Paris Ranks 4th for High Risk of Getting Sick

① Dominican Republic Emerges as a Vacation Hotspot

No matter how beautiful a destination is, it’s natural to hesitate to visit if the hygiene is poor.
Last year was a milestone for the Dominican Republic with a record influx of inbound tourists, surpassing the 10 million mark for the first time in history.
The number of tourists, particularly, has surged since the end of COVID-19.
The majority of foreign tourists visiting the Dominican Republic are from North America, followed by South America, Europe, and Central America.

Punta Cana is a famous vacation spot located along the Caribbean Sea. It is an ideal place for various marine activities and is where luxury resorts are located.
The emerald beaches and stunning natural scenery make it a perfect holiday destination.
Despite its rapid rise as a new vacation hotspot, the Dominican Republic has earned the title of a “destination with a high risk of diseases.”

Punta Cana topped the list of the “Holiday Sickness Index” published by the American economic magazine, Forbes.
Forbes, in collaboration with data analysis experts, analyzed about 2.4 million posts on the travel platform TripAdvisor, charting the “Travel Bug Index.”
They listed the countries where keywords such as “food poisoning”, “gastroenteritis, salmonella” appeared most frequently.
They also referenced other pertinent data including “recommended vaccinations or boosters for the destination” by NHS Fit for Travel and “where tourists are advised to avoid local tap water” by the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC).

As a result, Punta Cana’s hygiene standards were revealed to be quite poor.
Many tourists reported falling ill after visiting Punta Cana.
Punta Cana scored 90.4 on the “Travel Bug Index”, taking a dubious position at the top of the charts.
Approximately 10% of tourists claimed that they fell ill during their stay in Punta Cana.

Tourists are advised by the NHS to have two vaccinations – Hepatitis A and Tetanus – before traveling to Punta Cana, with others to be considered. Tap water should be avoided and tourists should invest in anti-malaria tablets before departure.

② The Serious Situation in Punta Cana

Truthfully, it is highly recommended to avoid traveling to places with such poor hygiene standards.
Especially if you plan to travel with children, it’s worth to think twice.
The most common diseases in Punta Cana are bacterial or parasitic infections.

These symptoms usually occur after consuming contaminated food or water.
Tourists are advised to avoid eating raw fish and disinfect fruits before eating.
Even though there were no reported cases of cholera in the Dominican Republic for three years, it started spreading again in 2022.

Additionally, the Dominican Republic is known for its evil reputation for safety.
In June last year, the State Department listed the Dominican Republic as a Level 2 warning, where tourists exercise increased caution ahead of the summer vacation season.
The State Department stated, “There are concerns about armed robberies, homicides, sexual assaults, and other violent crimes across the Dominican Republic.”

If you do decide to visit, they added that you should stay in resorts with good security.
So, not only hygiene but also security is a concern in this destination.

③ Travel Destinations with High-Risk of Diseases

Following Punta Cana, Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt ranked second.
This area is popular among divers and is one of the rather famous travel destinations in Egypt.
Notably, an increase in the occurrence of illnesses was observed, with a higher incidence reported among children.

Third on the list is Sal in Cape Verde, Africa.
Located on the west coast of Africa, it is a popular vacation spot.
Despite its stunning natural scenery, many tourists reported falling ill during their visit.

Fourth and fifth places were taken by Mexican cities – Playa del Carmen and Cabo San Lucas – both in Mexico – ranked 4th and 5th in the world.

The city with the highest incidence of diseases in Europe is Benidorm, Spain.
This city, located along the Mediterranean Sea, is one of Spain’s top vacation spots. However, its hygiene standards were found to be poor.
Four out of the top ten European cities with high disease risk are in Spain.

Tenerife, Menorca, and Mallorca made the list.
These are well-known vacation spots in Spain, making the news even more shocking.

London in the UK ranked second, followed by Sunny Beach in Bulgaria, and Paris, France.
The UK and France were also highlighted as places with poor hygiene.
As these are areas frequently visited by tourists, personal hygiene should be prioritized.