Puerto Plata prostitution and its effect on the local economy

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dv8

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i know lots of posters like to dis AI hotels because "the bulk of money stays with the big bosses in europe/NA" but their presence translates into the development of the area. look at punta cana with the busiest airport in the caribbean with connections to destinations all over the world. look at the money invested by the dominican government in road infrastructure in the east. look at people from all over DR moving to PC/bavaro area for work. AIs provide employment anad move the economy on the local level: the workers need places to shop and places to eat. the hotels get their supplies locally: fruits, vegetables, milk, cheese, meat, booze.

bringing large hotel chains to the NC would get so many wheels moving... but it's cheaper to complain about hookers lining up the streets of sosua and it's much easier to arrest few johns and beat up a couple of hos in an attempt to "solve the issue". and put all the blame on the tourists coming here for the cheap punnaney. clearly some folks have never passed avenida caaamano in PP after dusk with putas of both sexes on every corner. and guess what, they ain't waiting for gringos...
 
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ljmesg

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This is the OP's 9th post.

It's obviously click bait DR bashing.

Boring as hell too...YAWN.
 
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ctrob

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Nov 9, 2006
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the gorgon said:
of course Sosua had putas 20 years ago. and 20 years ago, it was on the way out, like Playa Dorada. i do not know what is this family tourism people are talking about...
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I think Dominicans would prefer family tourism.....over prostitution. I can't say I've talked to all of them, but the ones I have talked to feel that way. So yes, Family Tourism doesn't exist now, but they would like it to.

I wasn't around when Playa Dorada was going full tilt, but I do know that they are doing much better now. More guests and more new construction. PD got old looking, and PC became the new shiny penny that everybody wanted to see.

DV8 touched on what sosua needs to come out of it's giant hole....better infrastructure bringing in investors. Only then change would come. Which makes tons of sense.

Why do people flock to AI's? The AI's control their own mini-infrastructure, they supply 24 hr elec and water (most of the time), they keep a clean appearance, they have friendly staff and lots of easy options for food and entertainment.

Sosua has none of that. But they could.
 
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the gorgon

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ctrob said:
I think Dominicans would prefer family tourism.....over prostitution. I can't say I've talked to all of them, but the ones I have talked to feel that way. So yes, Family Tourism doesn't exist now, but they would like it to.

I wasn't around when Playa Dorada was going full tilt, but I do know that they are doing much better now. More guests and more new construction. PD got old looking, and PC became the new shiny penny that everybody wanted to see.

DV8 touched on what sosua needs to come out of it's giant hole....better infrastructure bringing in investors. Only then change would come. Which makes tons of sense.

Why do people flock to AI's? The AI's control their own mini-infrastructure, they supply 24 hr elec and water (most of the time), they keep a clean appearance, they have friendly staff and lots of easy options for food and entertainment.

Sosua has none of that. But they could.
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Playa Dorada is doing much better now? as opposed to when? is it doing much better now than it was in 1998?

people flock to all inclusives because of their own personal nature. there are two types of tourists. there are allocentrics, who are adventurous, travel off the beaten path, and oftentimes travel alone. backpackers belong to that group. they want no rules, no schedules, no leaders. then there are psychocentrics, who want everything packaged for them. they have an umbilical cord which ties them to the tour operator. they do not want the adventure of having to plan anything. they like all inclusives, and cruise ships, and tour guides.

so, psychocentrics flock to all inclusives. allocentrics would not be caught dead in one.
 
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ctrob

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the gorgon said:
Playa Dorada is doing much better now? as opposed to when? is it doing much better now than it was in 1998?
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No idea. But it's doing better than 10 years ago. And Playa Dorada is not just AI's. Families are starting to come to PD, and they are not staying in AI's. They are renting condos and villas. There is a fair amount of new construction and renovation over the last few years. And more coming out of the ground as we speak.

I wouldn't say families are "flocking" yet. But they are coming. Playa Dorada is well on it's way to becoming relevant again. And correct me if I'm wrong, but PD originally went downhill by itself, not because of prostitution. So it's really a different discussion from the op.

