Share the article
Last update
With open borders and rich cultures many Americans find it hard to resist, Latin America is one of the trendiest vacation spots in the post-crisis world.
Comprised of parts of North America, numerous Caribbean archipelagos, and most of South America, the « Latin World » shares a common heritage, due to Spanish-Portuguese colonization efforts and the development of a distinct culture featuring both postcolonial as precolumbian. items.
But where exactly is the fashion? place to visit in latin america? While many would quickly answer Brazil or Colombia, right now they are not among the most popular destinations in the region:
Dominican Republic surpasses Brazil and Colombia
Famous for its pristine white-sand beaches, turquoise ocean, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Dominican Republic (often abbreviated to simply DR) has officially surpassed some of Latin America’s biggest players. in terms of tourist arrivals.
While it has yet to challenge almighty Mexico, the undisputed king of tourism that hosts more than 30 million visitors, the much smaller tropical Caribbean nation is already registering twice as many visitors as Brazil and Colombia.
The data was presented by latinometry, a Twitter account that collects information on countries and trends in Latin America. According to them, RD has reached more than 7 million tourists in 2022 alone, compared to Brazil’s less than impressive 3.5 million.
This is quite a feat, since Brazil has numerous non-stop flight connections to the United States, is home to the largest hub in Latin America in Guarulhos-Sao Paulo, and offers comparatively more tourism. After all, it is a country the size of a continent.
The DR, on the other hand, doesn’t even have its own island.
Top 5 Travel Insurance Plans for 2023 from $10 per week
It shares the island of Hispaniola with the underdeveloped nation of Haiti, controlling its western half, and although it is 175 times smaller that the largest nation and the largest economy in Latin America, still surpassed Brazil in the recovery of tourism.
Colombia also lagged behind, registering 4.5 million visitors between January and December 2022. This year alone, the DR has welcomed more than 5 million guests, and we are still only at the beginning of July (as the Minister of Tourism said , David Collado).
The question is: because?
Why are other countries lagging behind the DR?
If you’ve been following recent developments in Latin America, you know that the subcontinent has not only struggled to cope with COVID, being one of the last geopolitical groups to remove all restrictions, but on top of that, it suffers from instability and rising crime. .
Earlier this year, Peru was forced into lockdown again due to massive protests that rocked the nation, shutting down airports and even the legendary Machu Picchu. This has now been resolved, but the threat of further disruption remains due to the country’s continuing political divisions.
In Brazil, mass demonstrations in the wake of the election of the new President Lula resulted in the invasion and depredation of the Brazilian Congress and many other government buildings in January, which, coupled with the country’s rising crime rates, could have discouraged tourists to visit.
As if that were not enough, Brazil has lowered its restrictions due to COVID just recently.
Throughout 2022, Americans were still expected to submit a negative COVID test or get vaccinated in order to enter.
As a result, travelers concerned about the restrictions deliberately avoided Brazil and have yet to return.
Colombia is no exception, as social restrictions were fully lifted just this year, while the DR scrapped pandemic-era regulations a year earlier.
In the case of Colombia, recent reports of crime plaguing the cities of Medellín, Bogotá and Cartagena have also compromised the country’s recovery.
DR actively promotes tourism
Answering to latinometryThe spokesman for the Dominican presidency, Homero Figueroa, suggested that the rapid rebound of the Dominican Republic can be attributed to its non-restrictive approach to tourism during the pandemic, as well as the « open sky » agreements signed between the Government and third countries. .
Last year, more than 20 weekly low-cost flights added between the US and the DR, bringing Americans closer to the dreamy sunny getaway in Punta Cana, or to the main cultural and financial center that is Santo Domingo.
As Figueroa offered, these factors not only boost tourism but promote a ‘bright economic future’.
Safety-wise, the Dominican Republic is surely not Iceland, but it is a world away from its closest neighbor, Haiti, even though they exist on the same island.
Tourist areas are surprisingly safe, as are resort towns, and while caution is advised when exploring lesser-known places not often frequented by tourists, rates of petty crime and urban violence are generally higher in suburban districts: most vacationers make their trip smoothly.
The DR is a Tier 2 destination, which means the State Department believes Americans should maintain a high level of situational awareness when visiting, but avoid traveling is not necessary.
Recent reports says the Dominican Republic could reach its 10 million visitor milestone this year for the first time since tracking began.
traveler alert: Don’t forget travel insurance for your next trip!
↓ Join our community ↓
He Travel Off Path Community FB Group It has the latest news, talks, and Q&A on the reopening every day!
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST PUBLICATIONS
Enter your email address to sign up for the latest travel news from Travel Off Path, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
