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What Every Traveler Should Know About Travel Advisories and Alerts

Sarah Schlichter

Deputy Executive Editor Sarah Schlichter's idea of a perfect trip includes spotting exotic animals, hiking through pristine landscapes, exploring new neighborhoods on foot, and soaking up as much art as she can. She often attempts to recreate recipes from her international travels after she gets home (which has twice resulted in accidental kitchen fires—no humans or animals were harmed).

Sarah joined the SmarterTravel team in 2017 after more than a decade at the helm of IndependentTraveler.com. Sarah's practical travel advice has been featured in dozens of news outlets including the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, USA Today, Budget Travel, and Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio. Follow her on Twitter @TravelEditor .

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A journal. Even years later, reading my notes from a trip can bring back incredibly vivid memories."

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These days, you’re probably not planning a trip to Iraq or Afghanistan—most nations are currently advising citizens against all non-essential travel to these countries. And due to the current COVID-19 outbreak , governments around the world are issuing even more travel advisories and alerts than usual.

Though global crises such as pandemics should always be taken seriously, not every government travel warning means you need to immediately cancel a trip to a particular part of the world. In fact, within the past few years the governments of the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. have released travel advisories and alerts about the following popular tourist destinations: Thailand, Mexico, China, India, and even the United States.

Before you decide to avoid these countries altogether, it’s worth taking a closer look at what a government’s travel advisories and alerts mean, why they’re released, and how to evaluate them.

What Is a Travel Advisory?

Governments issue travel advisories to let their citizens know about safety concerns that may affect travel to a particular country or region. Travel advisories may also note parts of the world where a government does not have the ability to respond to the problems of citizens traveling there—for example, if the government doesn’t have an embassy in a particular country, or if the functioning of its embassy is threatened by local violence.

In the United States, travel advisories are issued by the State Department.

The State Department’s travel advisories detail a variety of potential risks in a given destination, including terrorism, natural disasters, political unrest, wars, health concerns, and outbreaks of crime. The State Department offers travel advisories for all countries across the globe, along with a risk level for each on a scale of one (“exercise normal precautions”) to four (“do not travel”). In some cases, certain regions of a country may have a higher rating than the country as a whole.

The State Department uses eight different letters to denote the reasons for its travel advisory levels:

• T: Terrorism
• U: Civil unrest
• H: Health risks
• N: Natural disaster
• E: Time-limited event
• K: Kidnapping or hostage taking

Travel advisories may remain static for months at a time, or they may change rapidly when circumstances demand.

Governments occasionally publish global or worldwide travel advisories in extraordinary circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic , which pushed countries such as the United States, Canada, and New Zealand to advise their citizens against any non-essential international travel.

What Is a Travel Alert?

Travel alerts are issued to cover “specific safety and security concerns in a country, such as demonstrations, crime trends, and weather events,” according to the State Department . Alerts often come from embassies and consulates and may cover breaking news or shorter-term problems for travelers.

Alerts don’t necessarily mean “don’t travel,” but rather contain information that’s worth knowing about so you are prepared.

Unlike travel advisories, which can remain in place for months, alerts tend to be much shorter-lived; most alerts on the State Department’s country pages are less than a month old.

How to Evaluate Travel Advisories and Alerts

In general, a travel advisory—no matter how strongly worded—cannot legally stop you from traveling to a particular place. After reading an advisory, it is up to you to decide whether to heed or ignore the advice, and to determine whether your planned trip is essential or not. While your government will usually try to help you if you run into trouble abroad, you will always be traveling at your own risk.

Not all travel warnings are created equal. When deciding how seriously to take a particular travel advisory, below are a few questions to ask yourself.

Is the Entire Country Affected?

In many cases, violence, unrest, or natural disasters are confined to a particular region while the rest of the country is still safe and welcoming to tourists. For example, in recent years the U.K. has cautioned visitors against traveling in Gulf Coast states of the U.S. during hurricane season. And while Mexico’s recent struggles with violence are well publicized, government warnings apply only to select states; many popular tourist destinations such as the Mayan Riviera have remained safe.

While your well-being always comes first, keep in mind that the fallout from an isolated act of violence can affect an entire country’s tourist industry—and have a disproportionate effect on the economy of a developing nation.

What’s the Danger?

For travel advisories dealing with violence or terrorism, pay attention to what kind of attacks are taking place and who the targets are. Assaults that specifically pinpoint foreign tourists should raise a bigger red flag than civil unrest among locals. If violence generally happens away from primary tourist locations, there may be less risk for visitors.

How Up to Date Is the Warning?

If you’re looking at a travel alert that’s more than a few months old, it may be worth doing a little research to check the current situation on the ground and see if there’s been any improvement. The websites of international newspapers are often a good source of accurate and up-to-date information. Searching Google News can help you find these. (Compare multiple sources to avoid being taken in by less reputable publications.)

Is the Warning Corroborated by Other Governments?

To get a fuller sense of what’s happening in a particular country, check travel warnings from multiple sources (see our links below). Critics have speculated that some advisories are unduly influenced by politics, so checking a U.S. advisory against a Canadian or an Australian one can give you a fresh perspective—or confirm that a threat is cause for a change in your travel plans.

Will You Have a Safety Net?

Find out whether your home country has an embassy or consulate in the place you want to visit, and make sure it’s fully staffed and functioning. If the worst happens, you don’t want to be stranded in a foreign country without an embassy to help with emergency evacuation or to get you in contact with family and friends at home.

Is Travel Insurance an Option?

Keep in mind that travel insurance may not cover you in all countries or circumstances. According to TripInsuranceStore.com , most policies do not cover acts of war, riots, or civil disorder. Other exclusions apply too, so read your policy carefully before purchasing.

Travel Insurance Coverage: 17 Things Your Policy Won’t Cover

What Happens If You Decide to Ignore Travel Advisories

Each year, many tourists choose to visit certain countries despite their government’s warnings. If you decide to do the same, consider taking the following safety precautions.

Register Yourself

Let your government know when and where you will be traveling so that you can be reached in an emergency. U.S. citizens can register themselves here ; Canadians can do so here . Other countries have similar programs.

Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home so that they know where you’re supposed to be and when. Stay in touch on a regular basis by email, phone, text, or Skype.

Stay Informed

It can be tempting to take a complete break from the world when you’re on vacation, but if you’re in a place where conditions are unstable, you’ll want to keep yourself posted on what’s happening by following the news on your phone.

Be Prepared

Have a backup plan in case something goes wrong. Find your home country’s embassy or consulate in the area you’ll be visiting and store its contact details in your phone. But be aware of what the embassy—and your home government—can and cannot do. (For example, if you’re injured, the State Department can help you find medical assistance in your destination, but you or your relatives will have to foot the bill.)

Protect Yourself

Purchase a travel insurance policy after reading carefully to see what is and isn’t covered. Consider getting a policy with a “cancel for any reason” option so you can back out of your trip without penalty if you feel uneasy. Check out 10 Smart Ways to Carry Money While Traveling to help shield yourself against crime. Finally, do your research; read up on the political or cultural situation of the area you’re visiting and know exactly which threats you might face.

