Trinidad and Tobago has seen its US travel advisory updated ahead of the busy spring break season to highlight the ongoing state of emergency (SOE) in place in the Caribbean nation.
The alert status for the territory remains the same, at “Level 3: Reconsider Travel” due to risks from crime, terrorism, and kidnapping. However, the guidance section has been revised to include information about the emergency powers given on 30 December 2024 to the forces of law and order.
New police powers
Government officials in the two-island republic announced the crackdown following a surge in gang-related violence and killings. Prime Minister Keith Rowley said at the time the measure was being brought in to tackle the “unacceptable high level of violent crime.” Over 623 homicides occurred in 2024, for a population of 1.5 million people, with organised crime and the international drug trade contributing to one of the highest murder rates in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Trinidad and Tobago: The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has declared a nationwide State of Emergency based on continued criminal activity that could endanger public safety. The Police Service has the authority to arrest individuals on suspicion of involvement in illegal… pic.twitter.com/eFjAdTGl77
— Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) January 17, 2025
In place until April 2025 at least, the emergency powers give police more freedom to stop and search both people and premises without warrants, as well as to detain suspects for up to 48 hours. It is these increased police powers that the March edition of the US advisory highlights.
“Intense” police presence
The state of emergency stops short at any curfew, underlining the government’s determination to “tailor” the strategy, ensuring it is “as unobtrusive as it is to the law-abiding citizen.” This strategy appears to be working so far. Travel Tomorrow reporter Polya Pencheva was visiting Trinidad and Tobago at the time the state of emergency was introduced. Apart from having a dampening effect on New Year’s Eve parties, “nothing really changed,” she said, adding that she was staying “with locals” and the announcement “didn’t really affect my stay.”
Pencheva described life appearing to continue as normal although the state of emergency was on the news. She did however notice an increase in security force visibility, which was quite “intense.”
Places to avoid
In line with US advice, Pencheva also remarked that, with most island journeys undertaken by car, tourists could face risks by accidentally venturing into an unsafe area. The US State Department guidance prohibits its employees on the islands from travelling to Port of Spain, “at any time” specifically Laventille; the southern end of Charlotte Street between Oxford Street and Park Street; Piccadilly Street; Besson Street; Beetham; Sea Lots; Cocorite; and the interior of Queens’ Park Savannah. After dark, downtown Port of Spain and Fort George and all beaches are also designated as no-go areas.
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean, a region that regularly attracts large numbers of US visitors, especially around spring break. Tourism Analytics recorded 164,875 US stopover visitors to the archipelago in 2024, up 10.2% year-on-year. So far, the security situation on the archipelago does not appear to have stemmed that tide, with 33,843 US stopover visitors going to Trinidad and Tobago in 2025 so far, a year-on-year increase of 11.2%.
