Over the last few weeks, the news has been filled with the untimely deaths of almost a dozen American tourists who visited the Dominican Republic over the last year. Many of the deaths have occurred within the last few months alone.
This news has caused many travelers and brands to become
It was announced today, via an email sent to those registered for the fest, that the event would not longer take place in the Dominican Republic amid concerns for traveler’s health and safety.
“There has been a lot of negative media in the recent weeks surrounding the Dominican Republic and its safety for tourists to travel,” Sand & Soul Executive Producer Morgan Hawthorne wrote in an email to ticket buyers. “We want you to know that higher than anything, we regard your safety as most important. This is why it has been an easy decision for us to move the Sand & Soul Festival out of the Dominican Republic this year,”
This is the third year for the fest and it was set to take place October 10 – 14 at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Punta Cana. According to festival organizers, the event will still go on as planned and during the listed dates. A new location will be revealed in the coming days.
“We ask that you allow us until the top of next week to disclose the new location to you, as we finalize the details,” the email said. “At this time our main concern was to give you peace of mind that the Dominican Republic is no longer a part of the 2019 Sand & Soul experience.”
As of today, the festival’s website still listed the location as Punta Cana.
Related: Tourists Deaths Taking A Toll On Dominican Republic Bookings
