Dominican Republic

[TX_TC]

I'm booked into a vacation in August in Punta Cana.


I've been reading a LOT of scary things about the Dominican Republic lately about tourists getting hurt or dying..

Any thoughts out there?

TC

 

[tursiops]

Don't go if you have bad feelings about it. It is like calling a dive....it is YOUR call, not someone else's.

The media's job is to sell advertising. Don't believe everything you read. An individual journalist may think differently, but their employer probably doesn't.

 

[RockiesFan]

Do you have trip insurance? If so, cancel it and find another destination if are that concerned.

 

[Snoweman]

My brother was there in the past year and didn't have a problem at all. Don't drink from the mini-bar. Bring your own booze from the airport tax free store (in the USA). I might also think about getting a higher up room (away from garden pesticides), but I don't think that helped the family in St. Thomas (where they had used a pesticide in the lower unit).

 

[TX_TC]

I have Trip Insurance for the stay, but NOT the lessons I've already paid for. Unless it gets substantially worse, we're probably going.

 

[gr8jab]

Would trip insurance work for this type of cancellation? I'm not an expert, but changing your mind doesn't strike me as a valid reason.

 

[drrich2]

Please link what you read that concerns you for the benefit of others considering the destination. While not as prominent for scuba as some judging from forum posts, it’s a known mainstream tourist destination and I was under the impression a reputable one.

 

[TX_TC]

Please link what you read that concerns you for the benefit of others considering the destination. While not as prominent for scuba as some judging from forum posts, it’s a known mainstream tourist destination and I was under the impression a reputable one.

There's been issues and deaths ALL OVER THE NEWS in the past few weeks, and "Big Poppy" of the Red Sox, was shot in a bar there.

 

[gr8jab]

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC DEATHS: 7th American tourist dead in Dominican Republic while celebrating her birthday

 

[gr8jab]

As we've all seen this happen many times, the media can blow things out of proportion, but they can also discover hidden issues or disturbing trends in events. If you don't know what I mean, google Satanic Panic and Watergate, which are two extremes cases (one on each side).

A logical mind would ask:

What is the average tourist death rate in Dominican Republic?
Has it recently changed?
What is the average tourist death rate in other similar Caribbean places?
How does that compare to my city or state, or places I frequently visit?

I have only read a few articles about the recent deaths in Dominican Republic, but I'll bet that no reporter bothered to investigate such questions, since it might soften the sensational and hyperbolic nature of their headlines. Sorry to be such a cynic.