Haiti

Haiti covers the western third of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. It is a developing country reknowned for its  natural beauty and vibrant culture.    Haiti’s close proximity to the United States, large Haitian Diaspora community in the United States, and extensive business and other ties draw hundreds of thousands of U.S.  citizens as visitors to Haiti each year.  Currently, most U. S. citizen visitors are members of the Haitian diaspora.  Many other U.S.  citizens visit as volunteers coming in organized trips to provide humanitarian aid.  The infrastructure for tourist level accommodations is developing slowly and is not yet uniformly at the standard found in other Caribbean locations.  Further development of Haiti’s tourism industry as well as other business sectors remains challenging due to insufficient infrastructure, a history of political instability, and vulnerability to natural disaster, in particular hurricanes.

 Following the 2010 earthquake, United States and international engagement in Haiti focused on immediate relief.  Since then, this engagement has transitioned to long-term reconstruction and development. Much of the country’s critical infrastructure, while slowly improving, remains inadequate due to earthquake damage or a continued state of deficiency  predating  the earthquake. Haiti’s medical and emergency response infrastructure particularly remains in poor condition.

The Department of State has issued a Travel Warning advising U.S. citizens of the lack of emergency response infrastructure and changing nature of crime involving U.S. citizens.   Read more about U.S. relations with Haiti as well as the Department of State’s current Travel Warning for Haiti