- The US is warning against travel to Jamaica because of the threat of violence.
- The US embassy highlighted home invasions, armed robberies, and homicides.
The US government has elevated its travel alert level for Jamaica and the Bahamas, cautioning Americans against visiting the Caribbean nations due to violent incidents.
The State Department has raised the advisory for Jamaica to "Level 3: Reconsider Travel," citing concerns over crime and unreliable medical services.
The announcement follows a warning about the Bahamas, which remains at a Level 2 advisory, urging increased caution after a series of murders.
The US embassy in Jamaica warned of home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides.
Sexual assaults have been reported at all-inclusive holiday resorts, said the State Department's Jamaica travel advisory.
It also noted: "The homicide rate reported by the Government of Jamaica has for several years been among the highest in the Western Hemisphere."
Furthermore, it said Jamaican police often do not respond effectively to serious criminal incidents, and hospitals and ambulances may not always provide reliable services, with some private institutions requiring upfront payments.
The cost of air ambulance services from the Caribbean to the US can range from $30,000 to $50,000, it said.
The State Department's warning to US visitors is important because tourism is a vital economic driver for Jamaica, the largest island in the Caribbean.
It recorded 4,122,100 visitors from January to December 2023 — three out of four come from the US — a 23.7% annual increase, injecting about $4.2 billion into Jamaica's economy, per CBS News.
In the Bahamas, the US embassy in Nassau highlighted 18 murders in the capital since the beginning of the year, linked mainly to gang violence.
The "Over the Hill" area of Nassau has seen heightened violent activity as a result of gang-on-gang violence, per the State Department travel advisory.
The State Department also warned against water-based activities, such as tours on commercial, recreational watercraft, stressing that these are not consistently regulated.
Likewise, the Bahamas relies heavily on tourism, a crucial sector that the amped-up travel warning could hit
Last month, The US embassy in Colombia also issued a security alert warning of the risks of using online dating sites in the South American country after eight US citizens died under suspicious circumstances in the city of Medellín between November 1 and December 31, 2023.