The United States Embassy in the Bahamas has issued a travel advisory warning tourists visiting the island nation. The security warning comes as the Bahamas has witnessed 18 murders in January alone – mainly driven by gang violence.
The embassy warns it is not recommended for people to “physically resist” being robbed. The murders have taken place at all times of the day, even in broad daylight on the streets. Extreme caution has been advised on the eastern side of Nassau, with Americans advised to keep a low profile at all times, and especially vigilant at night.
The U.S. State Department has posted an “exercise increased caution” warning for visitors to the islands. Both tourists and non-tourist areas are deemed unsafe. Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis urged residents to accept the inconvenience of the new roadblocks and covert police action, commenting that “this is a small price to pay for the collective benefit of having our streets made safer, and our lives less blighted by murder and other violent crimes.” Unregulated recreational watercraft has also been a concern, as they may not be regulated or maintained for safety.
A previous State Department advisory has warned visitors to nearby Jamaica to “reconsider travel.” Violent crimes such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides are common. Sexual assaults, including those that have happened at all-inclusive resorts, occur frequently. Haiti also featured on the “reconsider travel” list.
The violence has had an impact on the tourism industry. The island nation attracts more than six million tourists every year, with a sizable portion coming from the United States. The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association reports that advance bookings for the next few months have dropped significantly. The violence also highlights the continuing problem of gangs in the Caribbean, where traffickers in the region traffic both guns and drugs.
The region has seen a large number of homicides over the past year. In 2019, the British Virgin Islands, which has a population of just over 30,000, recorded ten murders, while Jamaica witnessed over 1,300 murders for the same period.