Canada issues travel advisories for these Caribbean destinations
travel-advsisories-caribbean-1024x683.jpg
Travel advisories for Canada's Caribbean
twitter share button on share button whatsapp button share button
As temperatures drop, many Canadians are dreaming of a vacation in the sun.
Residents of the Greater Toronto Area saw their first snowstorm this week, while other communities in southern Ontario were buried in snow.
A break from the long Canadian winter is on the agenda for many residents. But before choosing a destination, it's a good idea to check the latest advisories and warnings.
The federal government maintains a travel advisories and warnings page to help travelers make informed decisions and travel safely outside of Canada. p
They analyze trends and incidents affecting international travelers, monitor global events, and compile up-to-date reports from various sources.
Here are some places with updated travel advisories:
Cuba
Risks: Lack of basic necessities, including food, medicine, and fuel.
Reasons: Cuba has been experiencing nationwide power outages since October 18, 2024. The electrical system is vulnerable and further outages can occur unexpectedly. Power outages continue to occur in some areas and scheduled power outages occur regularly to conserve energy.
Most hotels and resorts use generators during power outages. However, they may not be able to maintain their services in the event of a prolonged outage.
The fuel shortage is currently critical and affects a wide range of services. Traveling around the island is very difficult. Public transportation, including taxis, is often disrupted, leaving few options for tourists to get around. Some travelers were temporarily stranded with rental cars.
Trinidad and Tobago
Dangers: Violent crime and the Oropouche virus.
Reasons: Violent crime occurs in Trinidad and Tobago, including armed robbery, car theft, assault, sexual assault, kidnapping, murder, and home invasion.
Gang attacks, gun violence, and drug crimes are common in Trinidad and Tobago. Guns have been used against victims who refuse to cooperate. There is a risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and falling victim to the country's wildfires, even during the day. The response of emergency services may vary.
Information has recently been added about the Oropouche virus disease. The disease is transmitted to humans by a small infected fly called a mosquito (also called a blind mosquito) or possibly several mosquitoes. Symptoms usually include fever, headache, joint and muscle pain, chills, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. In some cases, aseptic meningitis (inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain) can occur.
Most travelers are at low risk. There is concern that the Oropouche virus can be passed from a pregnant woman or person to her unborn child, which can lead to serious problems, such as stillbirth or problems with the development of the baby's head and brain.
Dominican Republic
Dangers: Crime
Reasons: Crime is common in the Dominican Republic, including violent crime, especially in large cities. However, most incidents are opportunistic crimes, which pose the greatest threat to tourists.
Petty crimes, including pickpocketing and bag snatching, occur throughout the country. Tourists are often the targets of theft. Crime tends to increase during holiday periods.
There have been reports of items being stolen from checked baggage at airports. These thefts are most common when travelers are departing. Money and personal items have also been stolen from carry-on bags as travelers go through security. All luggage is routinely X-rayed upon arrival and departure.
Costa Rica
Dangers: Crime
Reasons: Petty crimes, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching, are common. Tourists are often targeted for theft because they are perceived as wealthy. Thieves often work in teams, in which one thief distracts the victim while the other steals their belongings.
Property crimes, such as burglary, car theft, and vehicle theft, are common. Passport theft is also extremely common and increases in frequency during the peak tourist season, from November to May and July to August.
Belize
Risks: High levels of violent crime across the country.
Reasons: The advisory suggests that travelers avoid all non-essential travel south of Belize City, south of Haulover Creek, due to gang and drug violence, including homicides and shootings. Gang violence is a major concern in Belize, especially in the southern part of Belize City. Gang members often use guns to resolve conflicts. Clashes often occur between gangs to gain control of areas designated for illegal activities.
The ability of the police to respond to violent incidents is limited and many crimes remain unsolved.
Tourists are not usually targeted, but you may find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Belize has one of the highest per capita homicide rates in the world. Drug and human trafficking, organized crime, and street gang activity are widespread. Violent incidents are common.
[attachment deleted by admin]