The recent news that to its private beach in Labadee, Haiti, is just the latest in a string of recent travel warnings and problems that have plagued island tourist destinations this year.
Royal Caribbean announced on March 14 that its cruise liners wouldn’t be stopping at its private beach as the country struggles with rampant gang violence and political turmoil.
“Due to the evolving situation in Haiti, and in an abundance of caution, we’re temporarily suspending our visits to Labadee for our entire fleet,” Assistant Vice President Aurora Yera-Rodriguez said in a . “We continue to monitor and assess the situation with our Global Security & Intelligence Team.”
The decision comes in Haiti to not travel to Haiti, and for any citizens currently in the country to leave as soon as possible.
Anti-government gangs in Haiti have been battling police and shut down On March 3, a in Port-au-Prince led the government to declare a state of emergency after thousands of inmates escaped.
But Haiti is not the only vacation destination that has been met with travel warnings from the U.S. government (though it is arguably the most dangerous of them all to visit right now).
In late February, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico for anyone planning to visit the country during spring break, highlighting a list of potential threats that included violent crime, consuming unregulated drugs or alcohol, and counterfeit medication.
While noting that the “vast majority” of people who travel to Mexico do so safely, the embassy emphasized in its warning that crime, “including violent crime, can occur anywhere in Mexico, including in popular tourist destinations.”
“U.S. citizens should exercise increased caution in the downtown areas of popular spring break locations including Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum, especially after dark,” the warning said, the United States government issued for the Bahamas, saying that the country is dangerous for tourists due to the high level of crime, especially in the capital city of Nassau.
“Murders have occurred at all hours including in broad daylight on the streets,” the , noting that 18 murders have taken place in the capital since the beginning of the year. “Retaliatory gang violence has been the primary motive in 2024 murders.”
the U.S. State Department issued a , saying travelers should rethink going to Jamaica due to high crime and a lack of adequate medical services.
that “violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common” in the country at the moment, and that “sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts.”
Leaders in Jamaica and the Bahamas both saying that their respective countries remain “safe and secure” destinations for tourists.
“Sometimes, the unintended consequences of policies is they cause great harm and damage to the stability and safety of other countries,” Edmund Bartlett, tourism minister for the country, told
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism said that the advisory does not “reflect general safety in the Bahamas, a country of 16 tourism destinations, and many more islands.”