Tourism collapses 87% in August

[CDNBear]

In the particular case of September, the total influx of non-resident visitors by air was 103,942 people (57,065 Dominicans and 46,877 foreigners), the vast majority from the United States of America. This result represents a year-on-year decrease of 219,720 travelers (-67.9%) when compared to the same month last year, mainly explained by the reduction of 81.3% in the number of non-resident foreigners, equivalent to some 203,977 people, and to a lesser extent for the 15,743 fewer passengers (-21.6%) in the total of non-resident Dominicans.
It is important to highlight that the arrival of passengers shows an incipient trend towards recovery after the reopening of the airports, since non-resident foreigners who visited the country in September represented 18.7% of the total for the same month last year, higher to the proportions of 11.5% and 12.6% registered in July and August with respect to the same reference periods of 2019.

Source Banco Central

 

[matt77y]

Earlier in this thread someone mentioned that tourism accounts for 8-10% of GDP in DR.
Could someone explain what that means? Does it only account for the "direct" payment of goods and services by the tourists, or does it also include e.g. the bartender of the AI-hotel who uses his salary to pay for his rent and the landlord who in turn buys groceries etc.? So the GDP that is caused by the money changing hands after first being "injected" by a tourist.

 

[user123]

Since they are trying to attract visitors from Canada and US, and in Canada there is a mandatory 14 day self-isolation upon return, and some US states require the same, instead of offering free health insurance and stuff they should try and lobby the US and especially the Canadian government to exempt citizens returning to Canada with a negative Covid test from the mandatory quarantine, and if they can get that offer all the visitors free Covid test on the last day of their vacation.

Gov. to provide free rapid tests to Canadian tourists

As you can see I am Abinader's Special Advisor and he consults me on pretty much everything concerning State's affairs (it took him a month and a half to implement my recomodations but he got there) so when you see me give an opinion on something DON'T question my expertise, just accept it as the most brilliant thing you have ever read, thank me and move on 😁 The mods should also think twice before banning me again! 🤣

 

[windeguy]

Earlier in this thread someone mentioned that tourism accounts for 8-10% of GDP in DR.
Could someone explain what that means? Does it only account for the "direct" payment of goods and services by the tourists, or does it also include e.g. the bartender of the AI-hotel who uses his salary to pay for his rent and the landlord who in turn buys groceries etc.? So the GDP that is caused by the money changing hands after first being "injected" by a tourist.

Published by Ana M. López, Jun 9, 2020
In 2018, both the direct and the total participation of the travel and tourism sector in the Dominican Republic's GDP registered a slight decrease after a moderate but continuous growth during the previous eight years. That year, the total contribution to GPD in the Caribbean country amounted to 13.44 percent, while the direct contribution was of 4.25 percent.

Tourism GDP share by type Dominican Republic 2019 | Statista

In 2019, both the direct and the total participation of the travel and tourism sector in the Dominican Republic's GDP a second decline in a row.

www.statista.com

 

[Challenger007]

Earlier in this thread someone mentioned that tourism accounts for 8-10% of GDP in DR.
Could someone explain what that means? Does it only account for the "direct" payment of goods and services by the tourists, or does it also include e.g. the bartender of the AI-hotel who uses his salary to pay for his rent and the landlord who in turn buys groceries etc.? So the GDP that is caused by the money changing hands after first being "injected" by a tourist.

I think that both the number of visitors and, in general, the percentage of profits from hotels and rental housing, entertainment events (such as excursions, parties, parties) are counted. Surely all these numbers have dropped.

 

[playacaribe2]

I think that both the number of visitors and, in general, the percentage of profits from hotels and rental housing, entertainment events (such as excursions, parties, parties) are counted. Surely all these numbers have dropped.

Depends on how the government calculates gdp and in particular for tourism. Is it raw dollars spent by tourists or is it with gross value added using multiplier effect calculations?

The new number released by the Minister of Tourism now indicate 15% of gdp comes from the sector (that would appear to be with gva or gross value added);

Tourism: Dominican Republic faces one of the strongest crises

<p>Santo Domingo.- In July 2019 440,000 tourists entered the Dominican Republic and in July of this year, 50,000, and an occupancy rate of 5% in hotel terms, Tourism Minister, David Collado affirmed Sun. “The same thing happened in August, a very similar number. 111,000 passengers were arriving...

dominicantoday.com

The October tourism number should be released in about a week, and I fully expect the number to be awful........which continues the pace since the DR re-opened its borders to tourism.

No matter how much spin you hear, the overall economy is in seriously challenged waters. Not since the banking crisis has the DR faced so much uncertainty.......


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[bob saunders]

Gov. to provide free rapid tests to Canadian tourists

As you can see I am Abinader's Special Advisor and he consults me on pretty much everything concerning State's affairs (it took him a month and a half to implement my recomodations but he got there) so when you see me give an opinion on something DON'T question my expertise, just accept it as the most brilliant thing you have ever read, thank me and move on 😁 The mods should also think twice before banning me again! 🤣

COVID-19 testing pilot begins for international travellers arriving at Calgary airport, Coutts crossing

A new pilot project, conducted in partnership with the provincial and federal government, is offering rapid COVID-19 tests exclusively at the Calgary International Airport and the Coutts border crossing in southern Alberta .

calgary.ctvnews.ca

 

[playacaribe2]

While we await the usual morning after spin on the tourist numbers.............they continue to be ugly;

Total passengers for October 2020 was 162K........as compared to October 2019 at 425k,

The ever important PUJ numbers for October 2020 were 30k..........as compared to October 2019 at 179k.

With lock downs now in place across the EU and Covid cases rising in the US, it still looks to be a disastrous tourist season for the DR;

Sector turismo

Banco Central RD Nuestro objetivo principal es mantener la estabilidad de precios, por mandato constitucional y la Ley Monetaria y Financiera No.183-02 #BCRD

www.bancentral.gov.do

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[aarhus]

While we await the usual morning after spin on the tourist numbers.............they continue to be ugly;

Total passengers for October 2020 was 162K........as compared to October 2019 at 425k,

The ever important PUJ numbers for October 2020 were 30k..........as compared to October 2019 at 179k.

With lock downs now in place across the EU and Covid cases rising in the US, it still looks to be a disastrous tourist season for the DR;

Sector turismo

Banco Central RD Nuestro objetivo principal es mantener la estabilidad de precios, por mandato constitucional y la Ley Monetaria y Financiera No.183-02 #BCRD

www.bancentral.gov.do

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

I am surprised about the total nr actually but as you point out its the Punta Cana nr thats most important. The government should focus on getting Punta Cana back on track instead of new romantic tourism ideas. The Sosua, Las Terrenas and others are not big volume places and will find their own way I think. Punta Cana is crucial.

 

[playacaribe2]

I am surprised about the total nr actually but as you point out its the Punta Cana nr thats most important. The government should focus on getting Punta Cana back on track instead of new romantic tourism ideas. The Sosua, Las Terrenas and others are not big volume places and will find their own way I think. Punta Cana is crucial.

I think that is what they are trying to do with the new logo and slogan campaign.

DR tourism peaked in 2018 and will likely not come back to those levels for several years.

On top of that, the peso has depreciated 10% so far this year....................so much for those 9% peso bonds/CD's being sold to "investors."

Covid-19 presents circumstances out of the governments control. But, at least this government has been pro-active in seeking solutions.

They have raised some cash (USD) with a 3.8 billion dollar bond offering and have been granted loans from various governments/agencies to address certain other deficits. Additionally they have gotten the banks and Barrick Gold to make forward tax payments to alleviate stress on their balance sheet.

But that will not be enough. They will need additional revenue sources to make up for the heavy losses being felt in the tourist sector...............and that will likely come in the form of new/increased taxes as well as more aggressive tax collection enforcement.

Interesting times ahead.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[playacaribe2]

The US State Department has just lowered its travel warning to the DR from Level 4 "Do Not Travel" to Level 3 "Essential Travel Only."

Dominican Republic Travel Advisory

travel.state.gov

A step in the right direction..........but hardly enough to help bring tourist levels to anywhere near pre-covid levels.

Travel/tourism will likely not return to the DR in any meaningful level until at least November 2021.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[USA DOC]

I think that is what they are trying to do with the new logo and slogan campaign.

DR tourism peaked in 2018 and will likely not come back to those levels for several years.

On top of that, the peso has depreciated 10% so far this year....................so much for those 9% peso bonds/CD's being sold to "investors."

Covid-19 presents circumstances out of the governments control. But, at least this government has been pro-active in seeking solutions.

They have raised some cash (USD) with a 3.8 billion dollar bond offering and have been granted loans from various governments/agencies to address certain other deficits. Additionally they have gotten the banks and Barrick Gold to make forward tax payments to alleviate stress on their balance sheet.