How to Be Safe and Culturally Sensitive When You Travel

Where to Find Travel Warnings, Advisories, and Alerts

Below are a few governments offering travel advisories in English. (Keep in mind that the State Department does not offer information about U.S. territories such as the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, so you’ll need to turn to foreign governments for any advisories about these destinations.)

• United States
• United Kingdom
• New Zealand

The downside of travel alerts and advisories is that they can strike more fear into travelers than necessary. But read as a precaution, travel warnings and alerts can provide even the most seasoned travelers with the latest information, and are a good refresher for how to handle an emergency should you encounter one.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 6 Ways to Get Home Safely from Abroad in an Emergency
• What to Do If You’re Caught in an Emergency Overseas
• The One Thing You Need to Add into Your Phone Before Traveling Abroad

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Follow Sarah Schlichter on Twitter @TravelEditor for more travel tips and inspiration.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2017. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. Kate Sitarz contributed to this story.

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Is it safe to go there? The U.S. travel advisory system, explained

If you’re planning an international trip, here’s how to use the State Department’s country-by-country guide to minimize your risk of encountering crime, violence, or civil unrest.

On October 19, the U.S. Department of State issued a rare advisory that Americans overseas “exercise increased caution” due to heightened tensions and chances of terrorism around the world, spurred by the Israel-Hamas war. It’s part of a system of travel warnings that’s been around in some form since 1978, designed to help citizens assess how safe a destination might be at a given time.

The current version of the system, which launched in 2018, gives fluid rankings from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4 (do not travel), indicating how risky countries (and in some cases, regions) are for Americans to visit. Rankings are based on factors such as crime rates, civil unrest, and the threat of terrorism. They are meant to give “clear, timely, and reliable information about every country in the world so they can make informed travel decisions,” says a State Department spokesperson.  

Not surprisingly, on October 14, the State Department moved Israel and the West Bank to Level 3 (reconsider travel) and Gaza to Level 4.  

Here’s how the advisories work and how to use them.

What is a travel advisory?

The U.S. State Department inaugurated the travel advisory system in 1978, initially aiming warnings at airlines and travel companies. The system was scrutinized after the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am flight from London to New York , which exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland , killing all 259 passengers and crew plus 11 people on the ground.  

Investigations found U.S. authorities had been aware of a credible threat to a Pan Am flight but hadn’t informed the public. In response, the media and consular offices began issuing travel warnings. In 2018 the U.S. introduced its current four-tier advisory system. There are near-identical versions in Canada , Australia , and New Zealand .

To determine rankings, the State Department considers a nation’s political volatility, crime trends, medical care standards, and the threat of kidnappings or terrorism. (Politics also ends up playing an unspoken role.) Some countries, such as Russia , receive a Level 4 ranking partly because the U.S. government may have limited ability to assist citizens there. Others rise to Level 4 due to a crisis, such as the military coup that recently rocked Niger .  

When the travel advisory system relaunched in 2018, it also included state-by-state evaluations for Mexico , which draws more than 11 million American travelers a year. “Some Mexican states are quite safe for U.S. tourists, while others are riskier due to narco-trafficking violence,” says Ryan Larsen , executive director of the Institute for Global Engagement at Western Washington University. Yucatán and Campeche states are currently at Level 1, while six other Mexican states are at Level 4, including Sinaloa.

( Solo female travelers share tips for staying safe on the road .)

Epidemics and natural disasters also can prompt a travel advisory number to rise. Americans may be prompted to reconsider visiting a country recovering from a tsunami or major wildfires, since their presence could hinder rehabilitation efforts. This occurred after the February 2023 earthquakes in Turkey . Such advisories can remain in place for weeks or months.

The strictest-ever advisories came in April 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic , says Larsen, who did a thesis   on U.S. travel warnings. At that time, about 80 percent of the world’s countries were at Level 4.

At press time, about 70 percent of the world’s countries were rated Level 1 or Level 2 by the State Department, indicating they’re relatively safe. There are currently 21 countries at Level 3 and 21 at Level 4.

How to use travel advisories

Before booking an international trip, consult the State Department website to see where your destination ranks. While Level 1 and 2 countries are considered relatively safe, you should still register with the U.S. Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) . This lets Americans overseas use their smartphone to receive travel advisory updates and alerts about emerging dangers in their destination (protests, extreme weather).

Level 3 countries are considered more dangerous for foreign visitors, who should “reconsider travel,” according to the State Department. If you are headed to a Level 3 country, which currently includes Pakistan and Colombia , do wider research on its safety and on the places you’ll visit there, advises Jun Wen , a professor of tourism at Australia’s Edith Cowan University. For instance, while some remote areas in the Colombian Amazon still suffer from drug-related violence, cities such as Cartagena and Medellín are relatively safe. Going on a fully guided group or individual tour can also help you navigate destinations where political unrest or crime might impact your safety.

Travelers should study not only the advisories provided by their own country, but also by the U.S., United Kingdom, and Australia to broaden their understanding of the risks in Level 3 countries, Wen says. As for Level 4 countries, that “Do Not Travel” advice couldn’t be any clearer.

Other countries also issue warnings to their citizens about visiting the U.S. Canada recently informed its LGBTQ travelers they may be affected by laws in certain U.S. states. Australia, meanwhile, cautions its citizens visiting the U.S. to be wary of higher crime rates and gun violence, and even to learn safety strategies for active shooter scenarios.

People who visit countries with Level 3 or Level 4 travel advisories don’t just risk their safety. They also may have travel insurance complications, says Linchi Kwok , tourism management professor at California State Polytechnic University Pomona.

( How travel insurance can—and can’t—help when your plans change .)

They must pay much higher premiums, and their insurance can be invalidated if the advisory for their destination is elevated. “Medical coverage can be minimal, too, particularly if the travel advisory is put up against a disease or an outbreak,” says Kwok. “I encourage Americans to think twice before they travel to Level 3 and especially Level 4 destinations.”

Warnings and their impact on tourism

Travel advisories can be biased, Larsen argues. His research found that, while the U.S. didn’t often overstate the risk of travel to countries with which it had poor relations, it did often understate the danger of visiting nations that were its close allies. Elevating a travel advisory can stoke diplomatic tensions between two countries. Once a country is raised to Level 3 or 4, many tourists will avoid visiting, and many American universities won’t let students join study abroad programs.

The economic ramifications of a level change impact individual businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies. For instance, J 2   adventures , a Jewish-focused tour company, saw most of its fall group trips to Israel canceled after the start of the Israel-Hamas war (and the higher advisory level), says cofounder Guy Millo. “This is not just because of the violence on the ground, but because of practical considerations like accessibility of commercial airline flights,” he says. “Most tourists from North America and places around the globe simply couldn’t get here even if they wanted to.”  

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Jamaica Travel Advisory: What You Need to Know to Stay Safe

Government warnings sound dire but shouldn’t deter you from traveling.

