Jamaica reassures passengers that it remains a safe place to visit, despite the state of emergency announced last week.

Reassurances came after, in specific, a 26-year-old American student was murdered while visiting her family in Saint James, Jamaica – which includes Montego Bay. This has been followed by a spate of murders last week.

Responding to a UK Foreign Office warning to British tourists in Montego Bay area, urging them to remain within gated and guarded compounds except on hotel-operated excursions or airport transfers, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, said the country is ‘safe, secure and seamless in its delivery of the Jamaica tourism product experience’. In a statement, he said: “All resorts, restaurants, and attractions have been receiving guests, and visitors and residents continue to enjoy their daily activities during the State of Public Emergency in St. James.”

The UK’s travel advice follows the declaration of a ‘State of Public Emergency’ in the parish of St James.

According to local reports, security forces in St James have reported that approximately 200 people have been arrested since Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced the state of emergency last week.

The police have reported eight people were arrested for a shooting incident along the Sunset Boulevard on January 16 where one man was killed and two others injured. Two others were also taken into custody in relation to the shooting death of a man in St James. Eleven of the 100 murders so far this year were committed in St James.

Minister Bartlett said: “Jamaica has always enjoyed a very low crime rate against visitors. The proactive and preemptive security measure by Prime Minister Andrew Holness to guarantee the continuation of this enviable statistic has been a welcomed initiative.” He added: “It has proven to be effective and we expect it to end quickly.”

Jamaica received a record-breaking year with over four million arrivals to the island in 2017. This figure comprised of 2,353,461 stopover arrivals and 1,946,780 cruise passengers, providing a revenue flow of approximately US$3 billion (£2.15 bill). The 500,000 additional visitors in a single calendar year was a milestone achievement for the destination.