NEWS: A Travel Advisory Is in Effect For a Popular Vacation Destination

The Bahamas is a fan-favorite vacation destination, and is even home to Disney’s Castaway Cay.

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Our goal is to make your travel experiences easier — and safer. Now, we’ve got some important news to share. A recent travel advisory was issued for the Bahamas due to increased violence. Knowing essential warning signs of potential threats could keep you from falling victim to crime.

According to an article by The Hill, The State Department is warning travelers about high crime rates in the Bahamas.

@The New York Times

In a travel advisory released by the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, the State Department acknowledges that “the majority of crime occurs on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) islands.” The travel advisory aloso stated that “gang-on-gang violence [in Nassau] has resulted in a high homicide rate primarily affecting the local population.”

©U.S. State Department

The State Department and agency is warning travelers who have plans to visit the Bahamas to take proactive approaches for safety precautions such as not answering the door at their Bahamian hotel without knowing who is asking to be let in. Further, do not “physically resist” if faced with an ongoing robbery attempt. Your life and safety are so much more important than your belongings.

©Getty Images

“Violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults occur in both tourist and non-tourist  areas,” the alert said, and continued to stress the importance of visitors being vigilant when staying at short-term vacation rental properties where private security companies do not have a presence. It’s important to note, though, that the travel advisory is currently at Level 2, which does not advise alternate travel.

While the decision to visit the Bahamas under these heightened travel advisories rests on your level of comfort, there are options for you. Consider speaking to your travel planner about what your options may be to visit other destinations, set sail on other itineraries to other locations, or if an option to cancel your travels with refunds or travel credits is possible. If you do choose to travel to the Bahamas during this time, it’s best to exercise a heightened awareness of your surroundings, make sure everyone is aware of the closest exits, and double-check your plans for port excursions and exploring the islands.

We’re always reporting on the latest travel news and updates so be sure to check back in with us for more.