Foreigners rates?

[La Reina]

The price was never the issue, it's the blatant discrimination I am shocked at. I just wish the UK would adopt that attitude and double the price of everything for the foreigners. Sure would resolve the economy issues.

[Rocky]

Originally Posted by La Reina

The price was never the issue, it's the blatant discrimination I am shocked at. I just wish the UK would adopt that attitude and double the price of everything for the foreigners. Sure would resolve the economy issues.

Wait a minute !
You perceive it as discrimination that shocks you, yet it would be fine to do others?
In other words, it's OK, as long as you're not on the receiving end???

Before you fly off the handle at me.
Please take the time to re-read your own post.
Pizzes you off that it happened to you and you wish you could do it to others.
There's something seriously wrong about that.

[Gringo]

Welcome to the DR

[Gringo]

Originally Posted by Gringo

Welcome to the DR

Allow me to elaborate a little, You earn about 30 times a month more then the average Dominican.

So if you're charged twice the amount because you have deeper pockets, this is not justifiable?

[cuas]

When foreigners go to a place is only them.
When Dominicans on vacation go to the same place they pay for all nieces, nephews, sisters, brothers, friends, parents that would never afford to go to that place. In one trip they will spend more than you will pay.
When you see Dominicans in a resort maybe 2 or 3 in a group speak English, the others are family members that they invited.
That is what we do. We travel in a group then we bring our sister and children with us wherever we go and we share the expenses.
If I have to pay foreigners rates it would be my 2 children and I.
In US there is one rate because if you want to do something you can save the money but people living in a barrio in DR cannot afford it unless a traveler is paying for them.
Wherever you go in the DR to a tourist attraction most of the time you will see a traveler paying for his/her Dominican family.
I lived for many years in the DR and only saw the tourist attraction on TV. Never could afford it. Now I can afford it and if I pay local rates I can bring people with me.

[Chirimoya]

You get variations of this in many countries - like museums where admission is free to locals but tourists have to pay.

In a country where most people cannot afford extras, I would see it as a reflection of a company's social responsibility, in that they are ensuring that locals are not excluded from enjoying the pleasures that their own country has to offer.

[MommC]

maybe the OP should get a job as a maid in Costanza making RD$2500 a month and them she can pay 'local' rates for tourist attractions (note they are called tourist attractions).

When my husband was working in the dive center (unpaid help BTW - in exchange for diving) we used to take 'tourists' (mainly friends and family) to many of the area attractions such as the Aquarium, La Cueva de las Maravillas etc. Being the 'official' guide and showing his work carnet ensured that he either paid local rates or even entered 'free'. I always paid the tourist rate as did the other tourists in our group. The Dominicans paid the local rate.

For example the local rate for the Aquarium was RD$20 (about $1. at the time) while tourists paid US$5.(or equivalent).

Needless to say even the RD$20 was out of the reach of many Dominicans (see thread on "How do they survive") and we paid for our Dominican 'guests' for what was a once in a lifetime experience for them!!

Did I feel 'taken'???? Not at all......We saw it as an opportunity to give back to a country where the majority of the people live in abject poverty, and to help sustain a viable tourist industry where some of those people were employed (for a pittance as is still the case today).

[CFA123]

It appears only LaReina has a problem.

La Reina,
Boycott Disney World while you're at it... Florida residents can buy annual passes for $350 with unlimited access to the parks as well as discounts at some hotels and restaurants within the park. For tourists, $265 for 7 days, no associated discounts.
Face it, this is a common and accepted practice.

[bob saunders]

We never buy ticket to an A1 through a travel agengy in Canada. We buy in the DR as Dominican and get weekends at much discounted prices. Every year my wife pays for a weekend in a resort for her staff and her rate is even cheaper. Real treat to see all the food those skinny girls can eat.

[Malibook]

Everybody is free to say si o no.
If I am happy with a price, I don't care what others are paying.
I think locals definitely deserve a break on anything that government tax money went into.
Regulars also deserve some discounts.
It's a bit more sticky regarding private businesses. Should Warren Buffett and Bill Gates pay $1000 for a cerveza since they are so much richer than most of us?