US warns Spring Breakers heading to Mexico, Jamaica or the Bahamas

Don’t wander off the resort after dark. Keep flashy clothing and jewelry to a minimum. Stay aware of your surroundings. These are some of the travel rules that Ginger Moore, a retired logistics analyst from Panama City, Florida, follows during her solo travels through the Caribbean.

Ms. Moore, 75, has always felt safe during her stay in Jamaica, where she returns for the fourth time on Wednesday. But this year, while she still enjoys traveling, a travel advice for Jamaica, which was reissued by the US State Department in January, has raised concerns.

“I’m sure there are parts, like the United States, that you can go to but that are not recommended,” Ms Moore said. Nevertheless, she has taken new precautions for her upcoming trip, such as packing extra health supplies and purchasing a safety bar for her hotel room’s sliding balcony door.

In recent weeks, the State Department and U.S. embassies have issued new and updated advisories urging travelers to Mexico, Jamaica and the Bahamas – some of the busiest international spring break destinations – to exercise extra caution following recent violent events, including some in tourist areas. Security experts suggest the advice is largely consistent with advice from previous years.

Caroline Hammer, a global security analyst at the risk intelligence firm RANEsay tourists should interpret the advisories as warnings to be cautious and avoid specific crime hotspots, but not as a general rule to limit their travel anywhere in the region.

What do the travel warnings say?

Warnings about spring break travel to certain parts of Mexico occurred in recent days, amid security warnings and updated travel advisories Jamaica and the Bahamas were released at the end of January.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has classified Jamaica at Level 3 since 2022 and recommended that visitors “rethink travel‘due to episodes of violent crime. The agency reissued the travel advisory in January to also warn tourists about accessing medical services, warning that “sexual violence is common, including at all-inclusive resorts.”

Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, said in a statement rack Two days later it was published that the country had made “serious improvements” in its response to crime and in its healthcare infrastructure, and that it disagreed with the scope of the advice.

“The Government of Jamaica is disappointed that the language used does not reflect the significant progress our country has made,” she said.

Facts from the Jamaican National Police show that as of March 1, several crime categories, including murders, burglaries and rapes, had decreased compared to the same period in 2023, although shootings and assaults had increased.

In the Bahamas, gang violence and a number of murders have prompted US officials to urge tourists to “exercise extra caution”, especially in the cities of Nassau and Freeport. Recreational boat rides, jet ski rentals and other water activities are unevenly regulated, the advisory notes, and have led to injuries and deaths.

In early February, two female travelers said their drinks were spiked during a cruise stop in the Bahamas and accused resort staff of it sexually abuse them.

Last week in A rack specific to spring break travel, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico reiterated precautions outlined in a State Department travel advisory, last updated over the summer, that was issued due to crime and kidnappings. It reminded tourists to exercise caution when visiting downtown Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, all in Quintana Roo state.

The advisory also recommends traveling via the toll road during the day and staying near major cities, where police and other emergency services are more likely to be present.

What’s behind the warning in Mexico?

Organized crime groups in Mexico have largely kept violent activity out of resorts to avoid damage to the tourism industry, RANE’s Ms. Hammer said. The cartels, she said, rely on the tourists themselves, selling drugs to visitors and extorting local businesses, and this would draw a heightened response from the Mexican government.

According to data from the Ministry of Tourism, tourists spent nearly $3.1 billion in Mexico in 2023, a 10 percent increase from 2022, with many travelers heading to Cancun.

A handful of violent events last year included the kidnappings of two Americans who crossed the border at Brownsville, Texas and were found dead, as well as heated disputes between rival taxi drivers and Uber drivers in Cancun. The violence followed a number of gun battles murders in late 2021 and early 2022, this caused an uproar for tourists along the Riviera Maya.

“The good news is that the incidents reported within resorts are extremely rare,” Ms Hammer said.

In its latest advisory, the Foreign Office warns that shootings by rival gangs, “while not targeting tourists”, have left some in the crossfire, even at resorts. Last month, an American woman was murdered during a… drug-related shooting at a beach club in Tulum. Prosecutors in Quintana Roo said she was a bystander.

Despite these incidents, the security picture in Mexico has remained generally unchanged, said Zachary Rabinor, the founder and president of Travel Mexicoa luxury travel company.

“A lot of these are common, stereotypical fears,” he said, adding that tourists should not interpret violent episodes as major events, especially in resort destinations that are most popular with visitors.

“There are certainly still areas that are difficult, but in general they are not where tourists go,” Mr Rabinor said.

What’s Behind the Bahamas Warning?

In January, Bahamian President Philip Davis shared his government’s plan to stem criminal activity after a wave of killings, mostly gang-related.

“If you choose crime, you will face the full weight and power of the law,” Mr. Davis said during a national address on January 24. The admonishing tone was a sharp turn from a celebratory moment just a month earlier, when the Bahamian Ministry of Tourism announced the country had reached a record eight million travelers by 2023.

As police grapple with crime outside resort areas, the Bahamian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement rack which was published shortly after the US embassy’s warning, shows that the country does not believe tourists face a new “increased or enhanced security risk”.

What can you do to stay safe?

Effective safety measures can be as simple as staying vigilant and planning ahead by purchasing travel insurance and updating emergency contact lists. Other general steps recommended in the advisories include avoiding walking or driving away from resort areas at night, avoiding public transportation and adhering to local laws.

High traveler numbers around spring break could mean that tourist police, where they have them, are slower to respond to emergency calls, RANE Network’s Ms Hammer warned.

Arranging transportation through a tour company or a resort for excursions or trips to the airport is highly recommended, says Scott Stewart, the vice president for intelligence at the security firm TorchStone Global.

“In many countries there is often not such a big gap between criminals and taxi drivers, so using a trusted carrier is huge,” said Mr Stewart.

He also recommends “gray travel,” a term used in security circles to maintain a low profile, for example by not displaying luxury items that could attract the attention of criminals.

The State Department’s reissued warning raised concerns among Ms. Moore, the traveler headed to Jamaica, but it did not deter her from making the trip.

“I just feel very comfortable in the tourist areas,” she said. “I’ve just never had any bad experiences, knock on wood, and I love Jamaica. That’s why I keep going back.”

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