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Predatory tourism? Visitor details a “horrible” vacation in Jamaica

September 7, 2009

negrilHigh crime. Outrageous prices. Fees everywhere.

Jonathan Shelton’s vacation in Montego Bay, Jamaica, had it all. And he was so upset by it that he fired up his Blackberry at the airport and sent me a missive.

“I was awed by the locals trying to take advantage of tourists at every turn,” he told me. “The whole economy is designed to rake tourists over the leaves.”

Is his experience just another example of predatory tourism, where hotels, tour operators and merchants prey on their own guests? Or was Shelton just unlucky?


Here’s what he wrote:

Obviously tourism is a major income for the country, but it would seem that its better to leave people with a good feeling in their mouths instead of feeling, like we do, that we’ll never return.

The taxi charged $20 each way to our hotel. Candy bars at the resort were $2 and a few ounces of ice cream were $4. Internet was $9 per half hour. And the taxis and tour people constantly tried to take advantage of the fact that we were Americans.

They charged us an excess poundage baggage fee on our flight to Miami and then another fee for our flights to Los Angeles. When we inquired about changing the tickets to go straight through, the gate agent said it’s $150 a person change fee, plus the cost of the tickets.

That seem very excessive. The word “gouge” comes to mind. I had heard these stories of crime violence and bad customer service in Jamaica. Sadly, they’re all true. And guess what? I’m African American.

Horrible experience. Definitely won’t be back.

When I first read this, I thought Shelton just had a bad trip.

The fees, while high, are not that unusual for resort hotels. Same thing for the luggage surcharges — you’d experience that anywhere in the States. (And yes, the word “gouge” comes to mind.)

But does Shelton have a point about the crime and the predatory nature of the merchants in Jamaica?

A popular blog post on the subject seems to suggest he’s on to something:

Jamaica has many people running around with guns who have no problem using them. The murder rate in Jamaica is currently jockeying for top position with Colombia and South Africa, with Jamaica pulling ahead. In past years, the gunfire primarily occurred in Kingston and Spanish Town, but it’s now spreading out. St James (Montego Bay parish) has seen increasing levels of violent crime (murder), as well as all other parishes.

Our own State Department is only slightly more diplomatic about it:

Crime, including violent crime, is a serious problem in Jamaica, particularly in Kingston. While the vast majority of crimes occur in impoverished areas, the violence is not confined. The primary criminal concern for tourists is becoming a victim of theft. In several cases, armed robberies of Americans have turned violent when the victims resisted handing over valuables. Crime is exacerbated by the fact that police are understaffed and ineffective.

Additionally, there have been frequent allegations of police corruption. Tourists should take their own precautions and always pay extra attention to their surroundings when traveling, exercise care when walking outside after dark, and should always avoid areas known for high crime rates.

I’ve been to Jamaica a time or two, and also had a few moments where I felt unsafe. I would probably think twice before taking my family there on vacation.

I contacted the Jamaica Tourist Board to find out if Shelton’s experience was just a fluke.

It didn’t respond.

(Photo: roinks/Flickr Creative Commons)

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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54 comments

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  • http://americaonline barbie45

    i am so sorry about your bad experience; my girlfroed was very badly injured last year on a trip to jamacaia; perhaps you would have been better of staying in a an all enclusive resort like sandals; i have visited the bahamas a few times and was not impressed ; the food is very expensive and a 15 percent gratuity is added; also a service charge 15 percent for each person in your party plus a 38,00 fee in cash for the privilege of leaving the bahamas ; same harassment trying to sell you things; expensive cabs40.00 each way to go to macdonalds. try florida i live here either west coast which has beautiful beaches or west palm area which isbeautiful with some cultural activities ; i think you would have a far more safe trip and a some culture; of course as always be concerned about your safety.

