Visitor Fee And Discrimination

AmericanSentiment · #1 03-02-2008, 12:00 AM

I just wanted to post as to why do visitors to the Dominican Republic have to pay more for things than non Dominicans? As a first time visitor to the country I did not expect this discrimination towards visitors. I was really upset.
When Dominicans visit our country we don't do that to them. Everyone is treated equal and fare.
Why rob and legally cheat visitors on your homeland? and we don't look at you and try to cheat and legally rob you when you visit us and I am sure its the same with Europe they don't do that?

Why look at a visitor and ask him to pay more than non Dominican whats the reason involve is it race or to get over why this discrimination?

I must say I was really upset with this as a first time visitor to the country.

Malibook · #2 03-02-2008, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmericanSentiment

I just wanted to post as to why do visitors to the Dominican Republic have to pay more for things than non Dominicans?

Aren't visitors and non Dominicans the same thing or do you mean expats?

Visitors paying more than locals was discussed recently.
Foreigners rates?

Care to tell us about your experiences?

edm7583 · #3 03-02-2008, 01:15 AM

I felt the same way on my first trip to the DR. Each subsequent experience has been better and better. There will always be people who will totally take advantage of you. You just have to learn to be more assertive, learn what the fair price of things and services are, and insist that you pay that and no more. Some tips:

1)Motoconchos do not cost 200 pesos. They will charge as much as they think they can get away with. Learn what the going rate is and just hand them the 20 pesos or so when you get off and confidently walk away. If you show any uncertainty, they will take advantage of it.
2) If you don't now that much Spanish, a good phrase to learn for Customs (in my experience) is "no te dare ni un centavo."
3)whatever a beach vendor quotes you, offer half (or less) Don't be afraid to negotiate.
4) Don't be bashful when they deliberately take a long time to bring you your change back after paying your bill at a restaurant. This is nothing but a ploy. I waited 15minutes at a certain restaurant on the strip in Sosua for the girl to bring me the change for my 1000 peso note. (It was a 450 peso bill) She just seemed to be wandering around the restraurant ignoring me and chit chatting. Finally I get up and head back towards the kitchen and ask for mi cambio. All of a sudden she acts like she "forgot" about the 550 pesos just sitting on a little tray behind the bar and quickly gives it back to me. Don'tbe shy!
5)Always ask the price of everything beforehand!!!

fightfish · #4 03-02-2008, 03:10 AM

Without getting into the 'local rates' for visitors versus Dominicans, two examples unfairness in this realm that I can think of are the Teleferico cable car in Puerta Plata, and Ocean World in POP. One thing is a motoconcho getting what he can, but to me, a government cable car charging separate rates is plain discrimination, And Oceanworld clearly states to very different prices for foreigners and Dominicans. On these I agree with AMericanSentiment wholeheartedly. Anyone from the Oceanworld office care to clarify this? Actually, AI's do the same. Once, travelling with my girlfriend, we used her cedula to book our rooms to receive a substantial discount. If a non-US person came up against the same discrimination inside the US I'd guess there would be marches, lawsuits and who-knows-what.

drloca · #5 03-02-2008, 07:37 AM

While I am not disputing the experiences had by the above posters, and I guess having been lucky in this regard, this "problem" is not endemic to the DR. Anyone who has travelled to many other foreign lands may have experieced the same. ( I have in Asia previously).

The Virginian · #6 03-02-2008, 07:52 AM

fightfish, what do you mean by "unfairness in this realm that I can think of are the Teleferico cable car in Puerta Plata". I'm a gringo and my brother went on the cable car for 200 peso's each. Is there a different charge for Dominican's? thanks

drloca · #7 03-02-2008, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil&Gerry

fightfish, what do you mean by "unfairness in this realm that I can think of are the Teleferico cable car in Puerta Plata". I'm a gringo and my brother went on the cable car for 200 peso's each. Is there a different charge for Dominican's? thanks

This is in fact correct as far as the Telefercio goes. The posted rates state the difference quite clearly. ( I was there recently). I was with Dominicans whi just said that I live there, the lady enquired how long I had lived there and then did proceed to give me the local rate. I dont remember the price as I didnt pay but if I recall (memory isnt the best lol), the tourist rate is USD$10 and the local rate 100-150 peso range?? ( I stand to be corrected). There is a discrepancy but like it was pinted out on a recently discussed thread of this nature, arent tourists in a position to pay more?

I am not justifying it nor criticizing it, there are many different opinions.

bob saunders · #8 03-02-2008, 08:26 AM

This is true everywhere you go- visit Niagara Falls sometime. Anywhere where tourists go on a regular basis. Here in Canada the rates are the same for everyone, but they go up during tourist season. Try buying/doing anything at Whistler Ski Resort in British Columbia - bring a small bank with you. If you think it's too expensive don't do it, just don't whine about it. My son had to a large fee to from the international terminal in Beijing China to the Domestic- internal transfer - $100 US.

2LeftFeet · #9 03-02-2008, 09:32 AM

I found that at some museums, at the zoo and the aquarium there is a Dominican price and a tourist price. I chalked it up to we can afford it more than they can. So, as a tourist we are supplementing it. Should we be? I don't know. Probably not. But if we didn't it wouldn't exist.

They do it at Disney. If you are a Florida resident you get a discount so....

I enjoyed myself. If I can pay for a little Dominican kid to see a zebra at the zoo .... I'm happy to do it.

Rocky · #10 03-02-2008, 09:42 AM

As Malibook correctly pointed out, this topic has been discussed in Foreigners rates?
This OP is trying to put a racist twist on this topic, just as the OP in the above thread did.
So there are 3 choices here.
1) Continue this thread and stay away from racial issues. (Strictly prohibited on DR1, and for good reason)
2) Continue the discussion in the above posted thread.
3) Drop it completely.