Bayahíbe, Dominican Republic

Dominican authorities, with the support of the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic and the hotel teams, immediately activated emergency protocols after an incident occurred at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach resort in Bayahíbe, enabling the safe evacuation of 1,690 people including guests, employees and service providers present on site.

The authorities deeply regret the death of one person resulting from this incident and extend their sincerest condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones.

The resort was operating at an occupancy rate of approximately 84%. Thanks to the rapid activation of established procedures, the evacuation was carried out in an orderly, efficient, and safe manner with the protection and well-being of all individuals as the absolute priority.

Authorities emphasise that this was an isolated incident affecting a single hotel property and that all tourist destinations in the Dominican Republic continue to operate normally, including hotels, airports, tourist attractions and related services.

Activities in Bayahíbe, La Romana, Punta Cana, Samaná and Puerto Plata, as well as in all other tourist areas of the country, are continuing as usual, offering visitors a safe, high-quality experience consistent with the destination’s established standards.

Emergency services, the Ministry of Tourism and tourism sector authorities continue to support relocated guests, providing all necessary assistance to ensure their comfort and well-being during this period.

The implementation of the hotel’s emergency plans enabled a swift and coordinated response to the situation. This intervention was carried out in close collaboration with the Emergency Operations Center (COE), the Fire Department, Civil Defence, the National Police, the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic and local authorities, demonstrating effective coordination between the public and private sectors.

“From the very first moments, emergency mechanisms were activated to protect human lives. The effective coordination between authorities, emergency response agencies and hotel staff made it possible to safely evacuate 1,690 people, demonstrating the Dominican Republic’s level of preparedness and its capacity to respond to this type of situation,” said Juan Manuel Méndez, Director of the Emergency Operations Center (COE).

Beyond the material damage sustained by the hotel infrastructure, this incident demonstrates the robustness of prevention measures, the ongoing training of tourism professionals, and the ability of Dominican authorities and the private sector to coordinate effectively in managing complex situations.

The Dominican Republic reaffirms its commitment to the safety and wellbeing of its visitors by continuously strengthening its prevention, risk management and emergency response protocols through ongoing cooperation between public and private stakeholders, thereby maintaining a reliable, prepared and safe destination for travellers from around the world.

-ends-

Editors Notes

Dominican Republic supporting information:

The Dominican Republic received 11.6 million visitors in 2025

It is a popular destination with British holidaymakers with 200,496 visiting in 2025 and a predicted 3.5% increase on this for 2026

Contact details:

For further information please contact Jules Ugo at Palma & Partners jules.ugo@palmapartners.group / +44 7957 133939

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