Mainly the poorer classes that have "fled" to their countries. They've tightened up regulations so that more of them can be sent back from whence they came. We spoke to some "polizia" at length about the changes we had noticed from 10/12 yrs ago and they said the situation is much better than it was however there are still a lot of "problems". At least noe the trains run again at night, stations are open, there is no stench of urine in public places,no "bodies" curled up under a blanket in doorways and around monuments, and you don't see much littler.
Also we spoke to many people while riding the trains (an easy way to get a "feel" for the country especially if you don't always travel in a first class compartment!) to find out what the average person felt about different things and how the country and the whole region had changed since we'd last been there. Discussions ranged from the effect of the Euro, the possibility of war with Irag, who was going to be the next soccer champs, how was the "refugee" situation, etc.etc.
as for Pib's question I don't have the stats (but my niece could probably give them to you) however as my niece runs a tour company we spoke at length to her about the changing patterns of Italian holiday travel. She used to have tours to Punta Cana/Bavaro and Santo Domingo/BC/JD area but has had to cancel them because she could no longer fill the charter plane that was bringing them to the island. On the other hand she made the trip to Egypt and the following week (after we came back to Canada) to Morocco to "buy" more hotel rooms because she didn't have enough contracted to meet the demand for the following season. While she is working very hard to become a major player in the tour business she is just a "small fry" at the moment so if she is seeing this trend in her business I can imagine what the larger players are seeing in theirs....(not very scientific but a valid observation anyways as smaller business see the effects much sooner than larger ones!).
Also we spoke to many people while riding the trains (an easy way to get a "feel" for the country especially if you don't always travel in a first class compartment!) to find out what the average person felt about different things and how the country and the whole region had changed since we'd last been there. Discussions ranged from the effect of the Euro, the possibility of war with Irag, who was going to be the next soccer champs, how was the "refugee" situation, etc.etc.
as for Pib's question I don't have the stats (but my niece could probably give them to you) however as my niece runs a tour company we spoke at length to her about the changing patterns of Italian holiday travel. She used to have tours to Punta Cana/Bavaro and Santo Domingo/BC/JD area but has had to cancel them because she could no longer fill the charter plane that was bringing them to the island. On the other hand she made the trip to Egypt and the following week (after we came back to Canada) to Morocco to "buy" more hotel rooms because she didn't have enough contracted to meet the demand for the following season. While she is working very hard to become a major player in the tour business she is just a "small fry" at the moment so if she is seeing this trend in her business I can imagine what the larger players are seeing in theirs....(not very scientific but a valid observation anyways as smaller business see the effects much sooner than larger ones!).
