The Bahamas and Jamaica tourism boards insist the countries remain safe for tourists after the United States issued travel warnings about Caribbean countries.
The US Embassy in the Bahamas has issued a security warning and travel advisory that the island nation is currently unsafe for tourists amid 18 murders – “primarily” motivated by gang violence – only in January.
The U.S. Embassy in Jamaica also issued a Level 3 travel advisory for tourists to “reconsider traveling,” which is just one level away from the more severe warning directed at Americans against travel.
However, the governments of both islands have spoken out to encourage tourists to continue booking trips.
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (BMT) board said the warnings and advisories “do not reflect overall safety in the Bahamas, a country with 16 tourist destinations and many more islands,” according to Travel Weekly.
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (BMT) board said the warnings and advisories “do not reflect overall safety in the Bahamas.” majaiva
Last year, the Caribbean country welcomed more than 9 million visitors, which they described as “a significant milestone for our nation.”
However, security concerns have reached a serious point.
“Murders have occurred at all hours, even in broad daylight, on the streets,” the embassy wrote in a statement, recommending the use of “extreme caution” on the east side of the Bahamian capital city of Nassau.
Travel advisories issued for the Bahamas and Jamaica
- The U.S. Embassy issued a stern security warning and travel advisory on Jan. 24 after the Bahamas saw 18 mostly gang-related murders in January.
- The US embassy warning urged travelers to “exercise extreme caution” on the east side of Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas.
- Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis said in a statement that the government is “alert, attentive and proactive” to keep the island nation “welcoming” to travelers.
- The State Department issued a stern travel warning for Jamaica after it was rocked by 65 murders last month. The U.S. Embassy in Jamaica raised the travel warning to Level 3, “Reconsider Travel,” which is just one level away from the most severe, which warns Americans not to travel altogether.
- Now, the tourism boards of the Bahamas and Jamaica insist the countries remain safe for tourists despite warnings from the United States.
In turn, the popular American tourist attraction is working to enforce new safety measures.
“The Government of The Bahamas is implementing a robust and innovative strategy for crime reduction and prevention. “This comprehensive approach is based on the latest research and successful international models, focusing on five key pillars: prevention, detection, prosecution, punishment and rehabilitation,” the BMT noted.
The US Embassy in the Bahamas has issued a security warning and travel advisory that the island nation is currently unsafe for tourists. elvirkin
Meanwhile, the Jamaican government is also trying to assuage concerns.
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) noted that the crime rate involving visitors to the island “remains extremely low at 0.01%,” but that the recent update “reaffirmed” the country’s Level 3 designation. , which was established in 2022, according to Travel Weekly.
The board noted that there are “very clearly defined areas within Jamaica that the advisory cites as being at high risk for crime, so the majority of the island’s tourism product is not affected.”
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) noted that the crime rate affecting visitors to the island “remains extremely low.” Shutterstock
Last year, Jamaica welcomed 4.1 million visitors, including 2.1 million from the United States alone.
“Visitors can continue to come with confidence to enjoy all that Jamaica has to offer,” the JTB said.
However, the State Department has warned that Jamaica has reported one of the highest homicide rates in the Western Hemisphere in several years.
At least 65 people died between January 1 and 27 of this year, data from the Jamaica Constabulary Force shows. Surprisingly, the high homicide rate has decreased compared to last year: 81 people were murdered in the first month of 2023.
The Bahamas and Jamaica are just two of about 200 destinations for which the State Department has issued warnings.
Level 4 warnings have been issued for Burma and Afghanistan in recent months.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn