The Jamaican government is requesting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs withdraw the update of its most recent 2024 travel advisory for the Caribbean country (Level 3: Reconsider Travel). They say the portrayal of increased crime and inadequate health care is “inaccurate.”
The advisory suggested that violent crime is common on the island and that sexual violence is common at all-inclusive resorts. However, it did not provide precise information about these claims.
The Jamaican Ambassador to the US, Audrey Marks, used Facebook to express the country’s vehement opposition to the revised travel advisory, and assert that it, “strongly disagrees with the content of the revised travel advice, as it distorts the reality and facts in Jamaica.”
Marks also included a link to a fact sheet containing refutations of the advisory’s claims, which came from Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
The US Embassy in Kingston commented on the situation on Facebook and explained it “The level of our travel advice has not changed with this update and has remained at level 3, the same level as since March 2022.”
According to the ambassador the US government used exaggerated language that unfortunately gave the appearance of a significant violent crisis on the island.
According to Marks, the government’s top priority is to reduce crime in 2023, Jamaica experienced its lowest crime rate in more than 22 years. She added that the illicit drug and arms trade between the US and Latin America is responsible for 80% of serious crimes in Jamaica, with the US supplying more than 90% of the country’s illegal firearms.
Jamaica reaches record number of visitors in 2023 despite poor reputation
In 2023, Jamaica exceeded expectations in tourism, despite its challenging reputation, recording a milestone year with approximately 4.1 million visitorswhich represents an increase of 16% over the previous year and exceeds pre-pandemic levels by 7.5%.
This growth, highlighted by Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, and the Jamaica Tourist Board’s Director of Tourism, Donovan White, underlines the island’s appeal as a premier global destination, especially among American travelers who make up more than half of determine the arrivals. Continued expansion to an eleventh consecutive quarter of growth is anticipated, fueled by high levels of repeat visitors and the introduction of new airlift options from the US.
In addition, Jamaica’s tourism industry is looking forward to further growth with the opening of new hotels, expanding capacity by thousands of rooms, and hosting major events that attract international attention.
This trend reflects Jamaica’s commitment to sustainable tourism growth and resilience, and demonstrates its ability to thrive as a top choice for travelers around the world, despite any reputational challenges.
