Police in Sosua

[SKY]

I know that's where the vast majority of Americans go when they visit the DR......

I never did understand why people want to go to those big resort complexes in Punta Cana and spend the majority of their time surrounded by other tourists.........boring!!!!!

This is what most people don't know. You go to almost any hotel in Punta Cana on the weekend and see how many Dominicans are there. When there is a long weekend they are full of Dominicans from the Capital.

 

[cobraboy]

This is what most people don't know. You go to almost any hotel in Punta Cana on the weekend and see how many Dominicans are there. When there is a long weekend they are full of Dominicans from the Capital.

This is true, and those Dominicans pay MUCH less for the AI experience than Gringos do.

 

[Eddy]

Tourism is way down in the DR; being known as a place to go for sex is not coming close to filling the hotels. Time to try to clean up the reputation of the DR and attract a different crowd.

Tourism is down in the DR for many reasons and the ?sex? part is way down on the list. (If on the list at all) Most of the people I know who visit couldn?t care less about the hookers. Very seldom have I heard anyone complain. There was a time when too many were on the streets. That was a few years ago.
We have to be honest here. Other than the global economy crisis, the main reasons I think, are the price of the flights, the lack of decent services, the filth and the fact that the DR doesn?t really have much to offer. A 2 day visit in Santo Domingo (History) and it?s over. As for the rich wanting to make this a destination?.. Well, if I was rich the DR would not be on my list of places to live and hookers have nothing to do with it. The Gov. Tourism authorities are using them as a scapegoat to justify their failure.

 

[Eddy]

This is true, and those Dominicans pay MUCH less for the AI experience than Gringos do.

A-I's loose money when these dudes show up. I used to get a kick watching them at a buffet.

 

[Ringo]

Tourism is down in the DR for many reasons and the “sex” part is way down on the list. (If on the list at all) Most of the people I know who visit couldn’t care less about the hookers. Very seldom have I heard anyone complain. There was a time when too many were on the streets. That was a few years ago.
We have to be honest here. Other than the global economy crisis, the main reasons I think, are the price of the flights, the lack of decent services, the filth and the fact that the DR doesn’t really have much to offer. A 2 day visit in Santo Domingo (History) and it’s over. As for the rich wanting to make this a destination….. Well, if I was rich the DR would not be on my list of places to live and hookers have nothing to do with it. The Gov. Tourism authorities are using them as a scapegoat to justify their failure.

My wife and I stayed in the Colonial Zone Tues, Weds and Thurs. We go to S.D. about this time every year. The Hodelpa Caribe Hotel had about 8 rooms occupied. The bars and restaurants on the Parque de Colon had very few customers and being aggressive trying to get anyone to sit down. The main shopping street, Calle El Conde, was just about empty with many shops closed. We saw only a couple of small groups of tourists being led around. As we walked around on the side streets looking for shops that we found closed, we saw no tourists at all.

 

[Eddy]

My wife and I stayed in the Colonial Zone Tues, Weds and Thurs. We go to S.D. about this time every year. The Hodelpa Caribe Hotel had about 8 rooms occupied. The bars and restaurants on the Parque de Colon had very few customers and being aggressive trying to get anyone to sit down. The main shopping street, Calle El Conde, was just about empty with many shops closed. We saw only a couple of small groups of tourists being led around. As we walked around on the side streets looking for shops that we found closed, we saw no tourists at all.

Your Honor, the Defense rests.

 

[cobraboy]

Your Honor, the Defense rests.

But, Eddy, wouldn't you agree that June-October is the season that bottoms out every year the same time? While tourism is MOL down everywhere, wouldn't the annual seasonality also account for much of the decrease?

I'm curious: what kind of high season did Sosua and Cabarete have this past winter?

 

[Ken]

Tourism is down in the DR for many reasons and the ?sex? part is way down on the list. (If on the list at all) Most of the people I know who visit couldn?t care less about the hookers. Very seldom have I heard anyone complain. There was a time when too many were on the streets. That was a few years ago.
We have to be honest here. Other than the global economy crisis, the main reasons I think, are the price of the flights, the lack of decent services, the filth and the fact that the DR doesn?t really have much to offer. A 2 day visit in Santo Domingo (History) and it?s over. As for the rich wanting to make this a destination?.. Well, if I was rich the DR would not be on my list of places to live and hookers have nothing to do with it. The Gov. Tourism authorities are using them as a scapegoat to justify their failure.

