PSA: Avoid Montego Bay, Jamaica; because of extreme violence in that area

[Lanny]

I know that many of you have experienced COLD weather and are looking for a WARM weather vacation spot. After reading this article, I suggest that you avoid Montego Bay, Jamaica at this time. 335 murders during 2017...

 

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2018/01/21/tourists-in-jamaica-warned-to-stay-in-resorts-after-shootings-lead-to-state-emergency.html

 

[Beth S]

We have friends there right now.  I've been (jokingly) jealous of them?!? 

[bibiche]

The US State Department travel advisory is level 2, which indicates that one should exercise increased caution. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

ETA to put it in perspective, Lanny, there is also a level 2 advisory for Colombia.

Edited January 21, 2018 by bibiche

[Seasider]

I was in Negril the late 90's and was told it's best to stay inside the resort. They brought in vendors to sell hand-carved keepsakes. We had one excursion out to the markets and they kept a close eye on everyone. I would guess they aren't doing that now. We were bused in from the airport. We seemed pretty isolated from the rest of the island on the resort. Sadly, it doesn't sound like it's improved for the locals at all.

Yep, we were told to stay on the resort, especially since we were traveling as two young women (before I was married). One day we went to a local market and they watched us carefully. Another evening my friend was feeling adventurous and talked me into going to a local bar. We were aggressively entertained by a couple of Dutchmen. We had to just leave the place. Years later when Natalie Holloway disappeared, it was a cold slap of a memory.

[Lanny]

The US State Department travel advisory is level 2, which indicates that one should exercise increased caution. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

ETA to put it in perspective, Lanny, there is also a level 2 advisory for Colombia.

 

Yes we have problems here too, but the U.S. Government has never told people to stay in their hotels, etc., as they have done in Montego Bay.  Extremely different situations. 

[Lanny]

The Travel Warning issued by the U.S. Government and those of other countries, will hurt the Tourism industry in Montego Bay, which is sad for the decent people there who work in that industry.   To have that many murders in 2017, in a place with such a small population, is really staggering.

[bibiche]

Yes we have problems here too, but the U.S. Government has never told people to stay in their hotels, etc., as they have done in Montego Bay. Extremely different situations.

And they are not in this case either. Here is the travel advisory for Jamaica: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/jamaica-travel-advisory.html

 

For comparison, here is the travel advisory for Colombia: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/colombia-travel-advisory.html

[Catwoman]

Yes we have problems here too, but the U.S. Government has never told people to stay in their hotels, etc., as they have done in Montego Bay. Extremely different situations.

Thank you for posting the warnings, Lanny.

 

I haven’t seen the US government warning, but I did read that both Canada and Britain are warning people to remain at their resorts and only travel to and from the airport in hotel-arranged transportation, while the military tries to crack down on the gang-related violence in the area. Apparently, a state of emergency has been declared in at least one area.

 

I’m glad I don’t know anyone who is there now, or who are planning a trip, because I would be concerned for their safety.

[DawnM]

Always good to know the precautions when going to new places.  If I were going on vacation, I wouldn't choose a place that has warning levels.  If I am traveling to see family or going on a missions' trip, I may choose to travel into areas with warnings.  It just depends.  I grew up in a country that ended up on the warnings lists more than a few times.  I would still go see family IF my family thought it was safe enough, but I wouldn't have vacationed there during those times.

 

Thanks!

[bibiche]

Lanny lives in Columbia. Do you live there, too? Or, in Jamaica?

I know Lanny lives in Colombia: that was the point of the comparison. Is he terrified to go about his daily life? I rather doubt it. I spend a great deal of my time in a place that has a higher advisory level, but you don't panic, you use common sense.

 

And no, I don't live in Jamaica, but my family does have property there, west of Mo Bay. My aunt and uncle are currently staying there and we are not even remotely worried about them.

[poppy]

I was in Negril the late 90's and was told it's best to stay inside the resort. They brought in vendors to sell hand-carved keepsakes. We had one excursion out to the markets and they kept a close eye on everyone. I would guess they aren't doing that now. We were bused in from the airport. We seemed pretty isolated from the rest of the island on the resort. Sadly, it doesn't sound like it's improved for the locals at all.

 

Jamaica is a strange place.  Luxury vacations surrounded by people living in poverty.  Not "true" luxury, accessible to middle class Western tourists.  And not abject poverty.  But there is always tension between the resort customers and tourists, not violence-tension but not comfortable either.

 

My husband and I were staying in a resort, ended up in a big outside market, and got separated.   We each had people in the stalls saying 'she went that way' and pointing the wrong way so we'd be farther apart.   So we'd be deeper into the markets. I don't think it was to be cruel, but , because the loyalty of the vendors was to each other not tourist.  Which-- I get it.   But it's not something I've experienced in other places where I was a Western tourist in a much poorer country.

