Record number of tourist arrivals in November

[XQT]

With inflation taking away more and more discretionary spending dollars, tourists to the extent they are able, will likely go to lower priced destinations.

While the DR AI's have tourist value, Mexico is the 800 pound gorilla in the room.............and their tourism numbers currently reflect that.

As worldwide inflationary pressures continue, they will likely affect AI tourism in the coming year.......no matter what the destination.

Inflation is nothing more than a hidden tax, and as such it tends to decrease discretionary spending on things like tourism. Tourism may not go away but it will certainly be impacted by it, whether in the form of less tourists or tourists with less discretionary income to spend while on vacation.

The savior for tourist arrival numbers in the DR this year seems to have been the arrival of the cruise ships. While it boosts the numbers of arrivals, the short stint in port may not have the same economic affect as the typical one to two week AI tourist.

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

A well written report!
Due to inflation discretionary income is reduced.

Cruise arrivals in Amber Cove and Taino Bay are up.
It would be interesting to know how many passengers disembark.
I have not seen large groups of cruise passengers in Puerto Plata or Sosua.
I have seen a few Safari trucks and some tourists at Playabachata last month.
Their stay was brief at the all inclusive, as everything on board would be od much better quality and free.
Obviously they paid something to have a brief visit at the resort, part of a shore excursion.

The only remaining value in the DR for a 1-2 week stay are the AI in Punta Cana and to a much lesser degree Playa Dorada.

 

[XQT]

Not so fast about Mexico compared to the DR. The DR Govt. helps tourism with better tax structure. Not so with Mexico. Read below.......
The increase in hotel taxes promoted by Quintana Roo (Mexico) makes the destination less competitive in comparison to Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), which offers better rates without feeling fiscally suffocated. The tension between the Mexican government and the Riviera Maya and Cancun hotel associations grows as the negotiations against the tax increase continue. According to Noticaribe, Riviera Maya hoteliers led by Antonio Chaves requested that the increase be phased in because there are “reservations and nights purchased for the beginning of 2023.

Quintana Roo, less competitive than Punta Cana due to tax increases

<p>The increase in hotel taxes promoted by Quintana Roo (Mexico) makes the destination less competitive in comparison to Punta Cana (Dominican Republic), which offers better rates without feeling fiscally suffocated. The tension between the Mexican government and the Riviera Maya and Cancun...

dominicantoday.com

Regardless, tourist numbers in Mexico even with the drug wars and insecurity are going up.
Also you have to consider if tourists are travelling from the West Coast or East Coast.
As far as I know there have been no direct flights from the West Coast to the DR for a long time.
Necessitating transit in YYZ, or East coast US or Florida.

If you want to compare costs for All Inclusive or flights you just have to check travel wholesale websites.
I will provide a Canadian one, so you can compare DR and MEX all inclusive prices.
Regardless Punta Cana does provide good value.

https://www.selloffvacations.com/en/

 

[jd426]

Several Americans I know who used to do Sosua on the weekends
have started traveling down to places like Cartagena and Medellin
instead. You also have to remember a lot of those same weekend
warriors are more or less paycheck to paycheck so inflation does
play a role.

Even a Presidente going from 100 pesos to 140 Pesos, at the Bars Plays a minor ROLE ..
But the truth be told , the town has become more of a weekend destination for Simps now than anything else .
You are right the real Travelers are going elsewhere .. Some are staying On the Island .. I see a LOT of Videos now about Punta Cana, and Santo Domingo, from these SAME DUDES .
Could it be they have become more sophisticated ? and are Exploring elsewhere on the Island, or they really took their Money elsewhere completely ?

But it is kind of funny, where are the Posters here who said "those Dudes" have ZERO effect on the Sosua Economy ?
And we tried to explain to them , ok , show me another demographic which spends $200- $300 a day/ every day on food , drink and fun ..
lmao
I hear crickets .

