African slaves were brought in to work on sugar plantations, and the European owners and tradesmen that followed them. Although the country is now very creole looking, the elites are the high class Spanish bloodlines. Yet the Carribean atmosphere is very visible in culture, food, music, houses, and daily life. Many new immigrants from all parts of the world are coming to settle there, so it is cosmopolitan in Santo Domingo at the very least. The tourist resorts are all on the coast and look like Club Med's, with little similarity to the island itself.
Most tourists are from Europe.
My assignment involved a rural development project, so I was able to accompany locals to see many cities, towns, villages, farmlands, and some backroads with beautiful native flora and fauna. This Banana Republic is slowly diversifying in order to rake in the dollars for its new crops. They have begun to grow Asian vegetables and use organic methods with export markets in mind, but have yet to realize how to grow foods to sustain themselves with the rich soils they have. The large younger population yearn to learn, but the economy is geared towards export and tourism. Most places have men working because it is traditional for women to stay home.