[gstharr]

Last time I was in Jamaica was 1988. Stayed in an all-inclusive resort.  When I travel, I usually negotiate with a friendly cab driver for a full day rate.  Hired a cabbie with explicit request that I wanted to see Trench Down ( birthplace of reggae/ska).  At the end of the day of sightseeing, we still had not visited Trench  Town.  I started complaining. The cabbie is saying he didn't know I was serious--he didn't bring his gun.  I'm going  how could you not know, I've been asking all day.   Then I got irritated and start renegotiating the price. the cabbie came us with a compromise.  He would drive me to Trench Town, and then let me borrow his car. For, a brief moment I felt victorious. Then better judgment kicked in.  I said never mind. 

[unsinkable]

Always good to know the precautions when going to new places. If I were going on vacation, I wouldn't choose a place that has warning levels. If I am traveling to see family or going on a missions' trip, I may choose to travel into areas with warnings. It just depends. I grew up in a country that ended up on the warnings lists more than a few times. I would still go see family IF my family thought it was safe enough, but I wouldn't have vacationed there during those times.

 

Thanks!

That makes sense.

 

There was a poster here who said when she was on a mission trip/service trip to Haiti that there was an attempted coup and she and the group she was with had to go hide in a village in the mountains until it was safe to evacuate.

 

Scary stuff.

[creekland]

One can just google Jamaica murder rate and get an idea of what's going on.  The problems there seem to be getting worse lately - hence - more recent warnings from countries like the UK.

 

For comparison, Baltimore has a high murder rate too (and Chicago, etc), so if going to one of those places I'd be aware of what's going on and try to stay safe.  I see nothing different with Jamaica.

 

If one wants to go there (Jamaica, Baltimore, Chicago, anywhere) to help their economy or general sightseeing, be aware and use some brainpower to make decisions.  (Common sense doesn't always apply.)

[snowbeltmom]

One can just google Jamaica murder rate and get an idea of what's going on.  The problems there seem to be getting worse lately - hence - more recent warnings from countries like the UK.

 

For comparison, Baltimore has a high murder rate too (and Chicago, etc), so if going to one of those places I'd be aware of what's going on and try to stay safe.  I see nothing different with Jamaica.

 

If one wants to go there (Jamaica, Baltimore, Chicago, anywhere) to help their economy or general sightseeing, be aware and use some brainpower to make decisions.  (Common sense doesn't always apply.)

I think the difference between Jamaica and the inner cities in the US are that many times in Jamaica, the tourists are specifically targeted. In the inner cities, most of the murder rates are the result of violence among the residents of those inner cities.

 

My H and I went to Jamaica over 20 years ago. Even back then, we were advised not to leave the resort because foreigners were often the target of kidnapping or other violent crimes. Jamaica is beautiful, but we won't be going back.

Edited January 22, 2018 by snowbeltmom

[Lanny]

I know Lanny lives in Colombia: that was the point of the comparison. Is he terrified to go about his daily life? I rather doubt it. I spend a great deal of my time in a place that has a higher advisory level, but you don't panic, you use common sense.

 

And no, I don't live in Jamaica, but my family does have property there, west of Mo Bay. My aunt and uncle are currently staying there and we are not even remotely worried about them.

 

Cool.  That makes you and your family incredibly different than a Tourist who has never been there before and sees a TV commercial for Sandals or some other chain on TV. I see those every night when I watch the 6 P.M. E.T. news from the USA.   You know what you are doing. Your Aunt and Uncle who are currently there know what they are doing. A normal  Tourist has no clue...

 

Someone I do business with (in MI) likes to go to PR, but because of the Hurricanes, PR is still in a bad state and I suggested they go somewhere else for their vacation this year. She wrote back this morning that being restricted to the Resort where she is staying isn't her idea of a vacation.  I think most  (or many) tourists would like to leave their Resort, go into the town, possibly see some nearby attractions, which, unfortunately at this time, isn't a safe thing to do in the Montego Bay area. Or, in various places on the West Coast of Mexico.

 

I suggested that she consider Punta Cana, in addition to other places that are warm.

 

I have lived here for almost 23 years. We know areas that should be avoided.  We try to be Alert and to keep a "low profile", the same that we would do if we went to the USA.

 

Lots of crime and danger here, that's for sure. Plenty of crime and danger in many places in the USA too.

 

Sad for the people who work in the hotels in the Montego Bay area. They will suffer from a reduction in tourism.

