Obama announces new relations with Cuba

jaxter

Member
Aug 24, 2012
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It was something that should have happened years ago? finally President Barack Obama took the step.

This will have implications for the Dominican Republic. In the short term, I expect many US tourists traveling to the Dominican Republic to make that trip to Cuba instead of traveling to the DR. But I think more good for the DR will come of it.
eir

Maybe now DR government will rethink their complicated and costly residency proceedures...depends on cost of living in cuba vs dr for expats. Any thoughts?
 

AnnaC

Gold
Jan 2, 2002
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Wow I just found out that a tourist card is good for 30 days but Canadians can stay for 90 and renew for another 90 days ;)

BTW the hotel I where I stayed was owned by Canadians.
 

herre

New member
Dec 28, 2010
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Maybe, you have been living somewhere else. Maybe, you are talking jamaica and other former british islands? It is laughable bro! Bro, do me a favour! Go do some research and compare! The only island country who has more that 100 doctors in Africa, treatiing ebola, is none other than Cuba. More or about the same size as the usa!. How many do the Dr and the british islands you have mentionned have? Bro, go do some research instead of sitting there drinking Presidente.
Do you know that the Cuban government charge $4000.00 for each doctor that they export to other countries and they pay only 10% of those $4000.00 to the doctor. Those doctors that they export they only make $25.00 a month as a salary in Cuba and they are not allowed to do private medicine. They make $400.00 a month if they go to another country to work and the government keep $3600.00 per doctor they export.
You should inform your self better about Cuba and the Cuban government.
 

aname4me

Active member
Jun 18, 2011
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You are delusional. Cubans are wonderful people except all the conmen, mafia, hos....etc. The government has run an excellent propagada machine. Education on any former British colony is considerably better.

The British conquered Havana in1762 and kept it for a year. That would make Havana a "former British colony". Right!
 

Rustxko

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Aug 3, 2014
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I've never been to Cuba. I have no relatives from Cuba.

BUT I got drunk with two cubanos in the miami airport last month, so.......... I'm the definitive source on all things Cuban. Just out Cuba'd all ya'll!

Ask me about crime, infrastructure, education, medicine, etc. jk

I think there will be a impact to AI tourist throughout the caribbean. A friend texted me at 7:30am today asking if I wanted to go to the Cuba next year. Speaking for myself, next year would have been 3 DR trips, but now it is 2 DR and 1 Cuba to saftisfy my curiousity.

The reason that I think so is because American AI tourists don't care about healthcare systems, education systems, cuban doctors, the castro brothers, the revolution, the missle crisis, government repression, domestic crime, corruption, etc. The missile crisis was 50+ years ago. Most AI tourists are younger than that. Their only concern is pretty beaches, drinks, and safety at the cheapest cost. Cuba will be able to offer all that at a competitive price.

Beaches - I've seen the pictures of Varadero. Looks pretty to me.
Drinks - Cuba is another rum island. Check
Safety - AI americans will be skeptical, but they are skeptical of safety in RD. I'd venture to guess that they're pretty close to equal in the mind of a once every 3 years AI tripper. Those people don't go outside the walls. They encourage each other not to go outside the walls except on guided tours arranged by the hotel.

There will be some impact, and I think it will go beyond the "colonial zone/look at the vintage cars" tourist. How many of those tourists are there in town at once anyways? 200-300. While 1 of the many AIs has that many on it's grounds.
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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dr1.com
This needs to get 100% focused on how this impacts the DR or it's moved to Off Topic.

Anymore off topic posts will be deleted, so don't waste your time!
 
May 29, 2006
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Cuba needs to upgrade its sugar industry. Perhaps the DR can be a part of that. It would be interesting if Haiti starts exporting sugar workers there, now there there is so much less demand for them in the DR. Maybe a Brugal owned rum factory?
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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Please explain to me how despite this change not including approval for Americans to visit Cuba as tourists, why it would have any real impact in the near term on the DR?
 

the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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Please explain to me how despite this change not including approval for Americans to visit Cuba as tourists, why it would have any real impact in the near term on the DR?

as long as the tourist prohibition remains in place, it will have no meaningful impact.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
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Please explain to me how despite this change not including approval for Americans to visit Cuba as tourists, why it would have any real impact in the near term on the DR?

This might be the first logical post since this started. NO TOURISTS CAN GO THERE NOW. This is a lot of political BS.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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South Coast
Please explain to me how despite this change not including approval for Americans to visit Cuba as tourists, why it would have any real impact in the near term on the DR?

In the near term, not much. In the longer term, I can see Americans who now go to DR wanting to check out Cuba just out of curiosity. It has always intrigued me, and even Mr. AE, so we may go one day.
 
