Dominican Republic Assures Travelers Destination Is Safe Despite Unstable Border Situation

Last Updated 2 months ago

The Dominican Republic has moved to assure travelers that the destination remains safe to visit despite a continually deteriorating situation in neighboring Haiti.

Travelers would be forgiven for being nervous when seeing the issues at the border; the idea of negative actors coming over a border area and causing issues is a common political pain point across the world.

But in the case of the Dominican Republic, the border integrity and security situation hasn’t led to negative outcomes for tourism.

Dominican Republic Assures Travelers Destination Is Safe Despite Unstable Border Situation

Location Is Key

One of the biggest positives to the continued security of the Dominican Republic’s main tourism destinations is their distance from the border with Haiti.

The most popular, Punta Cana, is on the east coast of the country, which is as far as possible from the border situation as a traveler can be without getting on a flight or taking to the seas.

Puerto Plata, another super-popular destination in the nation, is in the center-north of the Dominican Republic and a good 3 and a half hours by road from Haiti.

Meanwhile, La Romana and Samana join Punta Cana on the East Coast, far from trouble.

Security Is Paramount

While location plays a big part in the continued security for travelers, the efforts of the authorities in the Dominican Republic shouldn’t be downplayed.

The country takes the security of the millions of visitors it receives each year seriously, and they are continuing this sense of duty with the developing situation with its neighbor, Haiti.

Military personnel are being used to reinforce the border crossings, allowing the border guards to focus on ensuring no negative actors make it into the country.

Additionally, the national police, as well as the Politur (tourism police), are working hard to keep travelers as safe as ever in their destinations.

The Forecast

Currently, there are no indications that the situation will deteriorate any further, and the confidence communication from the government on the topic is adding weight to this forecast.

With the high season fast approaching and vacation-loving Americans getting ready to enjoy the beauty of the Dominican Republic, travelers can feel safe in the knowledge that their trip is not under threat.

A group of young travelers having fun in the ocean

What’s Happening In Haiti?

Haiti has had a very troubled history, with political and economic turmoil holding the country back from reaching its potential. On top of this, recent natural disasters have also played a role in destabilizing the nation.

The current troubles, though, stem from the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. This extreme act left the country in political turmoil that was taken advantage of by gangs in the country, who used the instability to further their control.

Haiti police in a large crowd during protest

There are worries the country will collapse economically; right now it is grappling with extensive fuel shortages and the threat of a serious famine.

Thankfully, the international community, led by the United States and Kenya, is moving to help stabilize the situation by signing a defense deal to tackle gang violence.

It’s these gangs that have put the Dominican Republic authorities into action since the country’s security situation became dire. There is a serious effort being made to ensure there is no spillover in the Dominican Republic and that the country remains the safe, welcoming Caribbean paradise that it currently is.

Furthermore, while there have been calls for an international military intervention, this so far hasn’t materialized in any way, and the plan remains to contain the troubles and prevent it from crossing the border.

river that acts as border between haiti and dominican republic

Should Travelers Be Worried?

The above information has the potential to cause some travelers anxiety, but it’s important to remember that despite all the issues in Haiti and close to the border zone, the Dominican Republic remains a super-safe destination for travelers.