Punta Cana in top 3 of most underwhelming tourist cities globally

Santo Domingo.- Popular Dominican Republic resort destination Punta Cana has been ranked among the top three most underwhelming tourist cities worldwide in a new report by Radical Storage. The 2025 study, which analyzed a staggering 97,409 reviews from travelers across 100 of the globe’s most visited cities, reveals a significant disconnect between the idyllic image often portrayed and the actual experiences of visitors.

Punta Cana, renowned for its numerous all-inclusive resorts and stunning beaches, landed in third place on the list. The report highlights several key factors contributing to this dissatisfaction, including a perceived lack of authenticity, issues with deficient infrastructure, and the presence of aggressive vendors.

One particularly telling quote from a tourist in the report states, “A country that takes every dollar you have and then charges you to leave.” This sentiment underscores a feeling among some visitors that the tourist experience in Punta Cana is overly focused on extracting maximum financial gain, sometimes at the expense of genuine hospitality and value. Additionally, the city received the highest percentage of negative reviews mentioning rude service, accounting for 1.8% of the feedback.

Topping the list of underwhelming destinations were Cancún, Mexico, in the number one spot, and Antalya, Turkey, in second place. Cancún faced criticism for scams, inflated prices, and a lack of authenticity, while Antalya was flagged for over-commercialization and crowded beaches. Other cities in the top five included Beijing, China, and Orlando, USA, indicating that tourist disappointment can stem from a variety of factors across different types of destinations.

The Radical Storage report suggests that today’s travelers often arrive with high expectations, heavily influenced by carefully curated social media content and online travel guides. When the reality of a destination fails to live up to these idealized images, disappointment can be significant.

The findings for Punta Cana may prompt reflection among local tourism authorities and businesses on how to better align the visitor experience with the expectations of international travelers and address the specific concerns raised in the report.