Four days before I flew from Washington, D.C., to Mali, I received a list of 20 pre-trip suggestions from the U.S. Department of State. Among the recommendations: Draft a will, discuss your funeral wishes with your family, designate a hostage negotiator and leave DNA samples with your medical provider.

My stomach knotted when I read the advice. Mali is on the State Department’s highest-level don’t-go-there list, along with such volatile nations as Haiti and Iraq. But until then I hadn’t been worried. I’d be working in Mali with a nonprofit, One Global Village, that has served there for years. I knew the organization’s leaders and their emphasis on safety. And while the Islamic State group was terrorizing Mali’s north, we would be in the relatively safer south, working in a remote rural village.

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I survived the 2020 journey without being kidnapped, robbed or shot, a feat I’ve managed on trips to numerous locations — from Guatemala to the West Bank — that provoke stern warnings from the State Department. 

In the wake of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, the State Department didn’t initially issue an updated travel advisory for Israel. It now says not to travel to Gaza because of terrorism and armed conflict and to reconsider travel to Israel and the West Bank because of terrorism and civil unrest. The State Department says that if you decide to travel to the region, you should check alerts on the website of the U.S. embassy in Israel for the latest information.

Popular destinations, including Mexico and Jamaica, have travel advisories. In Mexico, the department breaks down the advisories by state, with 13 states receiving “do not travel” and “reconsider travel” warnings. Kidnappings in Mexico in early 2023 raised questions about the safety of traveling to the country.

At the end of January, the State Department issued a level 3 travel advisory to “reconsider travel” to Jamaica, citing crime and medical services. The agency said “violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common.” The advisory added that sexual assaults also happen at all-inclusive resorts. As for medical services, the advisory said response times and quality of care are not as they are in the U.S. “We strongly encourage you to obtain traveler’s insurance, including medical evacuation insurance, before traveling to Jamaica,” the advisory said. The advisory also listed some neighborhoods and parishes as “do not travel.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also issues advisories. On Dec. 8, the CDC issued a health advisory about an outbreak of tick-borne Rocky Mountain spotted fever among people who have recently traveled to or live in the city of Tecate, in Baja California, Mexico. Five people have been diagnosed since July, and three people have died, the health agency said.

According to the CDC, Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a “severe, rapidly progressive, and often deadly disease” that is contracted from the bite of infected ticks. In this outbreak, the five patients developed the disease within two weeks of travel to Tecate. The patients were hospitalized in Southern California. The agency says the antibiotic doxycycline is the best course of treatment.

Here are some insights on understanding advisories and staying safe.

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Deciphering the alerts

The State Department issues  travel advisories  for every country and assigns one of four grades:

• Level 1: Exercise normal precautions.
• Level 2: Exercise increased caution
• Level 3: Reconsider travel.
• Level 4: Do not travel.

Most countries are Level 1 or 2. With Level 3, the State Department suggests that you avoid travel due to serious safety risks. With Level 4, you face “a greater likelihood of life-threatening risks,” and the government may be unable to provide assistance.

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The State Department also issues warnings for events ranging from political protests to hurricanes. In late June, for example, the U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Paris issued a security alert when riots erupted after a police shooting in a nearby suburb. The U.S. Embassy in Dublin released a similar alert in July after a 57-year-old American was assaulted by teenagers.

Warnings and advisories may sound dire, but they shouldn’t necessarily deter you from traveling. If you based trip decisions solely on the government’s cautious advisories, you’d never leave home. In its advisory for famously safe, Level 1 Japan, the State Department warns of sexual assaults and criminals who spike victims’ drinks. For Australia, another Level 1 country, the department mentions bar brawls, violent demonstrations, pickpockets and purse snatchers.

Travel warnings are often broad, but reality is more nuanced. Take Dublin. The July alert was issued after an attack against a single American (though the embassy also mentioned “a number of recent incidents reported in Irish media”). But Dublin is considered safe by most European travel experts.

Want to put security concerns in perspective? Consider foreign governments’ advisories about the United States. The United Kingdom warns of terrorist attacks, gang assaults on tourists’ vehicles and violent protests. Multiple countries, including Canada and Germany, caution citizens about gun violence and mass shootings.

“It always surprises me when my clients bring up advisories … because we’re in New Orleans, where the crime is so bad here,” says Lauren Cardinale, a travel adviser and owner of Travel Design Co., citing carjackings and shootings. She mentions a Spanish colleague who visited New Orleans. The woman’s mother was terrified about her daughter’s safety.

“You have to take these advisories with a grain of salt,” says Cardinale. “No matter where you are, you have to be safe and be aware of your surroundings. ... You run risks anywhere you go.”

What about Mexico?

The State Department’s Level 3 advisories include popular tourist destinations like Egypt, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, but for many travelers,  Mexico  evokes the most concern. The department issues travel advisories for individual states in Mexico, and six are on its “do not travel” list because of kidnappings and other crimes.

The concerns are real. In February 2023, coastal Colima was named the most violent city in the world by Mexico’s Citizen Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice. But discouraging travel to entire states is like avoiding California because of open-air drug markets in San Francisco.  

“As soon as the press reports that something happened in Mexico, people fear the entire country,” says Laura Holcomb, a travel adviser and owner of Memories and Moments Travel in Chardon, Ohio. In early 2023, Holcomb traveled to Puerto Morelos,  Cancún  and Playa del Carmen, areas where the State Department advises travelers to “exercise increased caution.” Holcomb felt safe, partly because she stays in resorts that emphasize security.

Her advice to clients: Don’t leave the resort. And if you do leave, book transportation from a reputable company, a concierge or a travel adviser.

How to protect yourself

Every country and city has its safe spots and its dangerous neighborhoods. If you’re worried about security, follow this safety list:

Register for STEP.  Before leaving home, enroll in the federal government’s  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program . The U.S. embassy or consulate will know your itinerary, lodging and contact information. You’ll also receive updates about safety conditions.

Buy travel insurance.  Most comprehensive travel insurance policies cover a variety of calamities, though you may have to add emergency evacuation as part of your coverage. Trip cancellation coverage should protect you from unforeseen events that prevent you from traveling, such as the  wildfires that hit Maui  in August. For further peace of mind, Holcomb recommends buying a cancel-for-any-reason policy when you book your trip. With this type of policy, you can cancel a trip for any reason at any time, unlike some policies that don’t allow cancellations 24 hours before departure. Also ask your health insurer if it covers international medical bills. Many don’t, so you may need coverage as part of your travel insurance.

Consult the CDC.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers its own  four-level advisory system , issues notices for countries experiencing disease outbreaks and other issues, and offers advice on getting health care while traveling.

Hire a travel adviser.  The Maui wildfires showed why travel advisers can be valuable. Once the disaster struck, travel advisers helped with evacuations and rescheduled trips for Maui-bound clients. In an emergency, travel advisers have direct access to travel providers and tourism boards — and receive information before it filters to consumers and the media.

