Travel warning as British tourists told to avoid Caribbean destination

The UK Government is urging British tourists not to book holidays or to visit a Caribbean destination in an official warning.

While Haiti is a beautiful destination and one which, according to Statista, is projected to experience considerable tourism growth in the coming years, at the time of writing the UK Government is urging Britons not to visit the island destination or book holidays in the coming weeks. The news comes as mass violence has broken out due to political unrest.

A warning on the Gov.uk website states that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is urging all Britons to avoid travel to the country. Anyone who does travel to the area could also risk voiding their travel insurance policies.

The FCDO states: “FCDO advises against all travel to Haiti due to the volatile security situation. There are currently no British consular officials in Haiti and our ability to provide consular assistance is severely limited and cannot be delivered in person in Haiti.

“British nationals may get consular services assistance at our diplomatic mission in the Dominican Republic.

“If you choose to travel to or stay in Haiti against FCDO advice, try to avoid all crowds and public events, and take appropriate security precautions.”

Since February 29, there have been a series of attacks on key government buildings in the capital Port-au-Prince, which are reported to be part of a push to remove Prime Minister Ariel Henry. The prime minister has since announced he will step down, with a traditional council to replace him.

A statement on the Gov.uk website further explains: “On March 3, 2024, prisoners escaped after gangs overwhelmed security forces at the main prison in Port au Prince, Haiti’s capital.