  • Kathleen Pierz

    We had a similar terrible experience in Jamaica. We arrived on a cruise ship and the one thing my daughter wanted was her hair braided. There were plenty of women along the pier offering this service. We were physically threatened when after braiding my daughter’s hair the women wanted double the price. The very large men who suddenly showed up convinced us that we should pay double. Following that we were chased down the street by a man screamming at us (we have no idea why – drug crazed?) and ended up having to actually carry my mother to a restaurant after her heart started fluttering from the stress. We took my mother to Jimmy Buffet’s place so she could feel safe and finally went back and spent the day in port on the ship. I cannot think of anything that would make me interested in a return trip to Jamaica.

  • http://travel-babel.blogspot.com Claire Walter

    Food, gas for rental cars (and therefore taxis too) and other goods that must be imported are expensive on all islands. Personally, since I’m not one simply to lie around in the sun or lounge by the pool, being trapped in an all-inclusive resort wouldn’t be pleasurable. I’d be planning a jailbreak. I like to leave wherever I’m staying and explore without fear of being robbed, ripped off or worse. For my money, Hawaii is a wonderful choice. I’m not particularly fond of Waikiki (again, personal taste, not a moral issue), but I enjoy the Big Island, Maui and Kauai in that order — and for a getaway that’s really away, Molokai can’t be beat. There are palm trees, tropical breezes, beaches, mountains (except Molokai, which has hills), art galleries and essentially freedom to roam that is worry-free.

    Claire @ http://travel-babel.blogspot.com

  • Jerry

    Gee! High murder rate, tourist traps, everyone with their hand out – sounds like Mexico! We will never return there either.

  • http://www.singleparenttravel.net John F

    In fairness, the State Dept warning sounds applicable to almost any major US City.

    Not knowing where this guy stayed, it is hard to form an opinion, but Jamaica is a poor country and unfortunately, people will try to solicit you. I don;t like it, but have always been able to get away from it with a polite “no thanks”.

    With that said, I do agree that of the resort areas, MoBay is my least favorite. It is a city and not a village. And like in the US, there is going to be more crime and scams where the population is centered!

  • http://juliesrawambition.com JulieK

    These are exactly the reasons I will never return to Jamaica, either. The locals’ harassment of tourists is an incredible turn-off. Both times I went it was via cruise ship, 15 years apart, and couldn’t wait to get back on board. Never again. I had the same thoughts as the gentleman above, wouldn’t they want to nurture their reliance on tourism $$$ by bringing folks back, rather than chasing them away never to return? I don’t get it. I’ve been everywhere in the Caribbean more than a few times, and unfortunately this reputation has followed Jamaica for years. Anyone who is an experienced island traveler avoids it altogether. Shame!

  • Chris

    I had a similar experience in Jamaica (Negril to be specific) a number of years ago in 2004. Admittedly I was on a day time ‘excursion’ on a cruise – a group of travelers and I, trying to avoid the tourist trap of the central port area, wondered slightly outside the boundaries of where tourists are meant to go.

    A couple of locals spotted us, flashed hidden machetes, and announced that they were our tour guides. We spent about 10 mins in their captivity, and while they did give us a tour of sorts (“take a picture of that statue”, “look at that dumpster”, etc) they decided on a fee of $20 per person for services rendered.

    After hearing some of the other stories, we were fortunate that something worse didn’t happen. Anyways, $20 lighter, we learned our lesson; and it sounds like things haven’t gotten better in the past 5 years.

  • http://www.rosalindcummingsyeates.blogspot.com Fly Girl

    Sigh. All these experiences do not sound far-fetched or untrue it’s just that they also sound like these people expected their experiences to be similar to those they have in the U.S. Jamaica, like a lot of developing countries, has a very shaky economy. Tourism is the main source of income for many and yes, Jamaicans can be very aggressive. With that awareness, you should expect that prices will be hefty. You should also expect that if you’re going to act like a spoiled American tourist, you will be treated accordingly. Jamaica boasts a rich and intriguing culture beyond the cruise ships and hotels. An attempt to experience it, say in the South Coast in Treasure Beach or the hills of Mandeville would deliver another perspective. You can’t judge an entire country on one or two experiences in tourist enclaves. And excuse me, I don’t understand what the Bahamas and Mexico have to do with Jamaica. They are all different countries but they are also developing countries so I guess that makes them all the same.