Check your travel provider’s website.  Most airlines, including Alaska, American, JetBlue and Southwest, post travel advisory information online, which provides instructions and covers information such as change fees. The same is true with cruise lines, from Celebrity to Royal Caribbean, and resorts.

Listen to locals.  Before One Global Village president Abigail Hayo travels to Mali, she consults with Malians about safety issues. Don’t have connections in a city? Contact hotel concierges, tour companies, tourist bureaus or embassies to learn about local conditions.

Use common sense.  Simple steps can help you stay safe, including:

• Try to blend in. Dress like a local instead of a tourist and don’t carry wads of cash. Hayo never wears “fancy jewelry” while traveling.
• Travel in groups. Don’t wander an unfamiliar city alone at night.
• Book lodging in busy, well-lit parts of a city, Cardinale suggests.
• Carry your passport in a travel wallet or money belt, not in your backpack’s outer pocket.
• Keep a photo of your passport on your phone and leave a copy at home with an emergency contact, Holcomb recommends. Do the same with your credit card.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Staring at your phone, wearing earbuds, drinking too much — they can make you less alert.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on August 25, 2023. It has been updated to reflect new information.

Ken Budd has written for  National Geographic Traveler , Travel+Leisure , The Washington Post Magazine  and many more. He is the author of a memoir,  The Voluntourist.

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Travel advisories

A travel advisory about a country or region is issued by the government of another country to provide its travelling citizens and expatriates with information and advice on situations that may affect their safety and well-being.

If the country you will be visiting becomes subject to a travel advisory, your travel health insurance or your trip cancellation insurance may be affected. You may also wish to consult the advice of governments other than your own, but their advice is designed for their citizens. As one example, American citizens in the Middle East might face different situations from Europeans or Arabs.

Understand [ edit ]

While extensive information on everything from armed conflict to wildfires to natural disasters is available from multiple sources, a widely cited group of travel advisories is published by the diplomatic corps of various nations. These differ in tone from the flood of information delivered by mass media as the twenty-four hour news cycle presents events as nominally-neutral facts ("A seismological expedition rode into Pompeii today to investigate quakes which may signal an imminent volcanic eruption ...") while a travel advisory is a political construct which represents a summary of the situation on the ground, as an opinion and a form of advice ("The Pharaoh of Egypt advises all loyal citizens journeying through Imperial Rome to avoid all travel to Pompeii ...").

The respective national diplomatic corps of the principal political and industrial powers usually establish local presence in many far-flung lands, where they dedicate substantial resources to obtaining up-to-date information on the situation on the ground. If a destination's infrastructure has been completely destroyed by war or disaster, diplomats who serve or work in the stricken areas will be well aware of the local situation.

Nonetheless, there are some caveats when relying on governments as a source of advisories:

• Advisories are merely a brief summary of the security situation in one country. The views presented are often cursory, general and oversimplified compared to the more detailed information available elsewhere. They will explain that " Somalia is a war zone" but sometimes will not explain the full context.
• Advisories tend to contain generic advice which could apply anywhere ("don't leave valuables on open display in your unlocked vehicle") and are prone to pointing out the blindingly obvious. There's also a tendency to oversimplify. As one example, the distinction between peaceful protest and violent protest is often lost on governments that see any large gathering as a potentially-deadly riot waiting to happen.
• Advisories are intended for international travel only. The US State Department won't warn if an individual Chicago neighbourhood becomes dangerously crime-ridden but will eagerly alert voyagers to a Mexican drug gang running roughshod across Tijuana . That doesn't mean that some random Nebraskan couldn't run into serious trouble on the wrong side of an inner city in the US Rust Belt , just that there is no consular assistance for purely-domestic travel.
• Governments are political entities. They may be reticent to offend a major trading partner, quick to condemn a political adversary or slow to judge an ally. For example, China and the United States are often accused of issuing politically-motivated travel warnings, and Hong Kong maintained a 3.5-year travel warning against the Philippines in protest of the badly-dealt Manila hostage crisis.
• Advisories focus unduly on issues relating to government and diplomacy, such as the inability of Western voyagers to Crimea to obtain consular assistance (Western governments are obliged de jure to respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine , while de facto Crimea has been occupied by Russia since 2014).
• Conversely, natural hazards (such as attacks by dangerous animals ) may receive less attention than political issues (like riots or terrorism).
• Advisories tend to broadly cover entire countries or large regions. It is often unclear what impact a purely-local issue (like Hong Kong 's warning "On 1 October 2017, attacks occurred in the city of Edmonton , Alberta . A police officer was stabbed and a few pedestrians were hit by a car...") will have on voyagers bound for some other region of the country.
• Travel advisories are often more alarmist than other sources. (Many pages on the US State Department's travel advisory site advise prospective travelers to high-risk nations to "Draft a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and/or power of attorney.") They want to reduce the risk of citizens coming to harm, because it could cost money, time and effort for an embassy to attempt to get their citizens relocated/rescued/bailed out or the diplomatic incidents wayward voyagers not knowing how to behave might cause.

Still, erring on the side of caution can never do harm and there is often a lot of valuable advice that is usually fairly up to date in major travel advisories.

It's useful to see what individual governments are saying about a destination, but don't use this as a substitute for doing your own research to see what news reports, online reviews or other sources - including the opinions of other voyagers - are saying about a place which you are considering for travel.

Government travel advisories [ edit ]

Various governments have placed their advisories online, freely available to all. The sites vary in quality; some are merely a collection of press releases, while others have one dedicated page for each destination country - typically ranking each on a scale ranging from "exercise normal precautions" to "avoid non-essential travel" or "avoid all travel". The advisories are usually available only in the official languages of the countries.

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What You Need to Know About Travel Warnings and Alerts

Should you reconsider your travel plans in light of the latest advisories?

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In some countries, including many places across Europe with no current or imminent threat, it's best to keep your plans and take necessary precautions rather than canceling or postponing your trip.

You've read the latest travel warnings and alerts and have decided it's best to rearrange your itinerary and take the destination you're interested in off your bucket list, at least for now. Are you making a smart choice, or are you basing your decision off of incomplete information?

The U.S. State Department issues travel warnings for a variety of reasons, including an unstable political climate, terrorist attacks, a civil war or recurring instances of violence and crime. While some destinations have travel warnings in place for extended periods of time, others feature warnings until the environment changes, to help Americans understand the risks involved with traveling to these destinations.

After reading such advisories, you might be hesitant to visit any place that has a travel warning issued by the State Department. But when you take into account that there are currently 37 different travel warnings and six travel alerts in effect, and realize that some destinations pose more dangerous conditions than others, you might want to reconsider putting your travel plans into motion.

[See: 10 Things Every Traveler Must Know Before Going to Brazil This Summer .]

What You Need to Know About Travel Warnings

Some warnings are easy to understand. North Korea , Afghanistan and Syria, for example, are a few places with repressive dictatorships and active warzones, meaning they are generally not the most welcoming vacation destinations for U.S. citizens. But what about countries that welcome millions of American travelers each year? Some of these countries offer some of the finest all-inclusive resorts in the world, modern infrastructures and first-world comforts. If you think you won't find any travel warning or alerts associated with those places, think again.

