Mrs Clintons Bombshell. Cuba opening up to US!

B

Berzin

Banned
Nov 17, 2004
5,897
550
113
corsair74 said:
And why wouldn't we care about Puerto Ricans?:ermm:
Click to expand...

Ah, muchas gracias Vince for standing up for the boriquas.

The Puerto Ricans that I know who travel from PR to DR do so for a couple of reasons-they have more fun in the DR(make of that what you will), and also the AI resorts are less expensive than in PR.

You would figure that both islands are bathed in the same Caribbean sunlight and have equally nice beaches, but it's a matter of getting priced out of their own house for the same amenities.

Believe me, these things matter. And the Puerto Ricans really don't seem at all bothered by the fact that the infrastructure of the DR is a bit more humble in comparison.

But it would be interesting to see-right now it is just too early to tell how the migratory patterns of Puerto Rican vacationers will change if and when Cuba opens up.
 
Last edited:
J

jrzyguy

Bronze
May 5, 2004
1,832
22
0
as half US gringo i would LOVE to go to Cuba...especialy before it changes too much. One on the reasons i prefer DR vs PR is that it is not so americanized.

I want to see the architecture, the cars and of course hear the music LIVE.

I have never understood the embargo. We have relations with other communist countries and dictatorship regeims. It has not been a dem or repub issue as both parties have upheld the embargo.

I voted for obama and i certainly do not think he's going to solve all the worlds problems...but this is a promising start.

I am sure that the DR will feel some impact...but i think it will be sight. DR tourism is going to be down this year anyhoo with the economy. I've booked my flight and reserved my room...still not sure if i can actually go tho :-(
 
G

Golo100

Bronze
Jan 5, 2002
2,138
56
0
Cuba will be at best a marginal player until they replace that overrated revolution that goes nowhere. Dr despite its weakness with our corrupted system will still be beyond cuba as a host to freedom oriented people. Dr tourist infrastructure is light years ahead of cuba.dr is moving forward towards attracting people into resort homes and apartments.cuba has enough trying to rebuilt after the storms. Raul castro has many years left of saving face for that obsolete "revolution" and chavez will keep a grip on him until we get rid of that venezuelan clown
 
C

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
16,772
430
0
Santiago
The big challenge I see for developers of resorts in Cuba is the investment of say 50 to 300 million in infrastructure that somehow might be remitted back to the revolution because they don't get real title to the land.

Resorts don't come cheap, especially when you have to create all your own infrastructure, like sanitary sewer systems and treatment plants, a desalinization plant for a potable water source, power plants, etc.
 
B

Berzin

Banned
Nov 17, 2004
5,897
550
113
Chip said:
The big challenge I see for developers of resorts in Cuba is the investment of say 50 to 300 million in infrastructure that somehow might be remitted back to the revolution because they don't get real title to the land.

Resorts don't come cheap, especially when you have to create all your own infrastructure, like sanitary sewer systems and treatment plants, a desalinization plant for a potable water source, power plants, etc.
Click to expand...

Excellent points, Chip. But I think they can and will do it. It all depends on how the land ownership questions play out.

Using the current model, the answer to you the issues you raised would right now be a resounding NO.

It is a bone of contention as to how tourism affects the indigenous population when a resort is owned by a foreign entity and the money does not get recycled within the community at large-the population benefits with jobs, but only at subsistence wages.

So the question is, and it may be a rhetorical one, what good are jobs when the wages paid are not capable of lifting the workers out of poverty?

That seems to be the model in many developing countries that have a tourism infrastructure.
 
M

Mason3000

Active member
Aug 2, 2008
363
46
28
What % of Dominican tourism comes from the US (Not counting Dominican Yorks who'll be coming to the DR regardless)? Can Cuba opening up (Which it will IMO) really impact things that much?
 
C

catcherintherye

Silver
Mar 2, 2008
2,902
544
0
"What % of Dominican tourism comes from the US (Not counting Dominican Yorks who'll be coming to the DR regardless)? Can Cuba opening up (Which it will IMO) really impact things that much?"

As was stated earlier in this thread, the percentage of total number of tourists who travel from the US is between 27.5% and 30%, based on figures from 2006 and 2007.
 
R

rortiz79

New member
Aug 8, 2008
106
0
0
Hmm this is very interesting. I would love to go to Cuba without some weird restrictions to go do some photography. One of the few places where I still want to go!
 
