Foreign tourism experts to be hired for Puerto Plata

[Mr Hillbilly]

The Beach in Playa Dorada is not much better if any than the Great Lakes beaches of the Midwest.

[whynotme]

Seems like Mongers are the only ones willing to put up with all the inconstencies, and poor customer service,price gouging etc. yet they want to piss us off as well.

or we can move on to better destinations


ya.all are welcome to join the mongers that have left the dr for cuba,asia,colombia etc

(we still have the same issues btw........but just not as bad as in the dr )

[Kevy]

or we can move on to better destinations


ya.all are welcome to join the mongers that have left the dr for cuba,asia,colombia etc

(we still have the same issues btw........but just not as bad as in the dr )

No why would they do that, they love the Dr, keep going there

[questner]

Dominican history even has a term 'Las Devastaciones'. Basically, in the XVII century dominicans evacuated people and ranchos from Montecristi, Puerto Plata and north Coast to the south because they were unable to sustain development there and protect its population. It lasted for a century. Then most of the Canarian immigration was lost to emigration to other Spanish colonies. This mentality still goes on.

Economies of scale matter. Take a look at Narita airport. Japanese, Arab States all are building new strips to accomodate new generation of jumbo jets. Your next years flights may be only a fraction of cost and go like Detroit-Dubai-Bangkok. POP cannot even accomodate flights in heavy rain with a risk of landing in Cibao. Any future Skytrain from POP to Clasico's?

[onetosix]

You are sooooo right Weyland in your analysis of the problem issues surrounding the ever downward sliding tourism situation here on the north coast of the DR. I couldn't agree more about the "appalling incompetence of Dominicans" at just about everything to do with customer service or standards in business practices and almost every other area as you mentioned. I have lived here the better part of a year now with excursions to Thailand, Colombia, and Ecuador. I must say that after being in these other countries, my sense of Dominican incompetence and lack of any sense of wanting to do better has been greatly heightened. Not sure if I will stay here as home base much longer...Colombia and Ecuador are cheaper to live, cleaner, and very appealing....Thailand as well. I'm going back to Colombia on Nov 3 and will stay for a month in MDE.

I really had to laugh when I saw that headline of the article in the north coast Adscene publication this week...."Foreign Tourism Experts to be hired for Puerto Plata". What a joke!
But like you said Weyland, your intelligent, educated, friend in PP thinks that it is "litter-free". Damn, they sure do look through different eyes don't they?

The taxes are a problem but nowhere near the main one. The extra amount paid in taxes is relatively small when amortized over the complete cost of a family holiday, starting with putting your dog in kennel thru to paying the taxi from the airport back to your home. Maybe adds, what, less than 5%?

Most families would be happy to pay an extra 5% for a successful holiday which is at present denied to them in the DR because of the appalling incompetence of Dominicans at customer service. Surveys repeatly show that holiday makers don't return to the DR because of poor customer service, persistent hassle by vendors, poor quality food (spoilt by service and presentation rather than cooked badly), few interesting outings, etc. I don't remember high taxes being high on the list though it is certainly one more issue.

Of course high taxes hit the lone traveller short-stay visitor proportionately more, which is why they get attention here, but they are not the sort of tourists the DR is looking for.

[onetosix]

Dominican history even has a term 'Las Devastaciones'. Basically, in the XVII century dominicans evacuated people and ranchos from Montecristi, Puerto Plata and north Coast to the south because they were unable to sustain development there and protect its population. It lasted for a century. Then most of the Canarian immigration was lost to emigration to other Spanish colonies. This mentality still goes on.

Economies of scale matter. Take a look at Narita airport. Japanese, Arab States all are building new strips to accomodate new generation of jumbo jets. Your next years flights may be only a fraction of cost and go like Detroit-Dubai-Bangkok. POP cannot even accomodate flights in heavy rain with a risk of landing in Cibao. Any future Skytrain from POP to Clasico's?

Nice bit of historical perspective as it relates to present day issues here in the DR. It's true.

I think I saw them breaking ground for the new POP to Clasico's Skytrain starting right behind the Caribe Tour bus terminal.

[vewdew]

They needed to HIRE people to tell them the problem? I'm gonna save them a million pesos and tell them myself.