Mexico has had an ongoing travel warning for years that seemingly encompasses the entire country. Yet, if you pinpoint the particular advisory in place, you'd find that the warning is only tied to some very specific areas in certain regions of the country. After all, Mexico is a big place.

[See: 10 Common Pieces of Travel Advice You Should Never Follow .]

Fortunately, vigilant travelers seem to understand that many destinations across Mexico are safe. Despite the broad travel warning, word of mouth from past travelers to Mexico, as well as feedback from American travel agents on their clients' visits, have resulted in millions of Americans traveling to the country each year.

The same logic can be applied to many countries across Europe. The European continent is home to hundreds of millions of people and the European Union counts 28 member countries across a continent encompassing 3.9 million square miles. And Europe is an immense tapestry of different nationalities, cultures and histories, yet the U.S. State Department issued a sweeping travel alert for the entire continent of Europe in the wake of the Brussels attacks. While a travel alert doesn't carry the same weight as a travel warning, a sizable part of the continent is included in the same short-term alert even though some destinations are considered much safer than others.

What You Need to Know About Travel Alerts

The State Department issues short-term travel alerts for a variety of reasons. Some instances for issuing an alert can include a health alert, a belief or evidence that there is a higher chance of terrorist attacks or an unstable election season, with a higher risk of disturbances, demonstrations or attacks. While such advisories are a short-term measure, it's still important to assess the specifc risk associated with the destinations you want to visit. Take Europe, for example. Why cancel or postpone a trip Slovenia because of a situation in Belgium?

[See: 9 Ways to Travel Better .]

The Bottom Line

Instead of delaying or halting a trip altogether, evaluate the State Department's travel alerts and warnings for what they are: resourceful alerts and safety precautions. Heed them, acknowledge them, make informed choices and take necessary safety measures , but ultimately know that the world offers welcoming and safe places that broaden your cultural understanding and perspective and are worth seeing for yourself.

Tags: Travel , State Department , Travel Tips , Hotels and Resorts

About En Route

Practical advice on the art of traveling smarter with tips, tricks and intel from En Route's panel of experts.

Contributors have experience in areas ranging from family travel, adventure travel, experiential travel and budget travel to hotels, cruises and travel rewards and include Amy Whitley , Claire Volkman , Holly Johnson , Marsha Dubrow , Lyn Mettler , Sery Kim , Kyle McCarthy , Erica Lamberg , Jess Moss , Sheryl Nance-Nash , Sherry Laskin , Katie Jackson , Erin Gifford , Roger Sands , Steve Larese , Gwen Pratesi , Erin Block , Dave Parfitt , Kacey Mya , Kimberly Wilson , Susan Portnoy , Donna Tabbert Long and Kitty Bean Yancey .

Edited by Liz Weiss .

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

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What is the U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory and What Does it Mean?

Introduction:

When planning an international trip, it’s essential to stay informed about the safety and security situation in your destination country. The U.S. Department of State issues travel advisories to help travelers make informed decisions and prepare for potential risks. However, seeing a high advisory level for your dream destination can be disheartening, but it doesn’t always mean the trip needs to be called off. As a seasoned traveler, I’ve learned that it’s crucial to understand what these levels really mean and how to navigate them. In this post, I’ll break down the different travel advisory levels, provide examples of some countries at each level, and offer tips for traveling safely no matter where your adventures take you.

The Four Travel Advisory Levels:

Level 1: exercise normal precautions:.

This is the lowest level of travel advisory. It means that the country is generally safe for travel, with no significant security concerns. However, it’s still important to take standard precautions, such as being aware of your surroundings and safeguarding your belongings.

Examples of Level 1 countries:

When traveling to a Level 1 country, you can feel confident in exploring all that the destination has to offer. However, it’s still wise to take basic safety measures like keeping an eye on your valuables in crowded tourist areas and being mindful of local laws and customs.

Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution:

A Level 2 advisory indicates that there are some specific safety or security concerns in the country. This might include things like petty crime, demonstrations, or weather-related events. When traveling to a Level 2 country, it’s important to be more vigilant and take extra precautions to avoid potential risks.

Examples of Level 2 countries:

South Africa

United Kingdom

If you’re planning a trip to a Level 2 country, it’s essential to do your research and stay informed about the specific risks in your destination. For example, in Mexico, the U.S. Department of State warns about increased crime and kidnapping in certain areas. By being aware of these concerns and taking appropriate precautions, such as avoiding high-risk areas and using reputable transportation, you can still have a safe and enjoyable trip.

As you also see on the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Advisory , Italy falls under category 2. On their website, as of July 26th, 2023, the U.S. Department of State has labeled Italy as a Travel Advisory Level 2 for this reason: “Exercise increased caution due to terrorism.” Sounds absolutely terrifying, right?  Anybody who is planning an amazing trip to Italy would be put off by this and probably cancel their trip immediately if they didn’t know better. I’ll be honest, even I was caught off guard by this when I first saw it.

It’s important to remember the governments job is to inform you of a worst-case scenario event, in the chance that it does happen, they can say they made you aware of it. There may have been some talk of a terrorist event or activity, or some reason for them to place this verbiage on their website. But don’t always let the fear win. Do your research beforehand and see how likely of a threat this is. Safety Traveler is a great resource for this kind of information.

I’m also happy to report that I went to Italy in December of 2023 with my family (a few months after this advisory was announced) and we did not see one single terrorist attack, nor did we hear about a terrorist attack either. This is a prime example of being aware of what could happen, but not being afraid of it. Sometimes the fear can prevent people from traveling and seeing what this amazing world has to offer. In this case, I was warned about Italy (as you are now too), still went, and had an amazing time. Life is just too short to worry about every little thing that could happen. Always do your research on a destination and make the judgment call yourself. And again, don’t let the fear win.

Level 3: Reconsider Travel:

This level suggests that there are serious safety and security risks in the country. The U.S. government may have limited ability to assist travelers in these areas. If you’re considering travel to a Level 3 country, it’s crucial to carefully assess the risks and weigh them against the importance of your trip.

Examples of Level 3 countries:

When a country is at a Level 3 advisory, it means that there are significant risks to travelers’ safety, such as ongoing civil unrest, terrorist activity, or high levels of violent crime. If you do decide to travel to a Level 3 country, it’s essential to have a solid safety plan in place. This might include enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive updates from the U.S. embassy, purchasing comprehensive travel insurance, and having an emergency evacuation plan.

Level 3 advisory is a little more intense than 2, as you can see. People still travel to these countries, however, even though the risks seem more severe than the previous advisories. Again, do your research before traveling to a destination to ensure maximum safety. No place in the world is 100% safe, but when you take the appropriate steps beforehand, you can make your trip just that much safer.

Level 4: Do Not Travel:

The highest level of travel advisory, a Level 4 warning, indicates that the country is extremely dangerous, and all travel should be avoided. This may be due to ongoing armed conflict, civil unrest, or other significant threats. In these cases, the U.S. government may have very limited ability to assist citizens in the country.

