Tourists planning on visiting Jamaica are being warned about an influx of murders that have rocked the island this month.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica issued a travel warning after 65 murders were reported this month alone. The situation has become so dire that the travel advisory has been elevated to Level 3, indicating a “Reconsider travel” status, just one level below the most severe warning against travel. The escalation is attributed to violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides. While Jamaica thrives on tourism, it seems even visitors staying in predominately tourist areas aren’t safe.
While 65 murders are less than the 81 reported last year during the same time frame, the stats remain alarming. In 2023, a total of 1,393 homicides were reported in Jamaica, following 1,498 in 2022. Notably, Jamaica has not reported fewer than 1,000 murders annually since 2003, despite having a population of 2.8 million, the New York Post points out.
This travel advisory mirrors a similar alert issued for the Bahamas days ago, where the U.S. Embassy elevated the status to Level 2, recommending that Americans “Exercise increased caution.” The alert for the Bahamas, prompted by 18 murders in January alone, predominantly associated with gang violence, encourages tourists to adopt a discreet profile and avoid resisting in case of a crime. The embassy also specifically cautions against potential dangers on the eastern side of Nassau, the capital city of the Bahamas, due to reported murders taking place at different times, including daylight hours.
Each year, more than one million U.S. travelers are drawn to the country, establishing it as the third-largest trading partner for the United States in the Caribbean. However, the wave of crime could significantly impact this.
