For those that want to argue about the economic conditions in the US and how they may affect the tourism numbers, you have to consider that in certain terms, perception is sometimes more significant than what the actual major economic indicators may tell you.
For the average tourist coming to DR (US middle class), vacations are a luxury that are paid with discretionary disposable income. Look at the US consumer confidence index for the past 12 months, and you will see that it has been bouncing up and down. In essence, this tells a greater story about the sentiments of the "average tourist" than the other major economic indicators. The average Joe is concerned about the current and short term future job market conditions and how this will affect their income. Add the rising fuel and energy costs, and the increased cost of living to this, and you will find that the potential "average tourist" is more cautious about spending that discretionary disposable income on a vacation.
For the average tourist coming to DR (US middle class), vacations are a luxury that are paid with discretionary disposable income. Look at the US consumer confidence index for the past 12 months, and you will see that it has been bouncing up and down. In essence, this tells a greater story about the sentiments of the "average tourist" than the other major economic indicators. The average Joe is concerned about the current and short term future job market conditions and how this will affect their income. Add the rising fuel and energy costs, and the increased cost of living to this, and you will find that the potential "average tourist" is more cautious about spending that discretionary disposable income on a vacation.