Some of the DR old timers have, many years ago, tried to change the 'don't go off the campus' briefing speech by reps. - ask Bushbaby....................!
One of my first jobs here in the DR was as a Guest Service Manager in one of the Playa Dorada hotels. I was invited into the briefing meetings on the English speaking Tour Companies whose guests were staying at the hotel & I outlined what was & was not safe for the guests AS I SAW IT! The consensus then was
that it WAS safe to leave the complex as long as sensible precautions were observed.
When I found out about Representatives advising differently, they were hauled in front of their of their superiors to justify any such adverse comments - generally failing miserably!
I recall with great amusement the stories Lambada used to tell me of her "jumping on to the transfer buses of incoming British guests" at one hotel (she was selling tours those days at the hotel kiosk) & giving them a
pre-briefing chat before the rep passed on his/her sales chat - follow up chats with these guests brought stories of what the rep said in briefings AND how her (Lambada's) pre-chat had left guests a little amused by the reps derogatory comments!!
YES, reps do make comments about the dangers of leaving campus & sometimes these are not justified. Someone like Rafael (Spanish speaking & amiable) will NOT have problems in getting on with the local traders/inhabitants - someone who has NEVER been to a third world country before MIGHT. This person might be aggressive, not understand the culture & be just so timid in his/her approach to life that problems will occur as soon as he/she walks out of the gate!!
It is not just the Company Reps who make these claims of danger though - I am reminded of many a comment by visitors to our house of TOUR GUIDES at the gate to Playa Dorada who state firmly it is dangerous for guests to visit anywhere outside of the campus .......
unless they take a tour guide with them of course!!
We must not generalise here - with some Tour Companies the reps are perfectly honest (to the best of the information they have been given or acquired), others are less liberal with the truth!! Similarly, some tourists are perfectly safe to go out exploring on their own .......... others will find problems for themselves within minutes, either intentionally or unintentionally!! I worked for a while in the offices of the British Consul here in Puerto Plata & some of the stories of 'trouble-makers' would confuse the heck out of most readers!!
The answer here (as in MOST things) is education. Travel Agents, Tour Companies & their reps., need to be educated as to what the DR really IS like for safety, how tourists to DR should & should not conduct themselves & what they can & cannot safely do. 10 years ago I produced a tourist magazine for one Dutch, three British & a group of German Tour Companies which went on each seat of the transfer bus taking the tourist to the hotel. This was an introduction to the country but tailored to the individual company's Modus Operandi. Perhaps this is something that might be re-invented & passed on to the Travel Agents (for when they sell the tours), the Tour Company so that their reps KNOW what they are coming to & how to tell guests the implications of "going solo" & even the Tour Guides who stand outside Playa Dorada gate!!!!!!!!
Rocky in many ways is right - been there, got the 'T'-shirt, had the umpteen bottles of rum, even seen the film, re-makes & the 7 videos!!!!! We haven't been able to change much over the last 12/14 years but we do try to keep at it when opportunities arise! What would be FAR more effective would be for each tourist who reads this thread, to go try & remember what they heard from the tour rep at the briefing AND PASS THAT INFORMATION ON TO THE TOUR COMPANY HEAD OFFICE AS A COMPLAINT!! Failure to get a satisfactory response from the Tour Company should be followed up with a letter to the press &/or Ministry of Tourism in BOTH countries!!
Just to clear up one bit of misinterpretation - I checked with the BRITISH Tour Companies this morning & my understanding from the responses is that UK reps DO get a salary. They live in the hotels, have meals there & (basically) want for nothing except their personal good &/or bad habits!!:cheeky: I am reliably informed by the resort managers, that the salary is more than sufficient to cater for most habits & sales commission on excursions is generally considered "Money to put in the bank as savings". I
STRESS, this is from the British Companies - those whom I have built a relationship over the years & are happy to pass on this sort of information to me. What happens with Canadian, American, Spanish, other European & Latino companies I have NOT checked.
I have made them aware of this thread so hopefully (if I have been misinformed) they will understand the level of concern here about this trait & change/improve anything that gives them cause to think that their reps pass on misinformation for personal gain. Maybe one or two might respond here anyway! ~ Grahame.
Just don't want you to get too disappointed if it doesn't happen in your time frame.