Nestled within the Atlantic Ocean, the Dominican Republic is ready between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, offering a tropical oasis for vacationers to expertise a number of the world’s greatest seashores, fabulous resorts, and loads of recreation and leisure alternatives.
Nonetheless, visiting the Dominican Republic is typically not all about exploring a tropical paradise. When vacationers should not cautious, they will fall sufferer to a violent crime or island rip-off.
As of February 1, 2023, the U.S. Department of State lists the Dominican Republic as a Degree 2 warning, the place vacationers ought to train elevated warning attributable to violent crime, comparable to armed theft, sexual assault, or murder.
Steered: Mexico Journey Advisory 2023
Which Areas of the Dominican Republic are Harmful for Vacationers?
Over time, knowledgeable vacationer police corps, the establishment of a 911 system, and plenty of assets accessible in resort areas have made it safer for vacationers to go to most resort areas. Nonetheless, it’s vital to stay cautious when contemplating journey into city areas.
Excessive-crime areas within the capital metropolis of Santa Domingo embody Arroyo Hondo, Cristo Ray, Gazcue, Naco, and Villa Argrola. These areas are greatest averted because of the excessive theft price, muggings, and homicide.
La Duarte, a avenue in Santa Domingo, could be very crowded and chaotic, making this one of many riskier streets to go to.
Vital Security Ideas When Touring to the Dominican Republic
Listed here are a number of suggestions to assist vacationers maintain themselves protected when visiting the Dominican Republic:
- Learn the Division of State’s warning earlier than planning a visit.
- Enroll within the Good Traveler Enrollment Program for alerts and to make it simpler to find a traveler in an emergency.
- Concentrate on your environment.
- Keep away from strolling alone, particularly at night time.
- Don’t go away baggage unattended, particularly on the seaside.
- Don’t go away drinks unattended.
- If mugged, hand gadgets over; don’t danger additional damage.
- Keep away from displaying indicators of wealth.
- Comply with the recommendation of resort and tour guides.
- Keep at your resort until touring with a guided tour booked at your resort.
- Put together a contingency plan in case of an emergency.
LATEST UPDATES / NEWS from the Dominican Republic:
August 17 – Dominican Republica President decided to cut back crime
Along with expressing unhappiness with the prevailing state of citizen safety within the Dominican Republic, President Luis Abinader famous that efforts are being made to cut back crime indicators. He identified that over the previous 30 years, crime, unemployment, and the excessive value of residing have been the principle issues of residents.
Abinader claimed that thefts and robberies have decreased in recent times, partly because of the authorities’s profitable measures. He pressured that social discord or violence amongst acquaintances accounts for a big portion of homicides fairly than legal exercise.
Regardless of these obstacles, the President is set to implement insurance policies that may enhance the safety of residents and enhance the usual of residing of Dominicans basically.
June 6 – Dominican Republic Units New Tourism Milestones with Unprecedented Progress
In accordance with present statistics from the Ministry of Tourism, the Dominican Republic’s already spectacular tourism story will get even higher in 2023.
A document within the historical past of Dominican tourism, the Dominican Republic recorded 621,575 guests in Could for a complete of almost 3.38 million guests within the first 5 months of the 12 months.
That was simply the most recent sizzling quantity for the Caribbean’s hottest vacation spot, representing an 11% enhance over Could 2022 and an 18% enhance over Could 2019, earlier than the pandemic started.
June 8 – U.S. State Division updates journey advisory for Dominican Republic
On Tuesday, the State Division issued a travel advisory for People contemplating a go to to the Dominican Republic, a well-liked Caribbean vacation spot, attributable to an increase in violent crime and incidents of sexual assault.
The advisory issued is at a yellow flag-level two, recommending vacationers “train elevated warning” if planning to go to this Caribbean hotspot.
In accordance with the division, there may be concern concerning violent crime, together with armed theft, murder, and sexual assault, all through the Dominican Republic. The advisory factors out that the vast availability of weapons, illicit drug use and commerce, in addition to a weak legal justice system, contribute to the general excessive degree of criminality within the nation.
Most Frequent Vacationer Traps and Scams within the Dominican Republic
Thousands and thousands of vacationers go to the Dominican Republic yearly. Sadly, although the concept is to expertise a peaceable seaside trip, many criminals are ready for an unknowing vacationer to fall sufferer to one among their many scams.
