Europe/Egypt threat to Dominican Tourism!

MommC

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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!).
 

Ken

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Egypt Threat to Dominican Republic Tourism??

MommC said:
Cairo was a real treat! For a city with over 18 million people in the desert it was a whole lot cleaner than we ever thought possible. Again prices were very resonable,service better than exceptional, food was unbelievable and we only wished we had more than two days for sight-seeing.
We'll definitely go back!!

Before any of us had time to slash our wrists or fall on our swords at the prospect of the Dominican Republic being knocked off the world-tourism map by Egypt, our esteemed Fabio Guzman returned from his round-the-world trip with his own assessment.

Fabio J. Guzman said:
Cairo: Except for the Pyramids and the Archeological Museum, I found it an unlivable, horrible place. Too big (17 to 18 million people), too polluted, too chaotic. Trying to cross a street as a pedestrian is a major undertaking even from a Dominican perspective. Had to call upon the assistance of a policeman to cross from the Malec?n by the Nile to my hotel on the other side of the street.

Too bad Fabio didn't visit more of the locations lauded by MommC so that we would could test those claims as well.
 

Golo100

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Lets be real!!!

If Miami with its nearness to DR, its enviable geographic position as a tropical island atmosphere in a temperate continent has not affected DR*s tourism, how can a drab, ugly looking place like Cairo with a continous threat of potential muslim terrorism be a threat to us?

Lets be serious. Can you compare Sharm el Sheikk to the South Beach, Collins Avenue, Lincoln Road, experience? No way Jose!!
Driving into Miami Beach and passing by Star Island with the perfect palm trees lined up is not Sharm el Sheikk. Watching those magnificent towers like Aqualina, Trumps Grande and shopping at Bal Harbour would be enough to keep people from coming to DR. Yet is doesnt. Miami tourism has no effect on DR. Why should Cairo?

TW
 

MommC

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Golo....driving into Sharm el Sheikh one might think they're driving into Miami Beach! That's the whole point! We never,NEVER expected to be floored by Sharm. We were expecting a "desert beach" with some resorts and maybe a small "Egyptian" village.
NOT!
As an example my hubby has been looking for a HUB (human underwater breathing system of which the one MARES makes is most well known in the diving community). So far all the dive shops he's been into in Canada and the States have only been able to show him a picture. No-one has one in stock (yes they are expensive!). However, every dive shop he went into in Sharm had at least one if not one of each "model". Impressed? You bet he was.....he's been looking for over two years!
It's just starting to really boom and I'm sure those who have visited are going to return with "friends and family".
Cairo is Cairo and always will be. As I said in Fabio's thread we were obviously in two different areas of the city (what ! - there are no differences in areas of Santo Domingo??). Cairo is a place to visit to see the pyramids and the museum and a couple of other interesting sights but Sharm and it's neighbours are DEFINITELY a paradise for Europeans and Asians that is much closer than the DR.
Stands to reason as word gets out about how beautiful the area is (and clean and inexpensive) less Europeans will be making the trip to the DR in favour of Egypt and other European destinations.
 
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Golo100

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Mommc

Tell me, and save me the research if you can, but what fine shops and international clubs are there in Sharm E.S.? Do you have a Bal Harbour style area? What about hi-rises and mansions, just curious. How would you compare our Malecon views to it?

TW
 

MommC

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The views are fab Golo and we stopped in at the Hard Rock Cafe to pick up a shot glass for my son who collects them! I hear Planet Hollywood is looking for a property also.
As for shops - no "big names" like Gucci and Valentino yet but the shops they do have in Sharm el Sheikh had some of the best selections I've seen in a tourist area.
The high rises and mansions are being built as I type and they have some of the most luxurious resorts I've ever seen. On par with the many of the 5 stars we stayed in throughout France, Switzerland and Italy.
We had a beautiful view of the Tiran island from our balconey window. The panorama was incredible. We overlooked the pool area,the sea with the island in the background. I'd say it compared well to the Malecon if not even more breathtaking.
Not sure what you mean by Bal Harbour (having never been there) but the sea walk (comparable to the once lovely boardwalk in Atlantic City) was definitely a highlight for evening strolls. No worry about being mugged either!!
There are many palm lined drives (some that seemed to go on forever) into many of the resorts and all the main arteries are four-laned.
Sea on one side, desert on the other framed by "decomposed granite" hills Sharm is truly an mind-bogling oasis.
Like I said- we were astontouded and astonished by what we saw and experienced.
Does it mean I'm going to give up coming to the DR? No-I "live" there 5 months of the year.
Does it mean I'll "vacation" again in Egypt especially Sharm el Sheikh? You bet! And I will bring friends (who no longer want to come to the DR) with me!
 

MommC

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Just a note......have friends who were in Cairo two years ago. They had lunch at the Holiday Inn right close to the pyramids at Giza and found it to be "dirty". They drove in from Alexandria (which they loved) and stayed only one night. They said the hotel they stayed at was "alright" (your average econo type hotel-they didn't say what name) but she found it incredibly "dusty" everywhere. Kinda to be expected given that it's on the bank of the Nile surrounded by desert.
We stayed at the five star Conrad so I guess your perspective depends a lot on where you are.
 

jose?to

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Sounds like you had a great trip. But let's promote the DR.
I bet you did not find any tourist dancing to "El Mo?o??n" or "El Burro" in Egypt. Did you see any Germans doing the "Tuliquitaca" thingy?
And, like Robert said earlier: Cap Cana will be IT. It will bring home the real $pender$ : good ol' USA tourists.

