another NGO/entity? Nah!
Most of these folks and independent/entrepreneurs and they heavily against it.

The Gov is already sponsoring/backing ecotourism (that's why Medio Ambiente, Foresta, and local government (city halls, majors, governors) and plenty of APPs (public-private alliances) are happening in most ecotouristic provinces supporting local businesses. There's even "Touristic Clusters" (another form of NGOs/Gov/Private Sector/Entrepreneus entities) working with this specific matter.

 

[MoJoInDR]

No. This is mainstream here (in Spanish). But not so in English content.


Consume local (in Spanish) and you'll discover a whole new world


Another NGO/entity? Nah!
Most of these folks and independent/entrepreneurs and they heavily against it.

The Gov is already sponsoring/backing ecotourism (that's why Medio Ambiente, Foresta, and local government (city halls, majors, governors) and plenty of APPs (public-private alliances) are happening in most ecotouristic provinces supporting local businesses. There's even "Touristic Clusters" (another form of NGOs/Gov/Private Sector/Entrepreneus entities) working with this specific matter.

Regarding my Spanish... In time.

Regarding consuming local... Again, in time.

Regarding "...another NGO..."... Historically proven to be an asset if properly managed. And what "...independent/entrepreneurs..." feel towards it is not the deciding factor of whether it can be useful... "...independent/entrepreneurs..." are typically just that, independent and are for building themselves, not building community... Which is what an association is for.

Regarding government... I just took a look at the Dominican Republic Tourism Official Website and saw nothing really about ecotourism being promoted (certainly nothing about camping). Government facilities are notoriously behind the eight-ball in keeping up with consumer trends and this seems to be the case here. But this is not to say that efforts are not being made in other areas.

I just Googled "...DR Touristic Cluster..." and a Harvard paper came up. I'll take a look at it.

One thing I've learned through experience is not to be too quick when considering what people are saying.

Here's the DR tourism website I referenced...

Dominican Republic Tourism Official Website - GoDominicanRepublic.com

Dominican Republic is the second largest and most diverse Caribbean country, situated just two hours south of Miami, less than four hours from New York and eight hours from most European cities. Known for our warm and hospitable people, Dominican Republic is a destination like no other...

www.godominicanrepublic.com

https://www.godominicanrepublic.com/

 

[MoJoInDR]

Interesting read from a 2012 Harvard Business School report on DR tourism cluster...

https://www.isc.hbs.edu/Documents/resources/courses/moc-course-at-harvard/pdf/student-projects/Dominican%20Republic%20-%20Tourism%20Cluster_Final.pdf

 

[Drperson]

Unfortunately, mosquitoes are the least of the worries when you talk about camping and nature in DR. Poisonous snakes, tarantula, scorpions and centipedes have killed off and/or maimed quite a few partakers

Centipedes are the worst. Not a fan of tarantulas either

 

[Drperson]

I always thought clamping was a good business idea for my farm in the mountains. Thanks so much for this discussion which has completely decided for me never to do this. Centipedes were the deal breaker.

 

[johne]

A Camper’s Guide to the Dominican Republic – We Travel and Blog

wetravelandblog.com

Camping not advised here...according to the author of this article. I didn't look for a negative article but in fact it was the first one that popped up. Personally, based on a survey on one person, yo, I can't think of ANYTHING I would like to do less than this.

 

[johne]

ETA: With the current situation of an open border with Haiti and the recent killing of entire family (in the campo) "camping or any variation of camping", would be a very hard sell IMO. Perhaps tourists don't live with this information on a daily basis, as the DR has an image in their minds of something quite different ,but for those of us that live here our mind set is in a different place.

 

[windeguy]

johhne, I could not agree with you more. But some people think they have a good idea because of "world trends".

So let's go camping in Afghanistan, or maybe the DR, Yeah, that's it, the DR! NOT.