By Lebawit Lily Girma. The Dominican Republic is a stunning destination with one of the most diverse landscapes and tourism offerings in the Caribbean.
Over the past five years, it has steadily ranked as the most visited country in the region, attracting over 6 million people annually. If you take the normal precautions you would anywhere in the Caribbean, and follow the advice and tips we give in this article, then you will have no problem staying safe in the Dominican Republic. The DR has a democratic government and President Danilo Medina has been ruling the country for the last eight years. A presidential general election is scheduled for May 17, , and there is much anticipation and light political tension among Dominicans and in the government to see who will lead the DR after Medina.
The Dominican Republic has had a stable government for the past decade, with no major unrest. This calm political landscape has allowed the country to attract a significant number of international investors and major brands in tourism, including hotel and resort chains such as the JW Marriott and Embassy Suites, and upcoming properties by the Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton.
The country now receives up around 6 million visitors a year. While there have been local, peaceful marches over the last two years over general government discontent, particularly in protest over the Odebrecht corruption scandal, day to day life has been relatively calm.
The situation in neighboring Haiti, however, is quite different. There were frequent, violent protests in as Haitians demand the resignation of their current president, Jovenel Moise, over a corruption scandal. It is wise to keep an eye on Haitian affairs as you plan your trip to the DR, but in general, the Haitian situation has never escalated violently beyond its borders or spilled into the DR.
