The State Department on Tuesday issued a travel advisory for Americans considering traveling to the Dominican Republic, a popular Caribbean tourist destination, following a rise in violent crimes and sexual assaults.
A level 2 yellow flag warning has been issued urging travellers heading to risk areas in the Caribbean to “exercise increased caution”.
“Violent crime, including armed robbery, murder and sexual assault, is of concern throughout the Dominican Republic,” the ministry said in its advisory. “Wide access to weapons, illegal drug use and trafficking, and a weak criminal justice system contribute to widespread high crime rates.”
Playa Blanca Beach in the Dominican Republic. (Cristina Perez/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
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The State Department said Americans considering traveling to resort areas are likely to be safer because these areas “tend to be better policed than urban areas like Santo Domingo.”
The introduction of 911 emergency call systems in many parts of the country, along with tourist police, has made popular destinations safer for Americans traveling along the eastern side of Hispaniola.
The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, which in recent years has faced some of the most dangerous and challenging living conditions in the Western Hemisphere.
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, Haiti has seen unchecked poverty and corruption and a sharp rise in gang violence.
The Norwegian Escape docked at Taino Bay port in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic on March 15, 2022. (Erika Santelis/afp/AFP via Getty Images)
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But while the State Department has issued a strict Level 4 “do not travel” advisory for Haiti, the Dominican Republic has been placed on the same risk level alert as other popular tourist destinations, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the Bahamas.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Tourism for comment but was not immediately able to be reached, although the State Department has released its own recommendations for safe travel in eastern Hispaniola.
Tourists walk on Bibihagua Beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on May 20, 2023. (Felix Leon/AFP via Getty Images)
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If Americans decide to visit popular Caribbean destinations in the coming months, State Department officials are advising them to be aware of their surroundings and to avoid flaunting their wealth by wearing expensive jewelry or watches.
The department also warned people not to physically resist robbery attempts and to follow local safety guidelines.