 

[XQT]

Even a Presidente going from 100 pesos to 140 Pesos, at the Bars Plays a minor ROLE ..
But the truth be told , the town has become more of a weekend destination for Simps now than anything else .
You are right the real Travelers are going elsewhere .. Some are staying On the Island .. I see a LOT of Videos now about Punta Cana, and Santo Domingo, from these SAME DUDES .
Could it be they have become more sophisticated ? and are Exploring elsewhere on the Island, or they really took their Money elsewhere completely ?

But it is kind of funny, where are the Posters here who said "those Dudes" have ZERO effect on the Sosua Economy ?
And we tried to explain to them , ok , show me another demographic which spends $200- $300 a day/ every day on food , drink and fun ..
lmao
I hear crickets .

Prices may be of no concern for that working US segment.
Fri to Sun. and back, short term.
In general I see Sosua as bottom of the barrel in most aspects, including most visiting gringos.
Why pay 250-300 for a large beer, or costly small ones.
Real bars and restaurants with 28% surcharge.

The resident gringos on pension go to colmado's in Charamicos or Sosua to save money.
They used to be regulars year around on Sosua Beach.

The effect of Sosua is it is dilapidated, the beach shacks are dumps.
Yes the beach is nice and great for swimming.
Add to this everyone expecting things to be torn down next year, if gob.do ever gets it's act together.
All less than inviting at high costs.
Sure there are nice condos and villas for rent, not cheap.
However if you ever leave them you are in the real DR, traffic and poor infrastructure.
One can do much better.

The "Dudes" are indeed better and cheaper off at AI's in Punta Cana.
For those looking for female company, one must have a very strange taste of "beauty" to find someone in Sosua.

 

[Tom0910]

Several Americans I know who used to do Sosua on the weekends
have started traveling down to places like Cartagena and Medellin
instead. You also have to remember a lot of those same weekend
warriors are more or less paycheck to paycheck so inflation does
play a role.

The exchange rate of COP-USD has gone through the roof so a LOT of the JetBlue crew have switched and are going to Colombia,my first time in Colombia it was 2200-1 now it's 4900-1

 

[JD Jones]

Prices may be of no concern for that working US segment.
Fri to Sun. and back, short term.
In general I see Sosua as bottom of the barrel in most aspects, including most visiting gringos.
Why pay 250-300 for a large beer, or costly small ones.
Real bars and restaurants with 28% surcharge.

The resident gringos on pension go to colmado's in Charamicos or Sosua to save money.
They used to be regulars year around on Sosua Beach.

The effect of Sosua is it is dilapidated, the beach shacks are dumps.
Yes the beach is nice and great for swimming.
Add to this everyone expecting things to be torn down next year, if gob.do ever gets it's act together.
All less than inviting at high costs.
Sure there are nice condos and villas for rent, not cheap.
However if you ever leave them you are in the real DR, traffic and poor infrastructure.
One can do much better.

The "Dudes" are indeed better and cheaper off at AI's in Punta Cana.
For those looking for female company, one must have a very strange taste of "beauty" to find someone in Sosua.

Sosua has exactly the type of women most of those guys are looking for. If they all like slim, light skinned women then Sosua would be full of those instead.
I've watched many a tourist look at one of those butterball women in tight Lycras on the streets and go nuts.

 

[DR fan1990]

As for inflation..... it will drive a tourist to a lower priced destination....

Where is a cheapish vacation in the Caribbean...??
That's what DR is known for

Inflation will drive up DR tourism.... it could be argued

Isn't Cuba the cheapest in the Carribean?

 

[SKY]

Isn't Cuba the cheapest in the Carribean?

Comparing Cuba to the DR in tourist trade is like comparing a Calmado to Walmart...............

 

[william webster]

DRfan
Cuba.... you go first

‘Cuba Is Depopulating’: Largest Exodus Yet Threatens Country’s Future​

The pandemic and tougher U.S. sanctions have decimated Cuba’s economy, prompting the biggest migration since Fidel Castro rose to power.

 

[bob saunders]

Isn't Cuba the cheapest in the Carribean?

not even in the top ten