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, foods, music, houses and daily life. Many new immigrants from all parts of the world are coming to settle there, so it is cosmopolitan at least in Santo Domingo, 'la capital' as they call it. 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 was with 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 bring in cash 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. Well, the USA did invade in the 19th century, and it still has significant influence and power in the Dominican Republic if the abundance of American materialistic goods is any indication. The large younger population yearn to learn, but the economy is geared towards export and tourism.