At the start of summer, the U.S. State Department issued a travel advice for the Dominican Republic, one of the most visited countries in the Caribbean.
Nonetheless, despite safety concerns, it has maintained its status as a prominent tourist destination.
In the first three months of this year, over seven million people traveled here for a relaxing beach vacation.
There are a lot of nuanced factors to consider while reporting on crime.
Since Punta Cana and other popular tourist destinations have seen relatively low crime rates, the hotel sector fought against the recommendation.
Is the Dominican Republic secure now that summer is winding down and we're looking forward to the coming of fall?
Which government do you intend to trust? The U.S.? Maybe even the Dominican Republic? It is up to individual tourists to make up their minds.
In a speech earlier this summer, President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic deemed the travel recommendations to be "unjustified," arguing that tourists are not victims.