THE WORLD ECONOMY IS SLOW SO YOU NEED TO MAKE THINGS CHEAPER. LOWER YOUR DAMN TAXES. lol. I know i'd be there alot if the taxes were lower.

Ok what kind of taxes are we talking about?
You have an advantage on me in this matter since you been there, but if we are talking airport taxes here are mine and what I think about that.



I dont think DR taxes are high, I mean yes they are higher than the us but by not that much.

Fare Breakdown
Airfare:470.00USD

U.S Passanger Facility Charge: 13.50
U.S. Security Service Fee: 7.50
U.S. Immigration User Fee: 7.00
U.S. Federal Transportation Tax: 32.20
U.S. APHIS User Fee: 5.00
Dominican Republic Departure Tax: 20.00 Dom.
Republic Airport Authority Fee: 30.00
Dom. Republic Airport Infrastructure Fee: 32.60

Total: 617.80 USD

totals: 470.00 USD The taxes, fees, and surcharges paid total: 147.80 USD


Total U.S taxes = $65.20
Dominican taxes = $82.60

So a total of $17.40 more for the Dominican republic.

I would make a fuss if I was paying 30 or 40 dollars more, but 17 dollars I can do fine with that.

[Mr Hillbilly]

Get on tripadvisor or the search engines and look up Playa Dorada Hotels--

Reviews are mostly negative------------ people getting their safes robbed and other shit.

[Si_Poppi]

They should get rid of that stupid 10% service fee.
People don't like to see 26% added to the bill plus tip.
Plus a lot of people wrongly assume that is the tip and the servers often get screwed for a tip.
This 10% service fee for all employees is one of the stupidest things I have ever seen.
Raise the minimum wage or raise the prices and just include all the taxes into the prices because seeing an extra 26% added and then being expected to tip turns people off, even if the total is reasonable.
Plus I'm sure there are many assholes who don't even share the 10% with the employees or the 16% with the government.

[Jimmydr]

They should get rid of that stupid 10% service fee.
People don't like to see 26% added to the bill plus tip.
Plus a lot of people wrongly assume that is the tip and the servers often get screwed for a tip.
This 10% service fee for all employees is one of the stupidest things I have ever seen.
Raise the minimum wage or raise the prices and just include all the taxes into the prices because seeing an extra 26% added and then being expected to tip turns people off, even if the total is reasonable.
Plus I'm sure there are many assholes who don't even share the 10% with the employees and the 16% with the government.

I myself found it much easier to just go to another country that didn't have this.

[whatever]

Ha they don't need to hire consultants they just need to
read this thread! Too bad the Dominicans would not
understand and scratch their heads and wonder why
the gringos complain of the lack of toilet seats and
manhole covers and wonder why people run screaming
from their country and never come back after one
trip. They'll never learn to run it well themselves.
The DR would be a paradise if we had someplace else
to send the Dominicans.

[mikelodge]

I myself found it much easier to just go to another country that didn't have this.

When I get that added IVA or service fee like Baileys it is the first and last time I will eat or drink there. If the price of a beer is already 80 pesos and then you give them a 100 and get no change WTF.

I can go to Passions and pay the same price and look at slutty whores.

Man I am glad I went to Colombia and know better than to put up with that. Seems like more guys are finding that out each week. NG raising rates and some more guys discovering the better looking MDE difference in the girls and city says alot.

Watch more people on here will figure it out and realize there are so many other places that are great. Just read some of the Phillipine, Thailand, Rio and Medellin reports and you can see people saying the same thing. They may never go back.
Hard to find 9's and 10's in Sosua even 8's for that matter but they are plentiful in Medellin if you go to the better places

[Bhutto,BhuttoGolly]

Ha they don't need to hire consultants they just need to
read this thread! Too bad the Dominicans would not
understand and scratch their heads and wonder why
the gringos complain of the lack of toilet seats and
manhole covers and wonder why people run screaming
from their country and never come back after one
trip. They'll never learn to run it well themselves.
The DR would be a paradise if we had someplace else
to send the Dominicans.

We do- it's called Washington Heights.
Half of them are already here. The remainders are the "slower-witted" ones and deportees. Might explain things.
As much as I have come to love Colombia- I will still return to the DR sometime. Lots of exploring left to do!

