Travel warnings to popular travel destinations from Pearson Airport in Mississauga and Canada

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Published September 16, 2023 at 5:37 pm

When planning your next vacation with family or friends, it’s advisable to exercise increased caution when travelling to these destinations.

Here are some of the latest advisories issued by the Canadian government.

Costa Rica 

Risks: Frequent petty crime.

Reason: Tourists are common targets for pickpockets and purse-snatchers because they are perceived as being wealthy.

Passport theft is also very common and increases during the peak tourist seasons, from November to May and from July to August.

Thieves usually work in teams, where one thief diverts the victims’ attention while the other snatches their possessions.

There also are areas where drug trafficking, violent crimes and murders occur often. These include:

  • Alajuela
  • Limón
  • Puntarenas
  • San José

Honduras

Risks: Frequent petty crime, gang-related violence and civil unrest.

Reason: Well-frequented tourist regions, bus terminals, airports, shopping complexes, hotel foyers, and dining establishments, including outdoor dining areas are common areas for pickpockets and other petty crime.

Criminal organizations are also particularly active along the coastline stretching from the Guatemalan border to Puerto Cortés, engaging in a range of illegal activities, including theft, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and kidnappings. These criminal activities are conducted by both individual wrongdoers and organized groups. It’s worth noting that many Honduran residents are armed, with firearms and various weapons like machetes and knives.

Some places to exercise extreme caution when visiting include:

  • San Pedro Sula
  • Choloma
  • La Lima
  • La Ceiba
  • Colón
  • Gracias a Dios
  • Olancho
  • Yoro

Malaysia 

Risks: Threat of criminality and terrorism.

Reason: Tourist hubs and vicinities surrounding the airport are common areas for petty crimes. Some of these thefts include pickpocketing, purse snatching, and snatch-and-grab incidents. Motorcycle-riding thieves frequently seize bags and valuable possessions from pedestrians, often leading to injuries.

Tourists should avoid non-essential travel to the east coast of Sabah, from the northern city of Kudat southward to the city of Tawau, due to the risk of kidnapping and violence.

There exists a terrorism threat with the potential for attacks to happen at any moment. Likely terrorist targets may include:

  • Government buildings, including educational institutions.
  • Places of worship.
  • Airports and transportation hubs.
  • Public spaces, such as tourist attractions, eateries, bars, cafés, shopping centers, markets, hotels, and other places often visited by foreign nationals.

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.

Trinidad and Tobago

Risks: Frequent violent crime.

Reason: Cruise ship passengers and tourists are targeted in incidents which involve pickpocketing, purse snatching, shootings, kidnappings and other gang- and drug-related violence around the docks in Port of Spain.

These crimes of opportunity tend to increase during the annual Carnival celebrations in February or March, the Christmas holidays and Tobago Jazz Festival.

Criminals target foreigners. Visitors are advised to be highly vigilant in the following areas:

  • Laventille
  • Beetham Gardens
  • Sea Lots
  • Corcorite
  • Carenage
  • Morvant
  • Savannah Park
  • Fort George
  • La Brea (Pitch Lake)
  • Las Cuevas Beach

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.

For more information on countries that are currently not safe to travel to you can visit the Government of Canada website.

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