The U.S. State Department reissued a travel advisory for the Bahamas on Feb. 25, following three similar warnings in 2018 from the U.S. and Canada.
The current advisory remains at Level 2 but urges travelers to "exercise increased caution" when traveling to New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama islands (Freeport), according to the advisory on the State Department's website.
The advisory stated that "violent crime such as burglaries, armed robberies and sexual assault is common, even during the day and in tourist areas.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. had issued its own warning in late December to its cruise passengers traveling to the Bahamas, but later toned it down following complaints from the Bahamas government, according to reports.
Personal-watercraft operators were cited for inconsistent regulatory supervision and frequent lack of maintenance on watercraft. "Jet ski operators have been known to commit sexual assaults against tourists," the advisory said.
In response, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation said in a statement that the warning recommends caution but does not urge travelers to delay or cancel travel plans to the destination.
"The vast majority of our six million visitors do so without any incident whatsoever, but the Bahamas takes the safety of residents and visitors very seriously and will continue to work on this issue," the statement said.
The Ministry of Tourism's response also said that while it does not have oversight of the licensing and regulation of boats or other watercraft or their operators, "we are willing to support the Ministry of Transport and the Bahamas Marine Authority to address needed changes in regulation and enforcement to ensure safe and responsible operation of these businesses in the future."