[mikelodge]

Ha they don't need to hire consultants they just need to
read this thread! Too bad the Dominicans would not
understand and scratch their heads and wonder why
the gringos complain of the lack of toilet seats and
manhole covers and wonder why people run screaming
from their country and never come back after one
trip. They'll never learn to run it well themselves.
The DR would be a paradise if we had someplace else
to send the Dominicans.

Great point, I have traveled to many countries and other than Mexico and some parts of Central America which can be worse I can say that most of the bathrooms in the DR are complete shitholes. Filthy with either no toilet paper or no stall doors or so completely gross what would it matter. I have driven back to my place many times to have a clean place. I know that it is common in a nightclub/party bar setting but it shouldn't be in restaurants

[vewdew]

Great point, I have traveled to many countries and other than Mexico and some parts of Central America I can say that the bathrooms in the DR are complete shitholes. Filthy with either no toilet paper or no stall doors or so completely gross what would it matter. I have driven back to my place many times to have a clean place.

Mike They needed the stall doors for the cabanas

[Mr Hillbilly]

Mike They needed the stall doors for the cabanas

As long as Mike has a freshly stocked aquarium and time from here till Xmas he is happy!

[JuanElGriego]

Great point, I have traveled to many countries and other than Mexico and some parts of Central America which can be worse I can say that most of the bathrooms in the DR are complete shitholes. Filthy with either no toilet paper or no stall doors or so completely gross what would it matter. I have driven back to my place many times to have a clean place. I know that it is common in a nightclub/party bar setting but it shouldn't be in restaurants

Depends where you go.

You're not hitting a nice disco in Santiago and not finding it clean or lacking toilet seats or paper towels.

[questner]

My view of the country would change dramatically when I see simple hangers in shower rooms at the beach.

I am booking couple of family trips to Punta Cana. I check different suppliers and airlines and picture is not bright. As long as a flight is booked the whole segment disappears from the screen. Price games with no end. Airlines are in the business of filling their planes and not supporting hotels.
There is always a bottleneck - hotels occupancy goes up or down exactly as flights become available. Until this model is 'decoupled' things may remain grim. Meaning: flights and hotels have to be booked by consumers separately at transparent prices: flies and soup have to be served on two plates.

[mikelodge]

My view of the country would change dramatically when I see simple hangers in shower rooms at the beach.

I am booking couple of family trips to Punta Cana. I check different suppliers and airlines and picture is not bright. As long as a flight is booked the whole segment disappears from the screen. Price games with no end. Airlines are in the business of filling their planes and not supporting hotels.
There is always a bottleneck - hotels occupancy goes up or down exactly as flights become available. Until this model is 'decoupled' things may remain grim. Meaning: flights and hotels have to be booked by consumers separately at transparent prices: flies and soup have to be served on two plates.

Yah, well I agree I have thousands really literally thousands of hours invested in booking travel since it is such a big part of my life and even if you know almost every trick and secret it is a pain in the ass.

All you can do is if you have the time put in that time and reap the reward sometimes very little and sometimes significant. If you have a job and make 200k as a professional why would you spend more than a couple hours.

But if you are retired I have found it to be a nice hobby

[whatever]

We do- it's called Washington Heights.
Half of them are already here. The remainders are the "slower-witted" ones and deportees. Might explain things.
As much as I have come to love Colombia- I will still return to the DR sometime. Lots of exploring left to do!

Oh god you mean NY "brain drained" the smart Dominicans away
from the DR? Since NY has few natural resources anymore why
not swap the populations of NY and Hispanola? At least the
former New Yorkers could get better weather and produce/fruit
in the process. The Dominicans would make NY a shit hole but
then that is their destiny. The only top shelf exportable DR
product is Cigars. I just know most people I know would freak
when they got exposed to the real DR. Which would involve
smiling locals serving up wonderful salads made with excellent
local and ripened on the vine fresh produce that taste absolutely
delicious. The raw veggies for the salad would be washed with
local tap water of course and after you eat it you squirt liquid
out your ass for 2-3 days until you cringe at the thought of
wiping your ass again because it's painful after you run ten
rolls of paper across your ass again in one day. But don't get
me wrong I have had lots of fun there it's just not for
everyone! Amazing the shit (no pun) mongers put up with for
cheap pussy.