One of the frequent scams is the airport taxi rip-off, the place the taxi that takes vacationers to their resort from the airport doesn’t activate the meter and, whatever the distance, can cost extreme quantities of cash for the brief drive. It’s best to e book floor transportation via a journey company, tour firm, or resort.
Metropolis taxis work the identical approach as airport taxis, the place they have an inclination to cost an excessive amount of for the journey and anticipate the unknowing traveler to pay the payment.
Equally, the Uber rip-off is one the place the motive force claims the app shouldn’t be working appropriately, and the passenger should pay money for the experience, and the payment far exceeds what the price via the app would have been.
Lastly, the digicam rip-off is the place an area will hand a vacationer their digicam and ask them to take a photograph. Then, when the digicam is handed again, they drop it, blaming the traveler and insisting they pay for the damages.
The perfect factor to do on this state of affairs is to not settle for something handed to you, and if one thing is ready in your hand, place it on the bottom and proceed strolling.
FAQs About Secure Journey to Dominican Republic
Is Punta Cana Secure to Go to?
Punta Cana is likely one of the most secure locations to go to within the Dominican Republic and is likely one of the most extremely visited areas, with many protected and safe resorts.
Moreover, the presence of the Tourism Police is comparatively excessive on this space of the Dominican Republic.
Is It Secure to Keep at a Resort within the Dominican Republic?
One of many most secure locations vacationers can keep when visiting the Dominican Republic is at their resorts. Most resorts make use of personal safety, and the Tourism Police make frequent visits to the resorts.
When staying on the resort, the chance of falling sufferer to legal exercise or assault is much decrease than when exploring public points of interest, close by neighborhoods, or metropolis facilities.
Updates Archives:
April 21 – Dominican Republic breaks information for vacationer arrivals within the first quarter
The Dominican Republic has continued its hot start to 2022, setting one other document for the primary three months of the 12 months.
The Caribbean hotspot attracted 2,076,171 guests within the first quarter, setting a brand new document.
In accordance with David Collado, the Dominican Republic’s tourism minister, that was 11% greater than the earlier excessive for 2019, together with a sizzling March with 740,324 air arrivals, a ten% enhance over 2019.
The Dominican Republic additionally reported 280,247 cruise passengers in March.
The numbers are “by no means seen earlier than,” Collado stated.
March 17 – The PGA Tour Corales Puntacana Match confirms the Dominican Republic as a golf vacation spot.
Grupo Puntacana has announced the sixth version of the Corales Puntacana Championship PGA Tour occasion, which can happen on the Corales golf course from March 20 to 26, 2023.
The sporting occasion consists of $3.8 million in prize cash good for 300 FedExCup factors, the best in Dominican sports activities historical past, with the participation of 120 gamers from 20 nations and 5 continents.
“The Corales Puntacana Championship has turn into a flagship occasion for Puntacana Resort & Membership. It fills us with pleasure and pleasure to proceed the custom of celebrating a novel sporting occasion within the nation, which additionally promotes the Dominican Republic and Punta Cana worldwide as a number one golf vacation spot within the Caribbean,” stated Francesca Rainieri, Chief Monetary Officer (CFO) of Grupo Puntacana.
February 20- The Worldwide Well being And Wellness Tourism Congress returns might be held in Dominican Republic in November
The “VI International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress,” which can happen on November 1 and a pair of, this 12 months, on the JW Marriott Resort in Santo Domingo, was introduced by Dr. Alejandro Cambiaso, president of the Dominican Affiliation of Well being Tourism (ADTS), and Amelia Reyes Mora, president of AF Stategic Communication.
“The exercise options vital conferences and panels with famend nationwide and worldwide audio system, aimed on the prime gamers of the sector, comparable to well being facilities, dentistry, scientific and pharmaceutical laboratories, resorts, insurers, banks, funding funds, funding, airways, medical facilitators, authorities, transportation, authorized advisors, accreditors, amongst others,” stated Dr. Alejandro Cambiaso.
“This worldwide congress constitutes a platform for multi-sector integration, innovation, networking, enterprise improvement, and funding alternatives, and public-private synergies at an area and worldwide degree,” expressed Amelia Reyes Mora.
