NASSAU, Bahamas (Newsradio WFLA) -- The Bahamas' tourism agency is responding after the State Department advised American tourists to stay away from certain areas of that island nation, because of crime.
Last week our government said there's a problem with violent crime in the Bahamas... its Level 2 advisory urges Americans to stay away from certain neighborhoods in Nassau, don't open hotel room doors unless you know who's there, and watch out for jet-ski rentals with bad equipment and operators who've been known to sexully assault tourists.
The Bahamian Ministry of Tourism and Aviation's release downplays the State Department's warnings to Americans, saying the U-S Government isn't urging Americans to cancel or delay their travel plans.
The island's Royal Bahamas police force says there were only 30 incidents involving U-S tourists last year... almost all of them minor.
The Bahamian tourism office says it supports calls for more regulation and oversight of jetski rentals. It says the Bahamas government has been trying to adopt regional safety codes including higher inspection standards, as well as enhancmenets to the Commercial Recreational Watercraft Act.
Last week, the State Department also placed the nearby Turks and Caicos Islands under a Level 2 travel advisory.
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