Is It Safe To Travel To Dominican Republic?

The Dominican republic is a Caribbean country famed for Its sandy beaches, cultural heritage, and friendly people. Nevertheless, in recent years there has been some concern over security concerning traveling to the country due to the death of several tourists and some accidents. Is it really safe for tourists to go to the Dominican Republic? Below is the existing position.

Accidents that led to death of tourists and other incidents in the recent past

Since 2018, several instances of American tourists meeting unexplained deaths while in Dominican Republic resorts have been reported. The most high-profile incident was recorded in May 2019 when a Maryland couple was found dead in their hotel room at the Grand Bahia Principe resort. The strange series of deaths, coupled with the brutal attacks on tourists such as the scuffle with a Delaware woman at the same resort earlier in January 2019, became a major cause for concern and headlines specifically concerning the Dominican Republic to this day.

The causes of death among tourists are still unknown despite theories such as; heart attack, illnesses before arriving in the country, and poisoned alcohol. The FBI helped with toxicology tests, but no traces of spiked alcohol or any other wrongdoing have been found so far. However, the scary headlines made many tourists to approach their dream Caribbean Nation vacation with some level of trepidation.

Current Travel Advisories

Currently, the US State Department, CDC, and UK Foreign Office do not have broad advisories against traveling to the Dominican Republic. Current travel warnings concerning crime issued by their governments are to exercise caution when in the country but refrain from visiting the country. Canada and Australia have comparable guidance regarding the level of caution when visiting the DR.

These travel advisories have not been issued recently following the deaths of some tourists and are mainly based on crime levels with special emphasis on violence, robberies, and credit card fraud practices against foreigners. Some of the things that have been recommended by experts are that the tourists should only book their activities from well established companies, they should not go to areas they are unfamiliar with and they should be very careful of people who con them. These are measures that any country in the Caribbean which has heavily invested in tourism as a main source of revenues would consider as basic.

A more effective means to improve Hotel and Airport Security

Due to these incidents, the Dominican officials have gone a long way in making sure that the tourist was safe and other occurrences like that is prevented From happening again. The Ministry of Tourism launched massive raids on food serving, selling, pest control, and accommodation structures at various resorts. Hear this; hotels, today, have more security personnel than before whereas airports have check-up points with undercover security personnel patrolling terminals.

According to the US embassy, measures were taken to improve security in the Dominican Republic after US citizens made suspicious injury reports in 2019 and 2020, which was less than in 2017 and 2018. However, it is prudent for travelers to be cautious with food and drinks especially when dining in unauthorized places.

Debunking Exaggerated Risks

While sensational news stories may simply be an attempt to attract people’s attention, the statistical risks of visiting the Dominican Republic seem to be exaggerated. More than 6 million people visit this island country annually including 2+ million from the US and yet the number of fatalities and injuries is a very small percentage of total tourists. The US State Department further asserts that no higher proportion of American lives are lost in the DR than in other Caribbean nations.

Similarly, cases of contaminated alcohol appear to be comprehensible if attributed to a single substandard brewery that does not supply alcohol to the resorts that target foreigners. Many attacks involve elements such as walking in unknown areas at night, traveling alone to isolated areas, or having conflicts with others and not violence by strangers. Although awareness is compulsory, travel writers relay the situation on the ground remains unaltered, with tourists and locals Twenty coexisting harmoniously.

Is It Safe to Go to the Dominican Republic?

Despite the events that occurred recently, tourists should still be alert and careful during their travel but in general, according to most specialists, Dominican Republic is still safe for tourists. Some costs may seem more apparent due to the media coverage, but they have not significantly escalated beyond typical levels for other developing Caribbean countries. Mainly, most warnings are given on the aspects of theft and not violent acts against the tourists.

What has changed is that the Dominican authorities as well as the local businesses such as hospitality organizations have started to pay more attention to the security of travelers due to several recent cases. This, coupled with increased security measures at hotels and being more cautious with food, drinks and medical services, may be safer than in previous generations. As for tourists, you should always be alert and be wise while on your trip, but there is no need to be paranoid or avoid the stunning Dominican Republic in its entirety.

If people avoid the risky behaviors concerning the drinks, the activities and interactions, the chances of having an incident-free vacation in the Dominican Republic are very high. The Dominican Republic is an exciting culture, great resorts, sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, and should remain on the list of dream tropical.