Guatemala’s tourism minister has criticised the strident Foreign Office warnings about travel to the Central American nation.
The FCDO travel advice says: “Violent attacks, including sexual assault and gun crime, can take place anywhere and at any time of the day. Attackers have killed and injured victims who resisted. There is a low arrest and conviction rate.
“There have been armed attacks on tourists travelling by road to and from major tourist sites like Antigua, Tikal, Petén and Lake Atitlán”
The Foreign Office also warns agains travelling on the repurposed US school buses that form the backbone of public transport in Guatemala. The advice warns of “an increase in armed attacks by local gangs on bus drivers and conductors” along with “violent muggings, rapes and assaults against foreigners.”
But speaking to The Independent’s daily travel podcast, Guatemala’s tourism minister Harris Whitbeck said: “Travel advisories like that – and not just from the UK – have been in place for many years. From personal experience, I can tell you the reality is very different.
“I would prefer these advisories not be blanket warnings covering the entire country, but instead be regionalised. As in any country, there are areas that pose risks and many that do not. The areas most frequented by tourists are perfectly safe.
“We carefully track incidents, and we have not had a single violent incident against tourists in the past two years. So yes, it can be frustrating to read these advisories. I understand why they exist, but if they were more precise, they would paint a much truer picture.
“I’m not disputing them — I’m simply saying that the areas frequented by travellers are safe.
“Read the advice and take it into account, but also do your own research. Read trip reviews, talk to other travellers. The beauty of today is that social media gives individual travellers a voice. People share their experiences on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, and when you look at those stories, you’ll see a very different picture of Guatemala.”
The Independent has asked the Foreign Office to respond. The FCDO says of its travel advice: “Our main concern is always the safety of British nationals. We know our travel advice sometimes affects businesses and international relations. We do not let this influence our advice.
“We constantly review our travel advice for each country or territory. We keep it up to date and make sure it includes the most important issues for British people visiting or living there.”
Other risks that the Foreign Office warns about for Guatemala included “express kidnappings – short term opportunistic abductions, aimed at extracting cash from the victim” and carjacking on the Pan American Highway leading from Guatemala City to the border with El Salvador.
On Monday Guatemala’s president, Bernardo Arévalo, declared a state of emergency in two western municipalities after armed men attacked a military post and police station.
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