  • Chadds Ford Travel

    I have read all the following post with some open mouth! I say this because I can’t even begin to tell you have many times I have been to Jamaica.
    Saying this I read the post with interest because I feel most if not all the travelers went without any knowledge of the destination. Didn’t have it planned well i.e. pre paid transfers for one. First timers to Jamaica should go with a planned tour.Talk to a professional who can say been there done it!! I have people call and once I talk with them I know they aren’t Jamaica bound clients…Jamaica is one of those destination you either love it or hate it, nothing in between. I for one really love it.
    Something was mentioned about Kingston? Kingston is an hour plane ride, so we are not talking about the neighboring town. I am sure crime maybe on the rise there, but has anyone looked at TV news lately? Crime in Philadelphia I heard was worse then New York (don’t have figures just what was said)
    You don’t have to leave home to have crime affect you
    We do a fair amount of destination weddings not to mention lots of honeymoons to Jamaica, I ALWAYS tell our clients remember you are in a third world country act accordingly!

    With Travel in Mind
    Chadds Ford Travel

  • Ann_V

    The fares, fees, and prices on resort don’t sound out of line to what you’d experience anywhere else – whether those are too high is really a topic of a different conversation.

    What does Shelton’s race have to do with anything? Because he was black he expected not to be hustled? It’s usually pretty easy to discern locals of similar skin coloring to foreigners, whether he would have been an American, Canadian, British, or German national.

    People travelling to what could be described as 2nd World countries at best should not be surprised that much of the population is actively engaged in attempts at commerce with the “rich” visitors – take a look at the Human Development Report for Jamaica at http://hdrstats.undp.org/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_JAM.html, and aggressive behavior shouldn’t surprise you – it’s a survival need for many.

  • http://www.traveldesigned.com traveldesigned

    Elliott,
    My passport is filled with so many entries to Jamaica, at one point I had to go through extra secutrity procedures. HA!

    I cannot argue with the statistics, but I think the violent crimes in Jamaica are not typically involving tourists,though bad apples are found everywhere.

    I always advise my clents to negoitate the taxi fare before getting into the cab- no matter where they are. Often -even in the US, tourists are taken advantage of. Anyone who has traveled likely has a story about a spiteful cab driver, unfortunately. It is common knowlege-at least to me, in many tourist destinations there is a local rate and a tourist rate.

    As far as the overcharging goes at hotels, as you said in your infinite wisdom, that is worldwide. I advise tourists to stay out of the craft markets and away from vendors if they cant take “the heat”, always politely saying, “no thanks, not interested”.

    I completely agree with your sound advice about being aware of your surroundings etc. I often think, people tend to forget to pack their commonsense when they travel, often going places and doing things they would not do at home.

    In closing, I would like to share, I have made many dear friends in Jamaica over the years and find the country to beautiful, rich in cultural sites, heritage and experiences. I have traveled off the beaten path there and thakfully, have many fond memories.

  • Ronda

    why would someone want to vacation in an area known for violent crime? i mean you go on vacation to rest and relax, not worry about being shot at.

  • Marc

    Wow… so many travel experts commenting on this story in order to drum up business for themselves. :) I’ve been to Jamaica twice, both times were stopovers on a cruise. Both times my wife and I went off the boat on shor excursions sponsored by the cruise line and both time we were harassed constantly. This isn’t surprising. What *is* surprising is that so many people are surprised by this. Yes, you get bothered constantly and sometimes they get right in your face. However, they *do* know their limits, especially if you are on a tour with a reputable tour guide. “No thank you” should be your mantra and do not show fear (sounds silly, but it’s true).

    Things you should not do… 1) go off by yourself, 2) get into arguments with the locals because they harass you, 3) be rude, 4) expect everyone to cater to your whims. In other worse, don’t be the “ugly American”. You’ll stick out like a sore thumb and you might as well wear a sign around your neck that says “sucker”.

    Use common sense, people. And while I’ve yet to stay at an all-inclusive resort in Jamaica (like Sandals), the experience in staying at one of those is vastly different.

