Canada issues travel advisories for popular travel destinations

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Published September 2, 2023 at 12:21 pm

As summer draws to a close, those considering a final vacation should exercise added caution when travelling to these destinations.

Here’s a look at some warnings put forward by the Canadian government.

Guyana

Risks: High level of crime.

Reason: Foreigners and returning citizens are common targets for pickpockets and purse-snatchers.

Visitors are asked to exercise increased caution in Georgetown, particularly in the following neighbourhoods:

  • The area 2 km south of Brickdam Street
  • Agricola
  • Albouystown
  • Albertown
  • Bourda
  • Buxton
  • East Ruimveldt
  • Sophia
  • Stabroek
  • Tiger Bay
  • West Ruimveldt

Violent crime is widespread throughout Guyana and often linked to illegal drug trafficking. Common criminal activities include homicides, assaults, home burglaries, armed robberies, and car thefts.

Criminals frequently operate in groups of two or more, watching their targets for days before taking action.

Foreigners have been victims of armed robberies and attacks, especially after withdrawing money from banks, shopping in commercial areas, or staying at hotels.

Criminals often target the following tourist sites:

  • Stabroek Market
  • Bourda Market
  • Botanical Gardens
  • the National Park
  • the sea wall

Belize

Risks: High level of violent crime.

Reason: The rise in violent crimes poses a significant concern throughout the region as Belize has one of the highest murder rates per person in the world.

The widespread issues of drug and human trafficking, organized criminal activities, and street gang presence worsen the problem. Common acts of violence include murders, armed robberies, home invasions, muggings, and sexual assaults.

There has also been a noticeable increase of incidents targeting foreign residents, such as break-ins and physical attacks.

Tourists are advised to avoid non-essential travel to the southside of Belize city due to gang and drug related violence.

Morocco

Risks: Threats of terrorism.

Reason: Foreigners in the past have fallen victim to terrorism-related incidents.

Targets for terrorist attacks could include:

  • Government buildings and schools.
  • Places of worship.
  • Airports and other transportation hubs and networks.
  • Public areas like tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, shopping centres, markets, hotels and resorts, and other sites frequented by foreigners.

Tourists are advised against all travel to areas within 30 km west of Berm, which marks Morocco’s militarized boundary in the Western Sahara. Additionally, travel is discouraged between Berm and neighboring countries on the eastern and southern fronts including Algeria and Mauritania.

Cuba

Risks: Petty crime, assaults and thefts from hotel rooms.

Reasons: A chronic shortage of basic necessities including food, medicine and fuel.

Dominican Republic

Risks: Petty and violent crime.

Reasons: Petty crimes like pickpocketing and bag-snatching are common, with tourists often being the targets. These incidents tend to increase during holiday periods.

Thefts can happen in various locations including resorts, beaches, airports, bus stations, and on public transportation. Even all-inclusive hotel rooms and hotel room safes are not immune to theft. Rental cars are also frequent targets.

There are instances of drive-by robberies, where thieves on motorcycles, scooters, or bicycles snatch bags and valuables from pedestrians. They may also reach into vehicles, including taxis, stopped at red lights to steal belongings.

Bahamas

Risks: High rates of crime, especially in Freeport and Nassau.

Reasons: Armed robberies, burglaries, purse snatchings, theft, fraud and sexual assaults are the most common crimes committed against travellers.

Tourists are also being warned that the water sports rental industry is poorly regulated in The Bahamas. Visitors have been seriously injured using jet skis and other watercraft.

France

Risks: Elevated threat of terrorism.

Reasons: Demonstrations in opposition to police violence. These demonstrations have caused disruptions to services and transportation and led to violent acts such as vandalism and arson.

In the last few years, France has seen several opportunistic and premeditated attacks. These have resulted in many deaths and injuries.

Mexico

Risks: High levels of criminal activity and kidnapping.

Reason: Violent crime can be found throughout Mexico, including homicides, kidnappings, and assaults. Sometimes these crimes happen at popular tourist destinations such as the Mayan Riviera (Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos and Tulum) and Acapulco.

Tourists can fall victim to extortions through virtual kidnappings, where criminals find out enough personal information of their victims and then contact the target’s loved ones claiming to have taken them hostage. Express kidnapping is also a tactic used where the victim is abducted and a small immediate ransom is demanded.

Criminal groups, including drug cartels, are very active. ‎Clashes between cartels or gangs over territory, drugs and smuggling routes are common.

A regional advisory is in effect for Mexico and it includes the following areas:

  • Chihuahua
  • Colima  (except the city of Manzanillo)
  • Coahuila
  • Durango
  • Guerrero,
  • Michoacán (except the city of Morelia)
  • Morelos
  •  Nayarit
  • Nuevo León (except the city of Monterrey)
  • Sinaloa (except the city of Mazatlán)
  • Sonora, (except the cities of Hermosillo and Guaymas/San Carlos and Puerto Peñasco)
  • Tamaulipas
  •  Zacatecas
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