Examples of Level 4 countries:

Afghanistan

North Korea

If a country is at a Level 4 advisory, it means that the risks to travelers’ safety are severe and potentially life-threatening. The U.S. Department of State advises all citizens to avoid travel to these countries, and those who are already there should consider leaving as soon as it is safe to do so.

I have been to countries on the level 4 advisory list.  These are not countries that everyone should travel to, for obvious reasons. These advisories are the most extreme, and usually for a valid reason. If you are new to traveling, I would steer clear of destinations on this list. Even if you are experienced, there is just some level of risk that I personally think is not always worth it. This is one of those. There are many other countries the world has to offer that are safer than these, so use common sense and good judgment when making that choice.

Tips for Traveling Safely:

Stay informed: No matter where you’re traveling, it’s essential to stay up-to-date with the latest news and developments in your destination country. The U.S. Department of State website is a great resource for this, as well as local news outlets and government websites.

Register your trip: Before you depart, consider enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This free service allows U.S. citizens traveling or living abroad to receive important safety and security updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Get travel insurance: Comprehensive travel insurance can provide peace of mind and financial protection in case of emergencies abroad. Make sure your policy covers the specific risks in your destination country, such as emergency evacuation or medical treatment.

Have a plan: It’s always a good idea to have an emergency plan in place, especially when traveling to higher-risk countries. Know what you’ll do in an emergency situation, have important contact numbers on hand, and consider sharing your itinerary with a trusted friend or family member back home.

Be aware of your surroundings: No matter where you are in the world, it’s important to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Pay attention to local news, avoid high-risk areas, and trust your instincts if something doesn’t feel right.

Respect local laws and customs: Before you travel, take time to research the local laws and customs in your destination country. Something that may be legal or socially acceptable at home could be illegal or offensive in another country. By being respectful of local norms, you can avoid unintentionally putting yourself at risk.

Use reputable services: When booking transportation, tours, or accommodations abroad, always use reputable companies with a proven track record of safety and reliability. Reading reviews from other travelers can be a helpful way to vet potential services.

Conclusion:

While travel advisories can seem intimidating, understanding what they mean and how to navigate them is key to staying safe and informed during your travels. By researching your destination, taking appropriate precautions, and staying alert, you can minimize risks and focus on enjoying all that the world has to offer. Remember, the decision to travel is ultimately a personal one, but being informed and prepared can help you make the best choice for your own safety and peace of mind. Whether you’re exploring a Level 1 country or venturing into a higher-risk destination, the world is a beautiful and exciting place. With the right knowledge and preparation, you can experience it safely and confidently.

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CDC Updates COVID Travel Guidance for 120 Countries Ahead of Summer

Images By Tang Ming Tung / Getty Images

Key Takeaways

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its COVID travel guidance for more than a hundred countries.
• The CDC classifies travel to each country by level of COVID-19 risk.
• Infectious disease experts say it's relatively safe to travel internationally now, provided you're vaccinated and avoid high-risk countries.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new COVID-19 travel guidelines for more than 120 countries.

The updated advice offers detailed information on specific countries for travelers who are vaccinated and for those who aren't. The CDC specifically assigns risk levels to each country based on the number of cases per 100,000 people.

To use the new guidance , travelers can search by the name of the country they’re interested in visiting and then learn whether its COVID-19 risk is very high, high, moderate, low, or unknown.

The CDC also offers detailed advice on what to do to stay safe in that particular country, broken down by whether you’re vaccinated or unvaccinated.

The new guidance arrives as COVID-19 cases dip to low levels previously seen at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.  As vaccination increases and cases drop, travel among Americans is picking up speed.

Just days after the CDC's updated guidance, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that it screened more than 2 million passengers on the same day for the first time since March 2020.

What the Risk Levels Mean

The CDC divides up countries based on four levels of risk.

Level 4: Very High Risk

Countries that are classified as very high-risk have more than 500 new cases per 100,000 people over the past 28 days. The CDC recommends against traveling to these countries, which currently include Brazil, India, and Iraq.

Level 3: High Risk

These countries have 100 to 500 cases per 100,000 residents. The CDC specifically recommends avoiding nonessential travel to these countries—including Mexico, Russia, and Iran—for people who are unvaccinated.

Level 2: Moderate Risk

Level 2 countries have 50 to 99 cases per 100,000, and currently include Finland, Cambodia, and Kenya. The CDC suggests that people who are unvaccinated and at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 avoid these countries.

Level 1: Low Risk

Level 1 countries are nations with less than 50 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people, and include Australia, Israel, and Singapore. The agency still recommends that you get vaccinated before you travel to one of them.

What This Means For You

The CDC breaks down which countries are considered high and low risk for travel right now. If you decide to travel internationally, first check the risk level of the country you’re interested in visiting, and don’t forget to wear a mask on your journey.

Is International Travel Safe Right Now?

Infectious disease experts say your safety depends on your vaccination status. “For a fully vaccinated individual, international travel is low-risk,” infectious disease expert  Amesh A. Adalja, MD , senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells Verywell.

“If you’re fully vaccinated, I think international travel is OK,” Thomas Russo, MD , professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, tells Verywell. “But one should be a little more cognizant of countries that have variants of concern, like India.”

While Russo says that “the consequences for fully vaccinated individuals might not be as bad” as they would be for those who aren't vaccinated, there is still a chance that they can bring the variants back home after traveling. “We’re trying to minimize importing those strains,” he says.

But there are “issues related to air travel in general,” Stanley Weiss, MD , professor of medicine at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, tells Verywell. “There is the issue of yourself and those near you, in screening areas, waiting areas, and on the plane."

Weiss points out that you can be exposed to COVID for long periods of time on international flights. And there's “a considerable period of time” where everyone may not always be masked.

Ultimately, “the decision to take an international trip currently is really a risk/benefit consideration that is dependent upon one's own risk tolerance,” Prathit Kulkarni, MD , assistant professor of medicine in infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine, tells Verywell.

He recommends being mindful of the risk level of the country you’re interested in visiting. “If it is possible to defer a trip to a country with very high transmission currently until transmission slows down a bit, that is likely preferred,” Kulkarni says.

It’s important to keep in mind that “you may not be able to get reasonable healthcare if you get sick” while visiting a higher risk area, John Sellick, DO , an infectious disease expert and professor of medicine at the University at Buffalo in New York, tells Verywell.

Adalja agrees. “Traveling to a very high-risk area, even when fully vaccinated, probably is not going to be a very fun trip if a country is spiraling out of control because of COVID-19 cases and hospitals in crisis,” he says.

How to Stay Safe When You Travel

“Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances necessitating travel; In this case, prevention steps are the best way to reduce risk,” Kulkarni says. That includes wearing a mask in the airport and on the plane and practicing good hand hygiene, Sellick adds.

Be aware, too, that you may have to get tested or quarantine—even if you’re fully vaccinated—because of regulations in place in other countries, Adalja says.

Weiss recommends bringing extra masks along for the trip and keeping a spare on you at all times. “You need enough with you to enable you to change them,” he says.

Overall, public health experts stress the importance of getting vaccinated before you travel. “It’s the most important thing you can do,” Russo says.

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus news page .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How CDC determines the level for COVID-19 travel health notices .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 travel recommendations .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Trends in number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the US reported to CDC, by state/territory .

Transportation Security Administration. TSA surpasses 2 million daily travelers screened .

By Korin Miller Miller is a health and lifestyle journalist with a master's degree in online journalism. Her work appears in The Washington Post, Prevention, SELF, Women's Health, and more.

Update April 12, 2024

Information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

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Crisis and Disaster Abroad: Be Ready

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Lodging Safety

Whether traveling or living outside of the United States, there are ways you can prepare yourself for a potential crisis.

Be Informed 

Thoroughly review our  Traveler’s Checklist  page that provides details on the Smart Traveler Enrollment Plan, Travel Advisories, emergency assistance, medical care, insurance, and more.

Be Prepared  

Have plenty of food and drinking water available in case of a crisis. If you have young children, make sure you have supplies such as diapers, formula, and baby food. If you take medication, make sure to have at least five days’ worth at any given time. It is also recommended to have your prescription handy. If you rely on assistive medical devices, have a backup power supply for your device in the event of a power outage. Your emergency kit should also include your passports, birth certificates for children born overseas, cash in the local currency, a card with local translations of basic terms, and an electrical current converter. If you have pets, be sure to have their food, supplies, and vaccination records.

Be Connected 

Keep a list of your emergency contacts handy and create a communication plan for reaching family and friends in the event of a crisis. 

Phone lines may be affected during a crisis. Think about other ways to communicate. For example, update your social media status often and send messages as regularly as possible to let friends and family know how you are doing. 

Many of our U.S. embassies and consulates, along with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, use social media to provide information – connect with us!  Twitter ,  Facebook

For more information, see  Ways to Contact Loved Ones in a Crisis Abroad . 

Have an exit strategy! Know more than one way to get to safety without relying on assistance. A crisis event may make some roads unpassable or unsafe. A crisis may also prevent or delay emergency responders’ ability to get to you as there may be many people in need of help. 

Follow instructions from local authorities. Monitor local radio, television, social media, and other sources for updates. 

If you are staying in a hotel, talk to the staff to be sure you know the hotel’s emergency plan for a variety of crisis events – fire, flood, electrical outage, storms, etc.

Keep in touch with hotel staff as well as your tour operators, airline or cruise company, and local officials for instructions.

Contact the nearest  U.S. embassy or consulate  if you need emergency help. Please keep in mind that this will not alert emergency responders. If you need emergency medical attention or police assistance, contact local authorities directly if you can. 

Be sure to learn about your destination and potential risks of traveling there on our  Country Information Pages ,  https://www.ready.gov/ , and the  CDC website .

Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones

Carefully consider the potential dangers and inconveniences of traveling to storm-prone regions of the world. If you go, make an emergency plan beforehand. 

Hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones are all the same, but they are named differently based on where they occur. They are storms which have a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that start up over tropical or subtropical waters. 

Storm surges, high winds, heavy rain, and flooding cause damage to infrastructure like roads, electricity, and phone and internet service. They also cause shortages of habitable places, food, water, and medical facilities. Mudslides and tornadoes add to the damage. Storms can result in airport closures or limit flight availability. U.S. citizens in affected regions may face delays returning home. They may even need to stay in emergency shelters with little food, water, medicine, and other supplies.

Before you go, sign up for our  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) . Stay aware of developments by monitoring local media and the  National Hurricane Center  or news and weather reports. Minor storms can quickly become hurricanes, limiting the time to get out. If a weather emergency occurs, stay in touch with your tour operator, hotel staff, and local authorities for evacuation instructions. It could save your life.

Other Crises/Disasters:

Prepare for specific potential crises based on your destination. You can learn about your destination on our  Country Pages , paying specific attention to the Safety and Security section. Please note that the websites linked here belong to domestic agencies and are intended for reference only.  If you are overseas, follow the instructions of local authorities.  

Transportation Disasters:  For information about what to do in an airplane, train, or maritime disaster, seek information from your airline, rail, or cruise line operator. For information about road safety visit the  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s page on Road Safety .

Nuclear, Chemical, and Radiological Disasters:  See ready.gov’s pages on  Radiation Emergencies  and  Chemical Emergencies ; the CDC’s page on  Radiation Emergencies ; and the EPA’s page on  Radiation Emergencies and Preparedness . 

Missile and/or Drone Strikes:  In the event of a missile and/or drone strike, you should immediately seek cover. Stay indoors near the ground and avoid falling debris. Monitor local media and contact local authorities and the nearest  U.S. embassy  for guidance. See also DHS’s page on  Explosions.

Additional Information: 

Crisis assistance.

For information on how the Department if State can help in a crisis, see this page:  What the Department of State Can and Can't Do in a Crisis

Have a plan for pets in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency. In the event of a natural disaster, we are generally not able to provide transportation assistance for your pets. If you decide to travel or live outside of the United States with your pet, please see our page on  Taking a Pet Overseas  for information. In addition,  FEMA’s Pets and Animals  page has tips to help you plan for the care of pets and animals in a disaster.   

If You Want to Help Following a Disaster Overseas

We strongly discourage you from traveling to the affected area to provide direct assistance. Those who are not trained emergency response officials often end up requiring assistance themselves. Instead, please consider organizations actively providing aid.  USAID’s Center for International Disaster Information  has information on organizations and ways to provide help.

Did you know?

Anyone evacuated on U.S.-government coordinated transport, including charter and military flights, must sign an Evacuee Manifest and Promissory Note ( Form DS-5528 ) prior to departure.

Learn more about what the Department of State can and can't do in a crisis.

Enroll in STEP

Subscribe to get up-to-date safety and security information and help us reach you in an emergency abroad.

Recommended Web Browsers: Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.

Check passport expiration dates carefully for all travelers! Children’s passports are issued for 5 years, adult passports for 10 years.

External Link

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Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

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How to check the safety of your next travel destination

How can you decide if a destination is safe?

Safety can mean different things to different people, from the likelihood of civil unrest or terrorism, to the level of COVID-19 infections, or whether you can drink the tap water or wear flashy jewelry in public. Depending on where you get your news and advice from, a destination could appear to be very safe or very unsafe before you've even arrived.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our free daily newsletter .

For example, I visited Kuwait before the pandemic and didn't know much about the destination before I arrived. I personally found it to be one of the safest places I'd ever visited. On the other hand, when I visited Turkey, I happened to have my phone stolen in a restaurant. So, while it's generally a very safe destination to visit, my personal memory of safety in Istanbul was clouded by this single incident.

Rather than just basing your decision on one other person's experience or water cooler gossip, how do you determine the safety for yourself?

For starters, I'd avoid throwing out a broad question on social media. Someone who may not have even visited the place might convince you that you shouldn't visit because they saw something online that may have been #fakenews.