May 29, 2006
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It will be nice to have some other reason than the chicas being used as an excuse for the ten year *imminent* death of Sosua. HIV is suppose to be lower in Cuba and who knows what the ladies are asking. Maybe the new hot spot for mongers?
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
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In the near term, not much. In the longer term, I can see Americans who now go to DR wanting to check out Cuba just out of curiosity. It has always intrigued me, and even Mr. AE, so we may go one day.

In the longer term when you mean when it actually becomes legal to do so, and not just a flight from Canada or the DR?
 

Africaida

Gold
Jun 19, 2009
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Exactly !

This might be the first logical post since this started. NO TOURISTS CAN GO THERE NOW. This is a lot of political BS.

I dont know how they have the balls to say "full diplomatic relation restored blabla" when their own citizens can even go there.
Heck, I am not even a citizen and I can't even go there because I am a US resident (not even a permanent), I try to see if I could circumvent, didn t work, lol
 

suarezn

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Feb 3, 2002
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So if I understand you correctly Bob, Obama made a smart move? WOW!

From Bob: "Oh well...I mean...hold on there now...not so fast...He IS Obama after all...He's gotta be hiding something with this move...I have a friend's, mother's, sister's cousin thrice removed who told me so, so I believe it 100%" :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
 

aname4me

Active member
Jun 18, 2011
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Americans are welcome in Cuba now, and many thousands already travel there every year.

Cuba does not stamp Passports (unless asked), they stamp a ?special? piece of paper, which you must keep until you leave.

I have flown from Santa Domingo to Cuba three times. There is always a handful of American on board. There are also, lots of Cuba-Americans on board that don't want to bother with the paperwork to fly direct from the USA.

I have sat at Santiago de Cuba Airport and watched a airplane from the USA, as it passengers walked across the tarmac. At least half of them (in no way) looked or dressed like a Cuban. I am sure they were on an ?Educational trips? to Cuba.

Check out...
Cuba, Face to Face,Educational trips to Cuba by Discovery Tours - www.gate1travel.com

It is not hard for any American to visit Cuba now.
 
Jan 9, 2004
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Please explain to me how despite this change not including approval for Americans to visit Cuba as tourists, why it would have any real impact in the near term on the DR?

Lets start with deployment of resources (investment dollars) diverted from the DR to Cuba.

Those that may have been considering projects in the DR may just sit back and take a wait and see approach to deployment of capital in the DR.

For those screaming, tourists are not yet allowed....so that cannot be correct....please read on.

The largest player in telecommunications in the DR is Carlos Slim and Claro. Cuba has about a 10% cell phone penetration rate. Bet Carlos Slim has already started planning the use of his capital in the mega opportunity that is Cuba. Those resources will keep enhancements and upgrades from happening more rapidly in countries that he has exposure to.....which includes the DR.

Second, Cuba has an internet penetration rate lower than Haiti. Expect companies like Wind etc., to divert resources away from upgrades and enhancements elsewhere (think the DR).

Third, any projected tourism projects scheduled or in late planning stages for the DR are likely to be "shelved" for the moment......as developers adopt a short term wait and see attitude.

Additionally, for those that believe that Cuba has virtually no tourism or hotels....think again.

Cuba is the second most traveled to tourist destination in the Caribbean.....right behind the DR. And that is in spite of the embargo...and with minimal US visits (98,000 in 2012). Tourism visits for Cuba are expected to hit almost 3 million for 2014, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

If, and its a big if for tourism from the US, the embargo is lifted in the next year, the floodgates will be open for Cuba. Surely they will not call it Capitalism and betray the revolutionary ideals of Castro....but you can bet that once the population tastes it, whatever it is called "managed socialism" or the like, there will be no turning back for Cuba.

This will slow the growth of tourism in the DR and as tourism in the DR has matured, it may well portend periods of decline...unless the DR gets out of the hammock and recognizes tourism growth is no longer guaranteed.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 

greydread

Platinum
Jan 3, 2007
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If Cuba's tourism "right behind the D.R." means a little more than "half" then they may have a steady slight increase to look forward to but the D.R. is years ahead of Cuba in infrastructure development to accommodate the expansion of tourism.

http://www.antiguahotels.org/documents/Lattab13.pdf

I'm betting that this change in policy has everything to do with Fidel's declining state of health and I am sure that Raul understands the handwriting on the wall better than anyone else and wishes to come out on top of the "nuevo revolucion" rather than beneath it.


Raul Castro Is Stepping Out Of His Brother's Shadow - Business Insider