When Travel Warnings are Issued

What You Need to Know

Recently, the U.S. State Department has issued a Level 2 travel warning for anyone traveling the Bahamas. This is due to the increase in violent crime (such as burglaries, armed robberies, sexual assault and more).

What is a Level 2 warning?

There are four levels of advisory in the State Department’s warning system:

·       Level 1 - “Exercise Caution”

·       Level 2 - “Exercise Increased Caution”

·       Level 3 - “Reconsider Travel”

·       Level 4 - “Do Not Travel”

The State Department has a great color-coded map that outlines their current travel advisories.  This is a great resource to check if you are traveling or planning to travel anytime in the future. 

So, what does this mean to you as a traveler? 

For right now, the State Department is simply warning travelers that there has been an increase in violent crimes (both at day and night) even in the major tourist destinations.  The State Department specifically warned visitors to stay vigilant when traveling to New Providence and the Grand Bahama islands as “the vast majority of crime” in the Caribbean country occurs there.

Here are a few tips from the State Department:

·       Don’t physically resist any robbery attempt

·       Do not answer your door at your hotel/residence unless you know who it is

A few more tips of advice:

·       If you are carrying a bag or a wallet you should keep it close to you at all times.   

·       Keep your passport and jewelry in a hotel safe. (don’t forget to make a copy of your passport to give to someone trusted back at home - for more passport tips see our previous blog post)

·       Always use the extra bolt locks on your hotel door

·       Lock your car (if using one)

·       Do not walk unescorted at night

Increased travel warnings/advisories don’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t or cannot travel to that location – but it’s always good to be prepared and know what you may be getting into. 

Safe and happy travels!