1. Hurricane danger
Hurricane season in the Caribbean begins every year in the fall. However, this does not mean that this leads to devastation on the island every year, quite the opposite. 2022 saw Fiona (Level 1 of 51) hit the island for the first time in 17 years, while Florida has been hit by 8 Level 3-5 hurricanes since 2000. In fact, the Dominican Republic is exceptional in terms of frequency and devastating impact. Among other things, it is probably the positioning in the Caribbean. The island is almost halfway between Cuba and Puerto Rico. The Mona Channel, which connects the waters of the Atlantic to the Caribbean Sea and separates us from Puerto Rico, greatly helps the prevailing air pressure system and strong currents to push hurricanes past the island. More about this special situation here2.
2. Corruption
On the surface, corruption actually seems to be an almost historical part of the history of the Dominican Republic. Lt. Corruption Index puts the Dominican Republic at 128th, level with Bolivia and Paraguay but ahead of countries like Russia and most Central African countries. However, it is important to know that this index only reflects perceived corruption and not actual corruption3. There is no index for the latter. It is understandable that what is expected of a country also significantly influences the perception of corruption in a country. Of course, where it is not hidden at all, but is part of social interaction, it is more open than in countries where painstaking attempts are made not to let corruption become publicly noticeable. The USA, for example, is in 27th place, ahead of Spain and Italy. Whether the latter two countries are actually “more corrupt” than the USA cannot be proven. Whether a country with hidden corruption is safer than a country with less hidden corruption is primarily a question of personal assessment.
3. Low security
The Dominican Republic has undergone a strong development in the last 10 years. For example, while the murder rate in 2011 was 25.61 (per 100,000 inhabitants), it has fallen to 8.86 in 2021, which is almost American levels. This development was faster than reputation could match. Irrespective of the positive general security development, the same applies to the Caribbean as to all southern countries. Of course, those who clearly flaunt their status through their appearance have a greater risk of becoming the target of criminal acts, especially in regions where poverty is more prevalent. But this ultimately also applies to all major cities such as New York, Miami, but also Berlin and Rome. Another important aspect is above all the connection to society. This is one of the main reasons why we developed IDAMAR Friends. Acceptance by society is an important aspect when it comes to safety. As in most tourist countries, tourists are treated differently than locals. IDAMAR Friends enables its customers to develop exactly this status of a local. The security concept provides the basis for individual cases, IDAMAR Friends ensures general security through acceptance!
4. High poverty rate
Of course, the economic situation of the population cannot be compared with that in most European countries. In an international comparison, the island ranks 52nd out of 155 in terms of the poverty rate and is thus already in the top third. Only 0.6% of the population live in absolute poverty ($1.90/day) (worldwide average: 9.3%)
For comparison4:
Population with less than $5.50/day local purchasing power
Dominican Republic: 12.4%
Kosovo 24.5%:
Turkey: 10%
United States: 6.4%
Germany: 0.5%
Average worldwide (2017) 43.5%
Thus, the Dominican Republic does not present itself with a high poverty rate when compared to other countries outside of Europe.
5. Stranger rip-off
Many countries that live from tourism have as a “side effect” that tourists and foreigners become targets of criminal activities. As mentioned above, however, it is often the behavior of the tourists and foreigners themselves that determines whether they are of interest to petty criminals – especially in countries with a large gap between “poor and rich”. The aim of IDAMAR Friends is to provide its customers with everything they need to know in order not to become a popular target for theft, burglary or other crimes. A connection to society, but also an appropriate demeanor, greatly reduces the risk of becoming a victim of rip-off.
IDAMAR can also significantly reduce the corresponding risk in negotiations with companies or the administration, from recommendations to support.
We want our customers to be able to enjoy the Caribbean flair without regrets and their investments to last.