  • http://www.traveldesigned.com traveldesigned

    BTW –if you need some great recommendations for fabulous family resorts in Jamaica–I know a number of GREAT travel agents :)

  • http://americaonline barbie45

    flygirl; i have been to cairo Egypt which is definitely third world; my husband and Iwalked the streets crowded as they were there was no threat of assualt; sure we were harassed by streed vendors; they left when we said no; the airport in Cairo wasinhabited by homeless people; i had to bribe a woman with a cigarrette to get into the ladies room; there was definitely culture ; the museum; the sphinx etc; carts and donkeys were a commom form of transportation; women washing clothes in the Nile river. i never feared for my safety ; the islands might be scenic but culture forget it.

  • Bisonkeeper

    As to the “…frequent allegations of police corruption…” (State Dept. advisory) and the posts on here which appear to suggest Jamaica is every bit as safe as Disney World: Philadelphia, (I city with which I am familiar) and other US cities do have sections which can be every bit as dangerous as Jamaica. However, in the US, the danger is not compounded (at least in most large cities) by significant police corruption. I seriously doubt the pay of Jamaican police is comparable to what a Philadelphia cop gets.

  • Allison

    Go to Barbados. People could not be nicer. Felt safer there than most US beach vacation destinations (seriously!). Very little crime to speak of; people who will go out of their way with directions and never (in fact actively discourage) a tip. You can even drink the water straight from the tap and it tastes wonderful. I have raved about the island for the last several years after negative experiences in Jamaica (witnessed too many drug deals to count as well as a shooting and a stabbing all in the same one week vacation), Bahamas, Puerto Rico and Mexico (seems like no food is “safe”).

    No, I’m not a travel agent.

  • http://www.rosalindcummingsyeates.blogspot.com Fly Girl

    Umm Barbie, it’s incredibly arrogant of you to assume that “the islands” have no culture just because you have not bothered to explore it. Referring to the Caribbean region, each island has it’s own particular history and culture, despite clueless tendencies to lump them all together just because they are in the same region. Egypt and the rest of the African continent is steeped in culture because of its ancient history and artifacts. Egypt is also a whole lot bigger and more economically stable than Jamaica. Hence, there are more opportunities to make a living and the vendors may not seem as aggressive. Every Caribbean island boasts a rich culture, especially Jamaica where you can experience distinctive and internationally acclaimed Jamaican cuisine, hear poets and writers at the annual Calabash fesitval, attend Caribbean fashion week , explore the Port Royal Archeological and Historical Museum or the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston. It’s all there, you just have to open your mind beyond your narrow expectations.

  • http://americaonline barbie45

    to flygirl;Egypt is a third world country with abject poverty in CAIRO; I briefly describded some examples; i icould include people living in the streets; no sanitary facillities available even at the pyramids where the tour director informed me i would have to urinate behind the pyramids; the issue is safety; of course you must be diligent in regards to safety; however people who have visited CAIRO do not speak of the incidents that are described in Jamaica; .I have visited several of the islands whichtrue are diverse;The issue here is safety which seems the main complaint of this board.

  • http://www.rosalindcummingsyeates.blogspot.com Fly Girl

    Barbie, your particular complaint aimed at me was lack of culture, which I addressed. Safety involves personal common sense much more than concerns about the behavior of vendors in developing countries. You can’t control other people, only your own reactions to them. Travel experiences have as much to do with personal attitudes and perceptions as they do with the reality of the destination.

  • Victor Ozols

    We went to Negril a few years ago, stayed in a shack on the morass side (as opposed to the beach side) and had a wonderful time. We encountered some kind, wonderful people, as well as annoying, aggressive touts whose mantra is to accuse you of not showing them the proper “respeck.” Apparently, people who stand on street corners doing nothing all day deserve our infinite respect.

    Coming from NYC, we were somewhat prepared for the harassment, but it did make things less fun, and it is a disincentive to return. It’s almost funny. No matter who you are or what you’re doing, you’ll be accused of being too uptight and worrying about things that are of no consequence.

    We flew in and out of Montego Bay, which was ten times worse, as far as street harassment is concerned. Nothing you can do about it. It just is.