T

Thandie

Bronze
Nov 27, 2007
694
80
0
rortiz79 said:
Hmm this is very interesting. I would love to go to Cuba without some weird restrictions to go do some photography. One of the few places where I still want to go!
Click to expand...

Yup a photographers dream!
My friend took a photography tour and loved it.
 
A

A.Hidalgo

Silver
Apr 28, 2006
3,268
98
0
Bill would drop travel restrictions to Cuba

A bill that would allow travel to Cuba for all, was reintroduced on Feb 4th. Things are a changing in this new Washington atmosphere.

The Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Feb. 4 would allow American citizens unrestricted travel to Cuba for the first time since 1963. The bill by Rep. William Delahunt, D-Mass., and eight co-sponsors would also lift limits on travel by Cuban exiles living in the United States. The president would not be able to regulate travel to the island unless an armed conflict or armed danger arises.
Click to expand...

Stealth bill would drop travel restrictions to Cuba. Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act. -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
 
T

Thandie

Bronze
Nov 27, 2007
694
80
0
rortiz79 said:
Hmm this is very interesting. I would love to go to Cuba without some weird restrictions to go do some photography. One of the few places where I still want to go!
Click to expand...

Well Rortiz your 'wish' (and the wish of many other Americans) may come true, sooner than you thought!

I know an amazing young Cuban photographer I can connect you with. He lives in Havana.
 
A

AK74

On Vacation!
Jun 18, 2007
842
36
0
A.Hidalgo said:
A bill that would allow travel to Cuba for all, was reintroduced on Feb 4th. Things are a changing in this new Washington atmosphere.



Stealth bill would drop travel restrictions to Cuba. Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act. -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Click to expand...



What a great news! To have an alternative high quality and reasonably priced destination for vacation and living - what else to dream of!

Thank you Hidalgo. All the gringo rip-off prices in DR-Sosua now are shameless. With their greed they will destroy themselves. And deserve. ;)
 
cobraboy

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
AK74 said:
All the gringo rip-off prices in DR-Sosua now are shameless. With their greed they will destroy themselves. And deserve. ;)
Click to expand...
So why frequent that area?

Seems to me that if someone wants First World standards...which, MOL, is what the resort areas have...you have to pay First World prices. With the number of business failures in Sosua and other tourist areas, I doubt they are shamelessly ripping folks off with their greed. Obviously, even at the First World prices, they cannot generate enough Gross Profit to survive.
 
NALs

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
13,742
3,325
113
A.Hidalgo said:
A bill that would allow travel to Cuba for all, was reintroduced on Feb 4th. Things are a changing in this new Washington atmosphere.



Stealth bill would drop travel restrictions to Cuba. Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act. -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Click to expand...
Since the share of Americans in Dominican tourism has been on a upward swing for a few years now (although they are still a minority), its better that Cuba becomes accessible to Americans now than later. The effects will be minimal as oppose to having them opened to American travelers a decade or so from now.

On the hand, may Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Aruba, the Bahamas and all the other islands with an American dominated tourism industry have all the luck in the world with the direct competition of Cuba.

-NALs
 
I

IslandDreaming

Gold
May 5, 2007
9,246
92
0
NALS

Seeing the USA is so "insignificant" in the amount of tourist arrivals, maybe you could give us a breakdown as to which country provides the most tourists PER COUNTRY, not continent, Union, ethnic heritage etc. Simple Nals, Germany, China, Serbia etc., not EU, Balkans or so on, just which country.

Not interested in Jamiaca, Antigua or Outer Mongolia, just which country send the mosts tourists to the DR.

Plain and simple one word answer, or could possibly be two words :cheeky:


NALs said:
Since the share of Americans in Dominican tourism has been on a upward swing for a few years now (although they are still a minority), its better that Cuba becomes accessible to Americans now than later. The effects will be minimal as oppose to having them opened to American travelers a decade or so from now.

On the hand, may Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Aruba, the Bahamas and all the other islands with an American dominated tourism industry have all the luck in the world with the direct competition of Cuba.

-NALs
Click to expand...
 
C

catcherintherye

Silver
Mar 2, 2008
2,902
544
0
That would be the United States, with approximately 30% of the total number of tourists, an absolute majority.

US: 32.2
Canada: 22.6
France: 9
Spain: 5.7
Germany: 5.6
UK: 5
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom