DR vs Cuba
IMO Americans basically have no interest in the D.R. The folks around here where I am are European. And I think U.S. Americans are fascinated by Cuba. I have strong ties to the business community of Costa Rica and they are really worried about Cuba opening up. And as C.R. is pricing itself out of reality it should be worried. Cuba has a reputation as being very safe (for those who disagree do some reading) and the D.R. has a reputation for...well Punta Cana and hookers. What else I don't know. The infrastructure of Cuba will explode, the reason being this: Countries like Costa Rica and perhaps the D.R. have huge government bureaucracies and things take years to happen if they happen at all. In Nicaragua for example, if the you approach the government with an idea and a favor offered, bingo, it happens. And the size of the projects in Nicaragua are huge (ask the Chinese) In Cuba tons of money is already there (European) and with a whiff of thaw with the U.S. more money will flow even without the U.S. direct investment. When there is a real thaw there will be so much money for hotels, Internet providers, MEDICAL providers for sure, etc, that the island will tilt. It will tilt with prosperity. Just be friends with the government and the government structure may be conducive for business. My best to the Cuban people.
(Give me Internet or give me death)
Cuba is also known for hookers. My brother ( Canadian) worked in Cuba dealing with the Cuban government on a daily basis for almost two years. Cuba has a huge bureaucracy that is very cumbersome as well as very corrupt. I think until you see some kind of compensation to the American companies and citizens that had their private property confiscated by the Cuban government you will not see huge investments.