puerto rico: Dominican Republic is our direct competition. Why is this so? What have been their strategies? How do they compare to the strategies done in Puerto Rico tourism?|||1. accomodation prices - only tourist with money can afford to visit PR 2. salaries in Dominican Republic are a third or even less what the tourism industry has to pay to their employees in PR, therefore rates are going to be lower 3. Dominican Republic is not only our direct competition, Cancun is a top destination that people rather visit because of prices as well 4. In order for PR to bring more visitors they would have to adjust their marketing strategies and start focusing on the mass of the population. With money or not they do vacation. 5. PR Tourism Company always focuses on the upper middle class and high classes of society as trageted population. That's the people they want to visit. 6. PR Tourism Co do not sponsor street signs, they think they will attract the wrong market (the masses). 7. They do pay for TV adds during Prime time, which is a plus! 8. Taxis control too much the touristic transportation. PR is the only cruise ship destination were the Cruise Lines can not organize tours for their passengers. There are hotel shuttles everywhere that will take you to and from the airport, and to nearby attractions. If a hotel does that in PR the taxi drivers will sabotage the whole thing. 9. Our main market is the US. The east coast is our top source of visitors, followed by Florida, Texas, and California. 10. Anotehr thing that harms tpourism to teh island is teh perspective that many people has about puertorricans and the country itself.|||1-Cheap All Inclusives 2-Cheaper Out door activities Puerto Rico has Been Americanized....expensive...and hardly nothing Native is left to experience,see or Eat...|||Basic answer: PR needs to do more to advertise its tourism potential. It is known as a vacation spot to some Americans, but not all, as from my own personal experience not all americans even know where Puerto Rico is. From the perspective of Great Britain (United Kingdom, England). Puerto Rico is not even considered a Caribbean vacation destination. The Dominican Republic is and is very popular with Great Britain tourists - it is seen as a cheap but value for money destination. This is one of the major tour operators in Great Britain 'Thomson Holidays'. If you look at their destinations for the Caribbean. Notice that Puerto Rico is not mentioned, BUT the Dominican Republic and even Cuba is mentioned. http://www.thomson.co.uk/destinations/ca鈥?/a> PR has to do more to inform people in other parts of the world that it exists. And from a personal point of view it is a great vacation destination (if a little expensive) Not sure about the rest of Europe, but I would imagine that Spain has many people visiting Puerto Rico, but the rest of Europe, I'm not sure. Europe is also different to the states (especially GB) as people have more vacation time and they do go on vacation for 7 - 14 days at a time. This would be a big market to catch if PR was interested. I would also consider marketing PR as a Cruise Ship starting and ending destination. I'll stop now.....|||Shinning said it correct. Dominican Republic has everything Puerto Rico has but they are cheaper. The Europeans love all-inclusive. Not many in PR. By the way, i think Puerto Rico is a beautiful island. s|||Here are some things that affect Puerto Rican tourism: (1) All-Inclusive resorts are common in the Dominican Republic, whereas Puerto Rico only has one resort (Melia in Dorado). (2) U.S. immigration controls who enters Puerto Rico. Therefore many new members of the European Union with dynamic economies such as Malta, Hungary, Poland, etc.. still require visas to travel to Puerto Rico. They don't for the Dominican Republic. Paying an extra $100 for a visa (and not even having assurance that one will get it issue) to enter one island and not for another island can be a factor in determining where foreigners vacation. (3) Dominican Republic is cheaper because they use the Dominican Peso. Puerto Rico uses the dollar. For many countries such as Canada and new EU members, this can be a determining factor because they also want a vacation where their currency will have more strength. (4) Puerto Rico has been wrecked by political ideology for years. This has affected how the island is marketed. While many automonists like to paint it as a foreign country (which makes it more exotic to Americans), statehooders like to paint it as part of the U.S. which hampens its appeal as many Americans prefer traveling outside their country for a change. By clearly promoting its cultural differences from the US and showcasing it to tourists at public shows such as that at the airport or at cruise port, the island can successfully market itself with own identity. If it worked for Hawaii (leis upon arrival, hula dancers at airport, public shows at Waikiki, etc..) then it can work for Puerto Rico.