Jamaica 'safe for tourists' despite new state of emergency

Meanwhile, a state of emergency in Sri Lanka, enforced on March 6, has been lifted.

The government withdrew the order on Saturday (March 17). It was imposed following violent clashes in Kandy district.

Curfews were imposed and visitors experienced social media blackouts.

However, there was no disruption reported at Bandaranaike International airport in Colombo and tour operators in the country said there was minimal disruption for tourists.

And despite the country’s prime minister saying the clashes had harmed the country’s reputation as a tourist destination, Sri Lanka Tourism said the country was safe.

Fresh guidance from the Foreign Office, issued on Monday, reads: “If you’re in Sri Lanka or due to travel, you’re advised to exercise caution, avoid protests and rallies, and follow the advice of the local authorities. In addition to our travel advice, you may wish to consult the Sri Lankan Tourism Development Authority website.”

It was also announced last week Tunisia’s ongoing state of emergency had been extended by a further seven months, despite the resumption of charter flights from the UK last month and both Thomas Cook and Tui relaunching their Tunisia programmes.

The country was first placed on alert in November 2015 following a suicide attack on a police bus, months after 38 people - including 30 British holidaymakers - were shot dead on a beach in the tourist resort of Sousse.

The state of emergency has been extended a number of times since then, most recently on Monday (March 12). The Foreign Office has updated its advice for visitors.