But it is relevant to the conversation because PD also controls it's own infrastructure, keeps the place clean and safe. Families will enjoy going there because of those things. As opposed to venturing into Sosua.
 
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the gorgon

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ctrob said:
No idea. But it's doing better than 10 years ago. And Playa Dorada is not just AI's. Families are starting to come to PD, and they are not staying in AI's. They are renting condos and villas. There is a fair amount of new construction and renovation over the last few years. And more coming out of the ground as we speak.

I wouldn't say families are "flocking" yet. But they are coming. Playa Dorada is well on it's way to becoming relevant again. And correct me if I'm wrong, but PD originally went downhill by itself, not because of prostitution. So it's really a different discussion from the op.

But it is relevant to the conversation because PD also controls it's own infrastructure, keeps the place clean and safe. Families will enjoy going there because of those things. As opposed to venturing into Sosua.
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as to whether or not Playa Dorada will ever return to being a tourism mecca is left to be seen. it is the biggest all inclusive operation in the world, and in recent years it has not been drawing flies. i have posted before that one of the seminal works on the rise and fall of tourist destinations, The Tourism Area Life Cycle, by Richard Butler, asserts that certain tourism destinations attain a peak, then fall off. when they do decline, it is very difficult to revive them, short of completely reinventing the paradigms. simply sprucing the place up, and putting a new coat of paint on the plant, will not do it.
 
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ctrob

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I manage rental properties in Playa Dorada, and I can tell you that right now I am getting 60% occupancy. That’s a decent rate. It ain’t AI space. And it ain’t cheap stuff. And half of that number is families – as opposed to couples. Any place can draw more customers with proper management, improvements, investments etc. And that is happening in PD. Why do you doubt that? Take a drive thru. Things change G.
 
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the gorgon

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ctrob said:
I manage rental properties in Playa Dorada, and I can tell you that right now I am getting 60% occupancy. That’s a decent rate. It ain’t AI space. And it ain’t cheap stuff. And half of that number is families – as opposed to couples. Any place can draw more customers with proper management, improvements, investments etc. And that is happening in PD. Why do you doubt that? Take a drive thru. Things change G.
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so give us some numbers on the AI side of the ledger..

by the way, i have driven through PD many times. the last time i went into the shopping area, i saw one guy who looked like a tourist in the entire place, both floors.
 
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Bundel2014

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Dv8,give it a rest, (...) This whole post is stupid.Sosua hasnt been a family spot since 1989.As for the A1 in Playa Dorado,last 12 years,in the tank.Why do people care,if the Dominican powers that be clean up Sosua? Look what it did in 1995 to 1997 in Boca Chica,it cleaned it up,made it a ghost town.The only way Sosua will change is if the laws are changed and enforced.In short,it AINT GOING TO CHANGE.
 
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ctrob

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Nov 9, 2006
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the gorgon said:
so give us some numbers on the AI side of the ledger..

by the way, i have driven through PD many times. the last time i went into the shopping area, i saw one guy who looked like a tourist in the entire place, both floors.
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I send my guests to Jumbo if they’re staying in Playa Dorada. Easy Peasy – a 3 minute taxi ride. Jumbo’s location is ideal for Non-AI people in PD, right? Another sign of progress. The Playa Dorada Mall was designed with AI folks in mind. And they charge accordingly. Our guests are psyched when they see Jumbo. Everything they need is right there under one roof, and reasonably priced.

As to AI numbers, I have no idea. But when I go into one there, they seem busy. Beyond that, don’t know. If they keep their facilities up and do their marketing, they’ll do ok. If not, they’ll fold. And you’ll see more condos in PD.
 
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the gorgon

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Sep 16, 2010
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ctrob said:
Good point. At least one or two hotels have been announced. And they ain't All Inclusives. I'm guessing their marketing will be geared towards couples and families. Huh, that's weird.
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did you read what i said about the tourism are life cycle? when a tourism location goes into decline, it has to be reinvented...not revived. if Playa Dorada is moving to more upscale, higher cost lodgings, that means reinvention....
 
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