But that will not be enough. They will need additional revenue sources to make up for the heavy losses being felt in the tourist sector...............and that will likely come in the form of new/increased taxes as well as more aggressive tax collection enforcement.

Interesting times ahead.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

Depends on how the government calculates gdp and in particular for tourism. Is it raw dollars spent by tourists or is it with gross value added using multiplier effect calculations?

The new number released by the Minister of Tourism now indicate 15% of gdp comes from the sector (that would appear to be with gva or gross value added);

Tourism: Dominican Republic faces one of the strongest crises

<p>Santo Domingo.- In July 2019 440,000 tourists entered the Dominican Republic and in July of this year, 50,000, and an occupancy rate of 5% in hotel terms, Tourism Minister, David Collado affirmed Sun. “The same thing happened in August, a very similar number. 111,000 passengers were arriving...

dominicantoday.com

The October tourism number should be released in about a week, and I fully expect the number to be awful........which continues the pace since the DR re-opened its borders to tourism.

No matter how much spin you hear, the overall economy is in seriously challenged waters. Not since the banking crisis has the DR faced so much uncertainty.......


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

..After many talks with my close and personal friends and relatives in the USA, during the pandemic...none have expressed any interest in winter vacations as is the norm for them and my daughters who always arrive in winter on the north coast have cancelled...many of them have said maybe Florida... that was something they did many years ago........

 

[TropicalPaul]

..After many talks with my close and personal friends and relatives in the USA, during the pandemic...none have expressed any interest in winter vacations as is the norm for them and my daughters who always arrive in winter on the north coast have cancelled...many of them have said maybe Florida... that was something they did many years ago........

I think the opposite is true for Brits, if the government there relaxes the quarantine rules when they return, they will flock to anywhere they can. People are just sick and tired of lockdowns and cold winters and will do anything to get away from them.

 

[Big]

I think the opposite is true for Brits, if the government there relaxes the quarantine rules when they return, they will flock to anywhere they can. People are just sick and tired of lockdowns and cold winters and will do anything to get away from them.

Unfortunately for the island Florida is wide open!

 

[johne]

I came into SDQ today. Although my flight seemed to be 95% Dominicans I saw quite a change taking place in regards to tourists. Today the airport had many tourists with young children. In addition, there were quite a few young adults travelling in small groups at immigration. Looking good I must say, a lot different than the past few months.

 

[Challenger007]

Perhaps the situation will change significantly for the better next year. We are still waiting for the COVID vaccine, which will allow us to stop the virus and return to normal life, allow ourselves travel and adequate leisure.

 

[playacaribe2]

And the new tourism numbers for November have been released.

So you are likely to hear from the spin doctors tourism increased by 30%......and they will leave it that.

What they may not tell you is that those numbers compare October (normally an off season month) with November (beginning of the high season).

And what I have yet to see them come clean on is the year over year comparisons.............and that is where it still ugly.....to say the least;

Number of total passengers into the DR for November 2019...................515,166.

Number of passengers into the DR for November 2020.......................207,773.

And the all important Punta Cana arrival numbers;

November 2019..............240,359.

November 2020..............47,593.

Not good............not good at all............no matter how much spin they give it.............and not likely to have any meaningful recovery until at least this time in 2021.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

 

[AlterEgo]

And the new tourism numbers for November have been released.

So you are likely to hear from the spin doctors tourism increased by 30%......and they will leave it that.

What they may not tell you is that those numbers compare October (normally an off season month) with November (beginning of the high season).

And what I have yet to see them come clean on is the year over year comparisons.............and that is where it still ugly.....to say the least;

Number of total passengers into the DR for November 2019...................515,166.

Number of passengers into the DR for November 2020.......................207,773.

And the all important Punta Cana arrival numbers;

November 2019..............240,359.

November 2020..............47,593.

Not good............not good at all............no matter how much spin they give it.............and not likely to have any meaningful recovery until at least this time in 2021.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

Wow, that Punta Cana number speaks volumes.

 

[bob saunders]

Wow, that Punta Cana number speaks volumes.

The restrictions in Canada and some European countries have is what has the number so low. Lots of Canadians would come if they didn't have to quarantine for 14 days on return.

 

[william webster]

The year over year total numbers are good - IMO
almost half historical levels

But - Yes _ PUJ is bad...... and that's the golden goose