Oh, yeah, what about the "grillo/sankie" factor?

Egypt can't touch us. Our fun factor makes up for any deficiency.
 

MommC

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Believe it or not the music I heard in Egypt at the resorts was the same music that you hear in the DR resorts. Actually we hada bit of a shock and then a good laugh the first night in Sharm when we walked into the disco and discovered they were playing "Latin" music. If it hadn't been for the opulent "Sheik's tent decor" I would have sworn we were at El Batey on a saturday night!! There was all the more popular "disco" sounds being played and a lot of Ricky Martin, Enrique Inglesis,etc. with just a few American and Egyptian songs (which sound very close to the "latin" sound) being played.
As for the grillo/sanki factor we didn't miss it a bit!! In fact it was kinda nice not to be surrounded by grillo/sanki's on the make!!
So there's not much of a deficiency in the "fun" factor.......the young people that were there seemed to be having a great time!;)
 
S

SDecatur

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You want civilized attitudes?
Do you want strest where even the lowliest street person places litter in the proper place?
You want natural beauty that can be found no where else in the world?
You want erupting volcanoes?
You like to ride zip lines from tree to tee 300 feet above the ground?
You want the most friendly peaceful people in the world

You just really want to see what a "Caribbean" paradise should be; try Costa Rica
 

MommC

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Which is a place that is also getting a lot of promotion lately in the media and being touted for all different types of vacations from a leisurely beach vacation to eco tours to adventure type sojourns.
Just don't go there if you have the Mediterranean allergy to "parietaria" as Costa Rica is the only country on this side of the globe that the "weed" that causes the allergic reaction grows!
 
S

SDecatur

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MommC said:
Which is a place that is also getting a lot of promotion lately in the media and being touted for all different types of vacations from a leisurely beach vacation to eco tours to adventure type sojourns.
Just don't go there if you have the Mediterranean allergy to "parietaria" as Costa Rica is the only country on this side of the globe that the "weed" that causes the allergic reaction grows!

I wasn't aware that "parietaria" was indigenous to Costa Rica, but it is not surprising as almost anything that grows is sustainable in Costa Rica's forests and deserts.

One of the fascinating 'plants" I observed were the "livimg fences." One year a row of posts are planted to form a fence, the next year they are flowering and growing roots in the fertile volcanic soil

I belive almost every species of flora and fauna found in tropical and temperate climatse can be found in this country.

now I am sure you can isolate many that are not, but the diversity is rivaled only by the Amazon
 

sanchegp

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The grass is always greener on the other side of the river!!

You know, Mommc, It looks to me like it's time for you to move...as the grass on your side of the river is becoming stale and brownish...I too left my country (the DR-Jarabaco) a long time ago looking for a greener grass and came to the US (NY to be specific) thinking of finding that green that I no longer could see on my side of the river...the green that pulls us all in looking for what we haven't lost...Be aware though, that like the seasons, the green will go through its natural course...to be born...to grow...to reproduce....and finally die....and once again there will be another calling. A calling that will replicate the same desires and inhibits the same symptoms that you're currently having. A calling that overcomes all other voices (or callings) around you and would not hear anything else but "The Calling"....a calling that undermines all livelong experiences...making a livelong history disappear in front of your own eyes...a calling that until finally consumed will not let you sleep...even if you're secluded in "El Salto Baiguate" all by yourself....

...It is this calling (Not Egypt, Italy or any of those other places) that is really pulling you over....when you finally give in to your calling, though, I would love to hear your story through this board. Looking back 17 years ago, the DR offered a lot more than I would ever need...but again, the calling would not hear to that.
 

MommC

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Very good post!! Lots of insight there......
however you must remember that I make my "home" in Canada for half the year (or thereabout) and in the DR for the other half of the year.
So my posts in this thread are not about "moving" but are strictly "tourism" related.
The tourist trade is way down in the DR from when we first "moved" here (it's been up in Canada thanks to the dollar exchange and 9-11). I'm just reporting on what I saw in Europe and Egypt and what I've noticed in the DR.
 

sanchegp

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MommC

I understand that. I just wanted to be part of the action as I have come to love DR1 and all of the interesting and smart conversations that go on here...it's amazing!! I have found myself spending a lot more time than I should (As I usually do this from work)...but it's like an addiction....All the personalities like Hillybilly, Jim Hinsch, Mondongo..etc make this place really special.

Your reporting on the trip is great and has really taught me some geography...God I thought I had traveled!! Anyhow, I just wanted to add a little bit of complication to all the clear minded people in the forum...

G
 

MommC

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Great! Now all I need to do is write a "trip report" to post in the appropriate section. This thread was just to get a discussion going on what, when and how the DR needs to promote/encourage tourism.
We had a great time and really had our eyes opened on how things had changed since we'd last been (which was the year after we started coming to the DR- all the relatives have been cursing the DR because we haven't been since we bought our place in Juan Dolio!!!).