When winter rolls around, it’s the possibility of sun and sand in the future that carry many Manitobans through the wind chill.
Many of those sunny destinations, including several popular tourist hot spots in Jamaica, now sit in a declared state of emergency or with warnings from the Canadian government to exercise a high degree of caution.
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On Friday, the government of Jamaica addressed the necessity for a state of emergency due to increased killings in communities in and around Montego Bay, the site of the international airport.
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“Crime and violence in particular murders have been escalating in the parish of St. James. I have been advised by the security forces in writing that the level of criminal activity experience continued and threatened, is of such a nature and so extensive in scale as to endanger public safety,” Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness said in a statement.
Erika Miller with CAA Manitoba said warnings like this exist for not only Jamaica, but other sun and sand destinations like parts of Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Thailand, but they aren’t seeing a decrease in travelers heading to these destinations.
“We really haven’t seen a decline in people travelling to areas that have warnings that say exercise a high degree of caution out of the specific resort tourist areas,” Miller said.
Some advice she has for travelers going to areas that warn people to exercise a high degree of caution:
- Carry doubles of your travel documents and identification
- Use the safe in your hotel room
- Book excursions through your hotel
“We really haven’t seen any impact from the state of emergency in Jamaica on travel to Jamaica,” Miller said.
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