SANTO DOMINGO.- Walking down the beaches of Cabarete and Punta Cana, the sands are empty with the exception of an occasional vendor walking down the shore with a box of jewelry. 

Although it is the low season, things seem to be lower than normal. “This time of year is always slow, but this is the slowest it’s been in over ten years,” states an anonymous restaurant owner in Cabarete.  “If this continues much longer, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

The global recession has taken its toll on large and small tourist based businesses all over the country. The height of the Dominican Republic’s tourist season is December-March, but even in February the industry was beginning to feel strained, with a 20-30% drop in bookings as reported by the Caribbean Development Bank. 

Many resorts were forced to lay off employees and pause construction in order to keep afloat.  Even big named companies such as Cap Cana with developers such as Deutsche Bank, the Trump Organization and the Ritz Carlton Hotel had to delay development on their new four-resort complex in Punta Cana. 

However, the finished areas are open for visitors while the complex, like many others in the country, waits for a better economic situation to continue the planned growth.

Although many businesses are having a difficult time with the global recession, many of the larger named resorts are still booming with business, even reaching capacity during this slow time.