Yes, I agree there are many reasons. But the fact that Sosua and the North Coast have become identified with sex tourism is more of a reason than your message suggests.

This is one reason why the south coast has been doing so much better than the north coast.

 

[Ken]

I'm curious: what kind of high season did Sosua and Cabarete have this past winter?

I can't speak about Cabarete, but Sosua had a poor season. The condo where I live has, in the past, had lots of renters, but not this past winter.

 

[windeguy]

I'm curious: what kind of high season did Sosua and Cabarete have this past winter?

Cabarete was very slow this past winter as well and continues to be slow.

 

[Eddy]

But, Eddy, wouldn't you agree that June-October is the season that bottoms out every year the same time? While tourism is MOL down everywhere, wouldn't the annual seasonality also account for much of the decrease?

I'm curious: what kind of high season did Sosua and Cabarete have this past winter?

It's allways dead this time of year. Everyone is unanimous in saying that it's better that the "Police raids" were conducted now and not in Dec/April when it would have caused major dammage to tourism. Other than "p*ssing off" a few people, myself included I hope that life will go on as usual. Most business owners are confident that we will have a good season this year.
As for the past winter season, it was down from the previous years. I was told that there will be 100's of new flights to POP this year becacause the hotels in PC , Bavaro etc, are overbooked. They will be sending people to the north coast. Perhaps these raids etc. are their effort to tidy up things a little in preparation for the hopefully "Big Rush" this season.

Are we friends now Ken?

 

[oriole100]

Most of our friends don't come to the North Coast, because the air fare is way too high. They can go to PC for a week at a AI, including the airfare, for what it cost for airfare alone to the NC.

 

[Ken]

Are we friends now Ken?

Always, Eddy.

 

[drstock]

Most of our friends don't come to the North Coast, because the air fare is way too high. They can go to PC for a week at a AI, including the airfare, for what it cost for airfare alone to the NC.

Thomson are stopping all flights from London to POP and and Samana from November to March. I don't know why, because the flights are always full. I guess it must be because of high taxes. They are still flying to Punta Cana all winter.

 

[Ken]

Thomson are stopping all flights from London to POP and and Samana from November to March. I don't know why, because the flights are always full. I guess it must be because of high taxes. They are still flying to Punta Cana all winter.

Are the taxes different in Punta Cana?

 

[Eddy]

Are the taxes different in Punta Cana?

I read somewhere that taxes in POP are the 2nd highest in the world. And yes, taxes are a lot cheaper in PC. Our Gov. for some reason are making things dificult for the north coast. I hope Papa will sort things out next year.

 

[Acira]

Thomson are stopping all flights from London to POP and and Samana from November to March. I don't know why, because the flights are always full. I guess it must be because of high taxes. They are still flying to Punta Cana all winter.

Same goes for JetAir, no flights on POP anymore as from October this year.

 

[SKY]

Tax Percentage from PP compard to PC

Adult Fare per Person 365.00 USD Total Fare per Person
365.00 USD
Additional Taxes and Fees per Person * 192.60 USD Total Price 557.60 USD
• View Fare Rules.

Adult Fare per Person 432.00 USD Total Fare per Person
432.00 USD
Additional Taxes and Fees per Person * 203.30 USD Total Price 635.30 USD


The first fare is from POP round trip to Mia the tax there is 52.7 %

The next one down is from Punta Cana round trip to Mia the tax there is 47 %

Even though the fare is higher on these dates from Punta Cana, I just wanted to see the tax percentage from each airport. Looks like the tax is 5.7% higher from Puerta Plata.

This is not intended to be a scientific certainty, just something I did on these dates. You can check other fares this way and see the tax structure from both places.

Just to add these are for July 12 returning July 19.

 

[SKY]

This One Tells It All

Fare Summary




Average Fare per Person: 1332.00 USD
Passenger Type Used in Pricing
Adult
Fare per Person 1332.00 USD
Total Fare per Person
1332.00 USD
Additional Taxes and Fees per Person *
98.60 USD
Total Price 1430.60 USD


This is the fare for a round trip ticket from Miami to Buenos Aires on the same dates.

Look at the tax, only 7.5 Percent. 98.6 on a $1,332 ticket.

 

[oldschool]

I think were getting off topic here's but a question does Aerodom operate the Punta Cana airport as well ? As I can't see the goverment having a different tax rate per airport............but this is the DR so..................