This report concerns travel safety in the Dominican Republic. These quotes, pictures, and interviews are taken on-site at a Travel Agent Only trip we recently were invited to. The opinions are those of the interviewees, and may or may not align with this writer’s opinions. I feel it is important to bring you this new information in a manner you can read and judge for yourself. These are published reports taken from a Newsletter called “travFACTS”. That company does accept fees from advertisers.
Thirteen major hotel operators representing fifty properties in the Dominican Republic’s Punta Cana district announced a “commitment to a set of security standards and safety guidelines” under the “Punta Cana Promise” program. The initiative focuses on “[answering] specific questions” and re-affirming traveler confidence following media coverage of recent tourist deaths at Dominican Republic resorts, said program officials in a statement.
Member companies include RIU Hotels & Resorts, Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts, AM Resorts, Melia Hotels & Resorts, Grand Palladium Hotels & Resorts, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Majestic Resorts, Princess Hotels & Resorts, H10 Hotels, Catalonia Hotels & Resorts, Excellence Resorts, Grand Sirenis Hotels & Resorts, and whala!hotels.
Participating hotels will display a “Punta Cana Promise” seal on their properties and their websites “indicating their participation and commitment to the promise,” said officials. The program is highlighted by “increased background checks” and “rigorous” safety training for resort staff, 24-hour security inside and outside of properties, and “safety management standards” for food and beverage quality.
“While the policies outlined in the Punta Cana Promise are certainly not new to the hotels, the creation of the Promise marks the first time these hotels have worked together to create such a comprehensive resource,” said officials in a statement.
“The Punta Cana area has been home to our families and our properties for generations, and we are all focused on doing what it takes to reassure travelers that Punta Cana is and will remain a safe and wonderful vacation destination for generations to come,” said Encarna Piñero, president of Inverotel, an association of Spanish hotel companies operating in Caribbean destinations.
Check back next week to see what individual travel experts say about the new Punta Cana Promise.