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  • Jennifer

    Anything that this tourist said about Jamaica can be said about just any city on Earth at one time or another to any tourist. In NYC or Las Vegas, tourists are taken on a ride, so to speak, by the local cabdrivers. There is crime everywhere. Pickpockets in Europe, muggings in Phila., etc. It wouldn’t prevent me from going to any of these places. It just behooves me to be smart.

    To me, it sounds like he never did any research into Jamaica before he went there, including reading about the taxis and the appropriate fares to his hotel, the resort fees, etc. Why do people spend so much money to purchase a vacation but spend no time doing any research into the place they’re visiting? When he started complaining about $2 candy bars, he lost me. Those are not outrageous prices at a hotel out of the country; for goodness’ sake, you get charged more at a local movie theater. And just what does Jamaica have to do with the excess baggage fees charged by the Airline? Jamaica has a lot of problems, but the problems described by this tourist don’t make the first page.

  • et

    I’m done with jamaica. Took a group on a cruise and asked the van driver to take us to a close beach and local restaurant. Had the van ride from hell over the top of the island, hours each way, to outrageous little restaurant, owned by his friends (over $100 per couple for lunch), where I know he got a kick back, and never saw a beach. Horrible!!!
    et

  • JeffCarlin

    Crime in Jamaica? This is news? Haven’t visited that beautiful island or their enchanting people since the 70′s for just that reason. Condition Red is no way to enjoy a vacation. What a shame.

  • Dori

    We flew into MoBay in March & drove by shuttle to Sandals, Negril. Yes, Jamaica is a very poor country but I did not feel scared at any time. The resort was beautiful and very safe. I would not recommend leaving the resort alone at anytime, but we were able to take the taxis that basically are contracted by the resort and saw some sights in Negril. We shopped downtown one morning and again, I felt very safe. The people at the resort were so very nice and just want to make sure the guests have a great time.

  • et

    Had to agree with jennifer about this travelers complaints, $2 candy bar, and airline change fee’s and baggage fees aren’t the island’s fault. Rude rip off artitsts are.

  • http://www.odysseyworld.com Preston McKinney

    My travel agency sells quite a few Jamaican vacations. We only sell quality all-inclusive resorts and advise the clients to stay on the resort or take a guided tour if they leave the resort. I personally have never had a problem in Jamaica but once again, I take the same precausions that I take in my home town of San Antonio, TX. Many people takes risks that they would consider doing in their home town or large cities nearby.

  • Tom Wilmer

    Whenever I meet someone who raves about their Jamaican experience, I always inquire, “Is your description confined to within the confines of your gated, guarded, upscale resort, or would it also include, Beyond the Pale, in MoBay, Kingstown, and Spanish Town?”

  • Toni

    I was in Negril many years ago…absolutely hated it, was robbed on the beach, threatened by a local for no apparent reason…quite an inhospitable place in my experience. Sounds like it hasn’t changed.

  • Tammy

    I took my children to Beaches last year for a week, and we had a wonderful time. With the guards at each end of the beach and at the resort entrance, no one came to hassle you. One of my pet peeves when stopping at Grand Bahama island this year on a cruise were the people who kept sending their children up to you to hawk stuff at outrageous prices. But, one could argue, this is how these people buy food. If your choice was hassling tourists all day long or starving, you would probably be out there irritating people too.

    In short I would recommend a Beaches or Sandals (all transportation provided) any day.

  • http://americaonline barbie45

    fly girl the fact of the matter is Jamaica is dangerous according to the statistics and merits a state department warning; frankly most of the posts suggest people were not pleased with their experience ie the agressive behavior of the vendors etc. by using Cairo as an example of a very poor city there do not seem to be any state department warnings or to my knowledge of complaints of bodily harm and ecessive ripoffs which occur so much in jamaica. Everyones idea of culture is differnt; i love fashion shows but that is not a cultural experience to me .

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  • exBFF

    I’ve been to Montego Bay several times and my experience was nothing like what I’m reading here. We’ve always stayed at the Ritz Carlton Montego Bay and it has always provided my family with an exceptional experience…equal to some of the finest resorts in the world. Honestly, it was so similar to the Princeville Resort in Kauai – which is magnificent.

