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BiggerMitur admits flights to Dominican Republic “are extremely expensive”
According to the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, improving air connectivity is one of the significant challenges facing the Dominican Republic to become a much more competitive tourist destination.
The Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) head emphasized that flights to the Dominican Republic “are costly.”
Collado indicated that in his administration, he had changed the modality of presenting the country by traveling with his team to different states of the United States and the world to sell the Dominican Republic directly to tour operators and travel agencies. However, he emphasized that the subject always mentioned to him is connectivity and airfares.
Because of the high cost of airfares, the Dominican government is focused on supporting the launching of new airlines that can offer fares at a much more competitive price.
Another of the challenges of the industry that the Minister of Tourism recently addressed while participating in the Amchamdr Encounter of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic is to continue strengthening security in the tourist centers, understanding that the projects of the beaches with security cameras must continue to be implemented.
Likewise, he believes it is necessary to strengthen and create a business brigade in the tourist police, where the agents receive salary increases and the one who earns the least is 40,000 or 50,000 pesos.
He also expressed the need for 30,000 new hotel rooms and refurbishing part of the existing ones.
Why say that on one side everything is ok, and on the other side it isn’t??? Get your point clear, tourism is something very delicate and fragile, there are much more destinations in the world, that have to offer the same or more than the Dominican Republic. Keep it transparent, clean, and work together, listen to good advice. !!!!
Yeah, let’s talk about Puerto Plata. Currently $650.00 round trip from POP to MIA on American Airlines. One of the most expensive routes in the entire Caribbean.
The package deals including flight, hotel, food and drink are still competitive. However there are other types of tourism that do not involve the beach. Unfortunately Mr Collado and MITUR staff are not open to ideas from out-of-towners.
Tourism in the Dominican needs verbal communication in the resorts to improve. Whether it is lack of motivation or ineptitude of staff to learn foreign languages to better serve guests, it has been my experience which has led to absolute frustration and choice not to travel to Dominican again. This decision has been made after many vacations, (pre-covid), to this country.
I do not mind paying fair flight prices and for resort stays however, the majority of staff don’t care about customer satisfaction and simply stare their typical, blank stare and do nothing to rectify an issue or assist a client. I predict that tourism will decline in the Dominican if attitude in that country doesn’t change. Many of the people I have spoken to and observed here, (at this resort), have experienced the same and have had negative experiences. Other resorts have recieved similar reviews on line. Good bye to Dominican. I will be spending my vacation money elsewhere.
You are 100% correct….
Let’s begin with the airline staff at the check in counters in Santo Domingo. They all need to be bilingual (American/Spanish ) speaking english is not enough they must understand what an english speaking person is saying to them and that’s not happening.
I have more than 25 flights to and from Santo Domingo to Florida during the past 9 years and it’s been a nightmare each time at the airport. That’s a turnoff. The locals don’t have to speak english, I accept that but the service employees should if you want them to return.
It’s much easier for American tourist to just fly to Miami or the Bahamas or Mexico for a beach vacation. At least the staff understands them and understands how to provide customer service. This is an indictment on Dominican culture. I own 6 properties here and it’s the same in every location.
Because Dominican Republic is a third word country
“The locals don’t have to speak english”, thats all you had to say.
With a Canadian Airline charging Blackmail prices to Canada of over $1800. (One way) this will discourage many from traveling to Dominican Republic! !
What about $110.00 just in taxes on every air
Así es.los impuestos en Rep dom.son más caros que la propia tarifa aérea…pero muchooo massss.algo abusivo.
I hear ya Danny…all in past couple of weeks, get the corruption out of the tourism would be a great start
We recently came back on March 31/22, we stayed at the Be Live Collection in Punta Cana. The Hotel considering what we paid was an absolute disappointment. Electrical outlets didn’t work, bathroom sink and Toilet leaked, floors always wet. safety issues. The rooms mouldy and musky smelling. The mattresses were so hard, like sleeping on a Torture rack. I don’t think they have been changed since it opened. They should be paying people to stay there instead. Definitely a 1 Star hotel.
The culture in Dominican Republic has to change in order to correct the lack of customer service and that’s never going to happen.
So my advice for American Tourist is, fly to Miami, Mexico, Jamacia or the Bahamas if you’re looking for beach vacations. At least the staff will understand what you’re saying. If you are bilingual then you can have a better time in DR.
no one cares dude.
The first thing is that we dont need any more tourist police. They see nothing, do nothing and will always side with the native. They dont need higher salaries, but a better education and a strict definition of what their role is. The airports fees to the airlines are extremely , more so in Puerto Plata. Government Personnel at Airport is very rude , maybe because their English is too rudimentary and they do not understand about courtesy .
Another completely absurd drawback for tourist that stay longet than three weeks have to pay quite a high fee when they leave. The governmentbshpuld understand that these tourist are the ones that really spend money that gets directly to the people. They rent houses, cars,go.to restaurants and employ natives to help in their daily lifes.
I desagree if you overstay your visa, that is 30 days, you are breaking the law and you shoud be charged. IF do not want to pay the overstay fee then YOUR COUNTRY needs to sign a treatry with DR. Canada or the US do not have such inmigration benefits witht he DR as the visa free entry is unilateral from DR and under DR conditions.
And also no, toursim is only 11% of Dominican econnomy, it is not as important as you think.