Spring break warning: What to know about crime in these tourist hot spots
Thousands of travelers are expected to take vacations during spring break this year and the Caribbean islands are among the popular tourist spots.
And while these places offer plenty of scenery and activity for visitors, they can also be susceptible to crime.
TheState Department has a travel advisory ranking for these renowned destinations in the Caribbean islands.
These advisories are ranked from Level 1 (the lowest travel security risk) to Level 4 (the highest travel security risk).
Why you should care
TheState Department's Level 1 Travel Advisory is the lowest travel security risk. According to the agency, while there is some risk in any travel, conditions may vary at any time in countries outside the United States.
The Caribbean islands under the Level 1 Advisory designation include Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Sint Maarten, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia, FOX News reported.
A Level 2 Travel Advisory is a warning for tourists to "be aware of heightened risks to safety and security."
The Caribbean islands listed under Level 2 include the Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Netherlands Antilles and Turks and Caicos.
Dig deeper
In 2024,Turks and Caicos was in the news after five unsuspecting Americans were arrested and detained for months after being caught with ammunition in the linings of their luggage, FOX News noted. The islands recently scrapped a mandatory 12-year prison punishment for the five Americans accused of carrying ammunition.
FOX News reported that an Illinois deputy waskilled by a stray bullet while vacationing on the islands. The Dominican Republic, while a relatively safe and popular tourist destination for Americans, borders "Level 4" Haiti. The country recently heightened its security at its border with Haiti.
Jamaica is the only island in the Caribbean with a Level 3 Travel Advisory. This means tourists are encouraged to "reconsider travel due to serious risks to safety and security," per the State Department.
If American visitors do leave their resorts or hotels in high-crime areas, they should use precaution and consider carrying a tracking device, like an Apple Airtag, so that their loved ones know where they are at all times, ex-DEA senior special agent Michael Brown, and current global director of counter-narcotics technology at Rigaku Analytical Devices, told FOX News.
Haiti is the only Caribbean country with a Level 4 Travel Advisory which means Americans are advised not to travel there at all because it may present "life-threatening risks", and FOX News noted that the U.S. government has a "limited ability to provide assistance, including during an emergency."
The State Department encourages Americans currently in Level 4 territories to leave "as soon as it is safe to do so." The Department also recommends Americans in Level 4 countries write wills prior to traveling and "leave DNA samples in case of worst-case scenarios."
Local perspective
Gang violence in Haiti has climbed torecord heights with more than 5,000 people killed and an additional 3,700 injured or abducted in 2024, FOX News noted, citing a report from the Office of theUnited Nations Commissioner for Human Rights.
The Source
Information for this story was provided by FOX News and the State Department's website. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.
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