    Once you leave the property – as in any “developing” nation – you have to use common sense and take precautions. The thing with many of these island nations is that you have extreme wealth immediately adjacent to mind-blowing poverty. Be aware, be cognizent and be respectful. Personally, I stick to organized tours (and the spa) and leave the “experiencing the real culture” to others.

    My heart truly goes out to the people who’ve had these horrible experiences.

  • http://www.jetsetterscruises.com JetSetters

    I’m amazed at many of the comments posted here. Yes, there’s crime in Jamaica. The vast majority of it is in Kingston – a place that most tourists will never go. There’s also crime here in Houston (where I live), Chicago, NYC, LA, Philly… shall I go on? I don’t understand why anyone would travel to another country and expect crime to be non-existent. That’s just plain ignorant.

    I’ve been traveling to Jamaica for 15 years, multiple times a year and, like traveldesigned, have my passport filled with so many entries to Jamaica I lost count. I personally love Jamaica. It’s one of my favorite places. Feels like I’m going home each time.

    What I notice about first time travelers to Jamaica is that if they booked a trip to Jamaica and didn’t get briefed by a Travel Professional who’s experienced it before, they don’t have a clue of what to expect and aren’t properly prepared. They’re thinking everyone will be in the street on on the beach singing ‘One Love’ and everyting is irie. Yes, many people in Jamaica are aggresive when it comes to tourists, especially if you look like you don’t have a clue what’s going on. These are the tourists that are prime targets in any tourist destination – Jamaica or not. Like someone else said, it’s basic common sense, and a little ‘street smarts’ doesn’t hurt either.

    Sadly, it seems like a lot of people have a more negative experience in Montego Bay compared to the other tourist areas (Negril and Ocho Rios). Out of these 3 areas, MoBay is my least favorite. I’ve stayed there a couple of times and have been on a cruise there, but Ocho Rios is by far my first choice with Negril being a close second. I rarely send clients to MoBay to stay at a resort. And, if it’s a cruise, I do my best to put them on an itinerary going to Ocho Rios and not Montego Bay if at all possible. MoBay is not the Jamaica I know and love. I really feel sorry for people who had a bad experience there because you’re truly missing out on something special.

    Finally, I don’t think it’s fair to judge an entire country and culture by one bad experience. I know people here in the U.S. that have had horrific experiences happen to them or family members, but I wouldn’t say I wouldn’t return to the city they live in just because something bad happened. Jamaica may not be the place for you and that’s fine, but don’t put down the whole country based on your one experience.

  • http://www.rosalindcummingsyeates.blogspot.com Fly Girl

    Barbie, much of Florida is dangerous if you go by the crime statistics and people complaining of rip offs. I don’t hear you advising people to stay way from there. The reality is that crime is everywhere and you limit your travel experiences greatly if you let that deter you from a destination. I have read quite a few posts here from people who have had wonderful experiences in Jamaica so I guess your perspective is just one-sided. You can’t judge an entire country based on a few negative situations. Cairo is a major city in Egypt. Jamaica is a country in the Caribbean. I still don’t see what two places on different continents have to do with each other. Poverty levels are relative as well as ideas about what to expect when traveling to another country. As far as culture goes, the Caribbean Fashion Week displays clothes designed by Caribbean designers, which reflects the culture.

  • http://americaonline barbie45

    FLYGIRL;my cultural experiences are hardly liminited; Ilived in Boston and worked in the city for 54 years; sure BOSTONcan be very dangerous especially the ares I worked in. Miami is dangerous also; yet it does not deter a very wealthy populatin of the world from staying there as shown by many exlusive hotels resorts etc. ; even Delray Beach has areas i do not feel safe in; I have traveled throuhout Europe andTurkey along with areas in the middle East andparts of mexico; I have alsocruised twice and visited many of the island ; visited st kitts; except for the Bahamas I have never heard such horror storiess that come out of jamaica not isolated examples either; i tried to use cairo as an example that just because a country is poor it soes not have to use brutal methods against its tourists their only economy.