[creekland]

I think the difference between Jamaica and the inner cities in the US are that many times in Jamaica, the tourists are specifically targeted. In the inner cities, most of the murder rates are the result of violence among the residents of those inner cities.

 

My H and I went to Jamaica over 20 years ago. Even back then, we were advised not to leave the resort because foreigners were often the target of kidnapping or other violent crimes. Jamaica is beautiful, but we won't be going back.

 

There are definitely safer places that are also beautiful.  Jamaica doesn't make our list of possible places to snowbird in and it wasn't recently crossed off either.  My kids have all been there (mission trips with a Jamaican sister organization they belonged to), but we (adults) haven't chosen to go.  What my kids were doing weren't typical tourist things.  They really liked the people there, but that was in a rural area, not the major cities.

 

I feel for everyone who lives in a violent area - anywhere - worldwide.

[Catwoman]

I know Lanny lives in Colombia: that was the point of the comparison. Is he terrified to go about his daily life? I rather doubt it. I spend a great deal of my time in a place that has a higher advisory level, but you don't panic, you use common sense.

And no, I don't live in Jamaica, but my family does have property there, west of Mo Bay. My aunt and uncle are currently staying there and we are not even remotely worried about them.

I think the difference here is that when you live in a potentially dangerous area, you know where you can safely travel and you know what places to avoid. A first-time vacationer doesn’t know any of that. The vacationer doesn’t know that if she’s safe at her hotel on Main Street and she travels two blocks north, she’ll be fine... but if she travels two blocks south, it’s a dangerous neighborhood and she probably shouldn’t go there. The locals might not need Lanny’s warning, but the average person on this forum who’s planning a vacation to Jamaica would probably really appreciate that he was thoughtful enough to start this thread. It could help her decide how much risk she and her family are willing to take, and if they decide they still want to schedule their trip, reading the warnings may help them as they look for the safest places to stay and the best modes of transportation to and from their hotels or resorts.

[Lanny]

Creekland thank you for your kind words in post #22 here. Much appreciated.  My intent was not to "bash" Jamaica or to hurt their tourism industry and the people who work in the tourist industry. You are correct.  Here, it is incredibly uncommon for Americans to be targeted for crime because they are Americans. Usually, when an American here is a crime victim, it's because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sadly it does happen occasionally. Or, they were flashing money or jewelry around, which is dangerous in any country and an invitation to criminals.

 

When I watch the TV commercials on the 6 P.M. E.T. news from the USA, for Sandals (couples only?) or for Beaches (family oriented?) they make it look perfect, but that's advertising.

 

I have also begun participating in a Travel forum, for the Colombia topic.  Many of the questions have to do with how to get from the airport in a city to the property they are staying in. I usually suggest, paying a little extra, and having the property send a car to meet them when they walk out of the Baggage Claim.  That to me is the safest way.

[creekland]

Creekland thank you for your kind words in post #22 here. Much appreciated.  

 

FWIW, that was Catwoman, but I share her thoughts.  ;)

 

We definitely don't avoid potentially dangerous places when we travel (having recently gone to a red "best not go" area according to our State Dept in Jordan to see ruins of a castle - Jordan itself gets a green flag, just not that area of the country), but one needs to be aware of their surroundings and the risk and use their intelligence to make decisions as well as personally accepting the risk if anything were to go wrong.

 

Blindly assuming everything is perfect wherever they go can get someone in trouble - whether Jamaica or Baltimore.  There are definitely folks in this world that have evil intent when they see easy pickings.

Edited January 22, 2018 by creekland

[Lanny]

FWIW, that was Catwoman, but I share her thoughts.  ;)

 

We definitely don't avoid potentially dangerous places when we travel (having recently gone to a red "best not go" area according to our State Dept in Jordan to see ruins of a castle - Jordan itself gets a green flag, just not that area of the country), but one needs to be aware of their surroundings and the risk and use their intelligence to make decisions as well as personally accepting the risk if anything were to go wrong.

 

Blindly assuming everything is perfect wherever they go can get someone in trouble - whether Jamaica or Baltimore.  There are definitely folks in this world that have evil intent when they see easy pickings.

 

Thank you for correcting me! Much appreciated!

 

CatWoman thank you for your comments upthread. Much appreciated.

 

There are very few places on earth where crime does not exist.  Probably there are no people living in those places.

 

I learned, many years ago, to try to be very alert when walking out the door from a Baggage Claim in an airport.  I remember how I felt the first time I did that in the Guadalajara, Mexico airport. A little disoriented.  Try to be alert and aware of your surroundings and who is nearby. In any country...

[debinindy]

Thanks for the PSA, Lanny.

 

I could tell your intent wasn't to bash but to help as that is your customary pattern.     :)