Canadian government issues updated travel advisory for Jamaica.

The Canadian government has issued travel advisories for several countries including Jamaica. The information was updated on the Canadian Government's website on April 14, 2023. In the statement for Jamaica, it listed areas that its citizens should avoid when visiting the country. Parishes such as Kingston, Kingston and Montego Bay were mentioned as well as the town of May Pen. It urged visitors to Jamaica to exercise a high degree of caution when travelling around the island. 

The advisory notes "violent crime, including armed robbery and murder, is a problem in large cities and tourist areas, including parts of Kingston and Montego Bay, despite the presence of police to counter criminal activity. The availability of firearms is widespread, and most violent drug- and gang-related crimes, especially murder, involve firearms."*

The advisory went on to further state that crimes tend to be concentrated within what the police refer to as “traditional hot spots” or “high-risk communities”, but can take place anywhere and at any time.

The government warned travellers that if not careful they could be the victims of petty crimes such as "pickpocketing" and "bag snatching" which are common occurrences in major tourist areas. They also advise that if faced with a situation of robbery, tourists should not resist, and hand over their cash and valuables. They warn that resistance may provoke the use of violence.

When contacted about the advisory, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett said the government acknowledged  the advisory but maintains that tourists vacationing in Jamaica are safer than in any other Caribbean destination.

Minister Bartlett: 

We take note of these advisories, and we are advised by the advice, and we market and build the reputation of our destination on the basis of the experience of the visitor who comes to us. We have the strongest repeat business in the entire region, and while we recognize that there are elements that need tweaking sometimes, from time to time, Jamaica has the best record of visitor safety in the entire Caribbean, 0.01% of crime committed is against visitors. 

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References: 

*Government of Canada. Jamaica Travel Advice, last updated 14 April 2023, https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/jamaica