  • http://www.rosalindcummingsyeates.blogspot.com Fly Girl

    Umm, I wouldn’t call aggressive vendors and high prices brutal. Unfortunately, travel by itself does not necessarily bestow an open mind and appreciation of different cultures. It’s when the traveler allows her perspective to be expanded by her experiences that the limitations and narrow expectations vanish.

  • Bill

    Certainly lots of interesting comments.

    Yes, the world is an amazing place – and just about everywhere has good and bad points.

    I suppose I have my own list of places I never plan to visit – but many people do go to Jamaica and I expect most have a good time. Whenever you go anywhere, you need to find out in advance what to watch out for and what to enjoy.

  • http://americaonline barbie45

    flygirl; bisonkeeper,ronda ,julies posts along with others confirmed that jamaica has some serious safety issues; machetes is a lttle bit more than agressive behavior; i will pass on jamacian culture and explore more friendly cultures.

  • MLB

    Heading to Jamaica next month for honeymoon and not surprised by what I read. Sadly, Captain Entitled bitching about his candy bar is not exactly a tragedy to me. I plan to go, be aware and treat everyone with the same respect I’d treat my elders.
    The whiners from the cruise ships should probably keep their opinions to themselves. Seriously? You were there for A DAY, if that? How many children could be hawking their family’s wares and approaching you? Get over yourself. This is a poor country with expensive resort areas and the locals know where to frequent to ask for money. Which by the way, THEY NEED because they probably don’t have indoor plumbing.
    If you approach this island with your typical American “My Poo Doesn’t Stink” attitude, wearing your fanny pack, socks and sandals; no wonder they target you! You are clearly think that the world owes you something because you can afford to go on a nice vacation to a scenic place. Get over yourself and don’t do stupid things – you shouldn’t have a problem.
    Oh and FYI – try to avoid the use of your cell phone. The same lovely folks who expect their time on a poverty stricken island to be comparable to “Swiss Family Robinson” with a buffet are the same anticipating to use their cell/BlackBerry/PDA without cost. Get real people. You had to show a passport to go, correct? Key words: Different Country. American cell carriers don’t put up towers in places like Montego Bay because it doesn’t make business sense based on their customer base. I apologize for the random rant about cell phones-just read an article about a man that was “outraged” because his wife decided to take an impromptu (his words) trip to Indonesia and they were hit with $8,000.00 in roaming/data charges. Well genius, your BlackBerry and/or Smartphone attempts to connect to a network at LEAST every 15 minutes to ensure you stay on top of your oh-so-crucial email. Multiply that by a middle-aged wannabe businesswoman keeping track of her real estate sales as well as showing her friends in the Bunco club back home just how cute she looks in her visor that says “Indonesia” and you get $8,000…

  • Ugly American

    Well this has been very enlightening. In reading these comments I have learned that since every city in the world has some crime, I guess it’s now OK that Jamaica has a MUCH MUCH WORSE crime problem and corrupt police to boot.

    And since the people of Jamaica are poor and rely on tourism, I am not allowed to be annoyed by their aggressive vendors, scammers and robbers. I should just accept it as part of the culture and continue to visit repeatedly.

    Since some Americans act like obnoxious fools when they travel, nobody’s complaints about Jamaica could possibly be valid.

    Last but not least, I have learned that Jamaica is a great place to visit because it HAS A CULTURE. Therefore it is just as good to visit Jamaica as anyplace else in the world.

    Why would I want to waste my time visiting a different, equally beautiful island without Jamaica’s problems? Just because they have low crime rates and friendly people? Well there’s still SOME crime and SOME rude people. So I should just visit Jamaica instead.

    I’m going to start planning my trip right away.

  • http://americaonline barbie45

    uglyamerican; you save a great sense of irony; by the way according to the latest polls russian tourists are now the ugly ones; Americans just loud but good tippers; Yes I will look for a beautiful island with culture and maybe some rude people but not carrying weapons.

  • Christopher Elliott

    @Ugly American, I enjoyed reading your comment.

