I've never been to Jamaica so can't comment directly but I'd be interested to know whether this warning has come from Govenment agencies (eg the Jamaican tourist board or police) or the tour/hotel operators? I ask because I've heard of visitors to Cuba being given similar warnings and lots of visitors becoming very anxious about stepping outside of their resort complex/hotel when in fact it is usually very safe and it seems more like a ploy on the part of the hotel or TOs to encourage visitors to only book the organised excursions rather than going outside to explore on their own.

I was told exactly the same by many people when I used to visit Tunisia (before the events of the Arab Spring and the atrocities there) but had no problems at all going out and about as a woman on my own in Sousse, Hammamet and Tunis. Again it seemed more like a ploy to keep people spending money in their hotel rather than local businesses and/or jsut go on the organised excursion trips.

As I said, I've never been so have no idea one way or the other about safety in the Montego Bay area but it would be worth anyone thinking of travelling there to dig a bit deeper about where these warnings are coming from and the reasons given for issuing them.

I keep looking at Jamaica and being put off by mixed reviews about areas outside of hotels. I don't want to go somewhere and feel trapped in a hotel.

Me too, Fiona, because speaking personally, I don't see any point in going somewhere to just stay in the hotel - I'd go stir crazy - which is why I won't be adding Montego Bay to my list of possible future holidays for the moment!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42757023

This looks like it could signal difficult times for the Jamaican tourist industry are on their way.

He told Radio 5 live: "Last year there were an average of six killings a week - and since the start of the year it has got even worse."Jamaican newspaper the Gleaner reported that there were 335 murders in the St James parish in 2017.It also estimated there had been 38 killings across the country in the first six days of 2018, compared with 23 over the same period last year.


Pass.

Well I have holidayed in the murder capital of the world! The thing is- are these gang killings? Were any tourists killed?

We went to Jamaica 17 years ago and we were warned not to go outside the hotel unless it was on organised trips. So this is nothing new. X

I went to Jamaica 8 years ago, and agree with Wendywu, there were placed that it was not recommended you travel unescorted, my son and I did go outside the resort and were careful as I would be in any other place, as I say this was a while back