  • http://travel-babel.blogspot.com Claire Walter

    Jamaica’s image and appeal tourists will not be helped by the murder of a British diplomat in his MoBay home. See http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/10/jamaica.uk.diplomat/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

  • Joe Maryann

    I have to agree with MLB for the most part. We have been to Jamiaca twice Runaway Bay(Breezes Resort) and Negril(Hedo) and never had a problem. We use comman sense and street smarts.We stayed at all inclusive resorts and never had surprise bills. We make a point of escaping the resorts and see local places of interests. I live in NJ about 30 miles from the shore, so why would I want to stay confined to a hotel and not experience the Islands.We could stay home and stay at a hotel and swim in the ocean. Many tourist we have seen while vacationing in the Caribbean stick out like a sore thumbs- Dumb.. We have been to about 12 caribbean islands in the last 7/8 years take side trips and rent/drive cars on our own, mingle with the locals and most important give them respect. It’s their home, we are just vistiting. My wife and I have seen countless tourists talk down to the locals. No wonder they have trouble.

    Be happy don’t worry.

  • D.H.

    Gee, I was going to AAA tomorrow to book a vacation with my husband and 17 yr old daughter to Jamaica tomorrow. We were going to do an all inclusive in Montego Bay. I thought the zipline, river tubing, and (especially) the bamboo raft ride would be fun. After reading all of this I am having 2nd thoughts. I had looked at Costa Rica and Belize but it was alot more expensive and didn’t offer as many tours as Jamaica. But I certainly don’t want to look over my shoulder the whole time, especially since our daughter will be with us. If I just wanted swimming, fishing and shopping I could go to Florida for the 20th time. Wanted something different. But also want to be safe. Went to Riviera Maya a few years ago.

  • jamaican

    omg!!!!!!!!! im a jamaican, i live in jamaica. some of these things that im reading are all new to me, for example, ridiculous taxi fares the excessive harrassment, i knew that tourist were sometimes harrassed but i didnt know the extent wow!!.it is so sad , especially because jamaica promotes itself as the best place to be on earth.. guess our goverment really need to tightened up those loose ends, since we rely so much on tourism. as well as the tourist needs to take the necessary precautions, such as read and plan your trip carefully. dnt just come to the island expecting things to just fall into place. plan ahead and contact experienced tour personel that would have your interest at heart. i have an uncle that specialises as a tour guide as well as as provides other services such as taking you wherever you want to go he also operates for and hotel and will ensures your safety. pls feel free to contact me at brown_tightness @ yahoo.c0m

  • Heather Reese

    I was very surprised at how unsafe Jamaica was and how expensive it is, especially when you are a white tourist (I say this because I saw what happened when it was our Jamaican friends took care of business instead of us). I think the problem is with the way it is portrayed in commercials here and by people who went there many, many years ago. They bill it as a paradise and and it might have been back then but I think that for most people, paradise will only be found if you stay in the all inclusives and don’t venture out on your own. It’s sad but I would never recommend it to anyone who wants to be able to go around the island, checking things out by themselves.

    I was lucky to go with someone who knows the island and so I got to see a lot more of it and really liked a lot of the “locals” stuff and could probably find my way around safely enough but I’m not sure if I would. Even Negril, which used to be pretty laid back and ideal was overrun and you couldn’t walk a step without someone harassing you about one thing or another. Save for Treasure Beach on the South Coast where I could walk down the beach and not be bothered too much and where I felt safe and I can’t forget the fantastic food and music that I got to experience thanks to my guide, the rest was pretty disappointing in regards to being able to enjoy the beauty without having to worry so much about your safety.

    Just my experience… wish it was different…

  • Melissa

    Just got back from Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios. WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THIS COUNTRY. Why is there NOT a warning???? Of my group I’m the only person that speaks the language. Our tour guide tried to have us robbed. I told her I was onto her and we got back to our hotel safely. THEY HATE AMERICANS!!! I heard it at every turn. I speak the language!!! They have disdain and resentment towards us. Please do NOT go to Jamaica. You are a sitting duck. We were! People are desperate and will do anything. This economy has hit them hard and everyone is desperate. Anyone know how I can get a hold of the embassy? Someone needs to know what’s going on.

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