Related: I'm in Turkey right now — 5 things to know about entering as a US resident

Kuwait City, Kuwait (Photo by Ben Smithson/The Points Guy)

The best place to start is the U.S. Department of State's Travel Advisories . The website displays information and advises on safety and gives each country a safety warning rating from one to four:

• Level 1: Exercise normal precautions
• Level 2: Exercise increased caution
• Level 3: Reconsider travel
• Level 4: Do not travel

Before the pandemic, most countries were classified as Level 1 or 2, which meant they were reasonably safe to visit (provided you took normal precautions). COVID-19 turned the travel world upside down and led the agency to add most of the world's countries to its highest advisory last April. The State Department has lowered levels for some destinations, however. For example, travel to the United Kingdom and Israel was reduced in May from Level 4 to Level 3. As of late July, at least 87 countries remained under Level 4 advisories.

This State Department site does tend to err on the side of caution, even pre-pandemic. For example, it warns there is a risk of terrorism in Iceland, though you certainly may not feel like it when you are there (I sure didn't). Don't let this website scare you from visiting somewhere it deems Level 1 safe, even if it does list lots of caveats to that safety.

However, the Level 4 advisory for so many countries is very clear-cut – you should not travel to these destinations until the advice changes, even if you are permitted entry or vaccinated against COVID-19. You should also carefully read the terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy as traveling to a Level 3 or 4 destination may invalidate your insurance policy. This could be disastrous if something goes wrong during your travels.

Note that conditions can change rapidly in a country at any time. To receive updated Travel Advisories and Alerts from the State Department, choose the method that works best for you at travel.state.gov/stayingconnected.

Normal precautions for traveling right now, even if you are fully vaccinated, would include:

• Check entry requirements to determine if you are required to present or take any COVID-19 tests. Pay close attention to the types of tests required;
• Practice social distancing;
• Wear a mask where required by local rules or guidelines, especially in places like public transportation and supermarkets;
• Wash and sanitize your hands regularly — it's a good idea to carry hand sanitizer with you if you're not sure how easy it will be to find hand-washing facilities at your destination.

Even if you're fully vaccinated, remember that many foreign countries have only vaccinated small numbers of their populations. So, you likely won't experience relaxed restrictions like you may be starting to enjoy at home right now.

Related: UPDATED: When will international travel return? A country-by-country guide to coronavirus recovery

If you are still undecided about a destination, for example, what the exact risk of terrorism in Iceland currently is, another valuable resource for considering safety is the Foreign Travel Advice section of the U.K. Government website. There are detailed guides to safety with insights for 225 different countries, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Along with essential information about COVID-19 restrictions, there are handy tips and cultural knowledge you might not find in a glossy holiday brochure.

For example, while Singapore is considered an extremely safe destination, you might not know that public drunkenness is frowned upon and may result in a much harsher penalty than elsewhere. Meanwhile, Jordan is a relatively safe country to visit, but the website warns to go nowhere near the border with neighboring Syria. There are all sorts of travel tips here, and it's updated regularly with things like entry requirements, local currency and embassy contact information.

Suppose there's certain information you are looking for about a destination beyond general safety for mass tourism, and government travel websites don't have information this specific. In that case, you may wish to consult a resource like TripAdvisor or Lonely Planet (which is owned by Red Ventures, TPG's parent company) to see if this question has been asked on a forum before.

I often find that my exact question has been asked, and numerous experienced travelers in that destination have answered. If it's just one random answer, I might keep looking, but if 10 different people are all giving the same advice, I would feel comfortable following it, especially if it was recent.

Just keep in mind that if someone advises "XYZ country is very safe" or "XYZ country is not safe, and you shouldn't visit," this is likely just their personal opinion or experience, and you should start with the government advice linked above.

Bogota, Colombia. (Photo by Jesse Kraft/EyeEm/Getty Images)

Bottom line

All travel comes with some level of risk, and these government resources are not a guarantee that your experience will be exactly as they promise. Still, they do err on the side of caution, which should be comforting for inexperienced travelers. The more you travel, the more risk you may be comfortable accepting — resources like these will help you make the right decision for you.

Unfortunately, much of the world is considered off-limits due to the pandemic, which will hopefully change as vaccination programs continue and COVID-19 cases fall.

Additional reporting by Ana Figueroa

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Travel advice and advisories by destination

COVID-19: travel health notice for all travellers

The Government of Canada’s official source of travel information and advice, the Travel Advice and Advisories help you to make informed decisions and travel safely while you are outside Canada. Check the page for your destination often, because safety and security conditions may change. See Travel Advice and Advisories – FAQ for more information.

Where are you going?

Take normal security precautions

Exercise a high degree of caution

Avoid non-essential travel

Avoid all travel

Travel advice from other countries

Travel advice is also provided by the governments of Australia , New Zealand , the United Kingdom and the United States .

Risk Levels

  take normal security precautions.

Take similar precautions to those you would take in Canada.

  Exercise a high degree of caution

There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.

IMPORTANT: The two levels below are official Government of Canada Travel Advisories and are issued when the safety and security of Canadians travelling or living in the country or region may be at risk.

  Avoid non-essential travel

Your safety and security could be at risk. You should think about your need to travel to this country, territory or region based on family or business requirements, knowledge of or familiarity with the region, and other factors. If you are already there, think about whether you really need to be there. If you do not need to be there, you should think about leaving.

  Avoid all travel

You should not travel to this country, territory or region. Your personal safety and security are at great risk. If you are already there, you should think about leaving if it is safe to do so.

Travel Widgets for Websites

Embedding travel advisories into your travel website made easy. Either as a simple iFrame or a JS with customization options.

• Travel Warning Widgets for Websites

These widgets show travel advisories and travel warnings for a specific country. These advisories contain a risk value which describes how dangerous a country is from a travellers perspective. This data is available for every country and can be embedded in your website, free of charge. Don't ask, just use the widgets as it fits. This data is as up-to-date as the data shown on this website (travel-advisory.info).

There is no JS/Pixel tracking or ads integrated into these widgets. We only have the typical simple webserver logs. These logs will be deleted at the end of each month after a simple statistical analysis for maintenance purposes.

Terms of Service

First of all, the service is free to use. The widgets described on this page are free of charge. Just go ahead and use them. But to keep it that way, please comply with the following rules.

(1) This widgets come without warranty or uptime promises. Though I try to put great care in the coding, official travel advisories could be misinterpreted and show a wrong scoring. So you should not use this widget to operate a nuclear reactor nor should you base potentially life threatening decisions on the widget data alone. Use your brain and read the official sources.

(2) This widget is designed for light traffic. If you wish to embed these widgets into your application or high volume website, please consider using our Travel Advisory API .

(3) Attribution. Please refer to the source of data when you use our data in your application/website/app. It doesn't have to be a big bright badge, but it should be noticable in context of the shown data. The examples show how you could go about this

iFrame Country Widget Option

https://www.travel-advisory.info/widget-no-js?countrycode=ISOCODE

Using this, you recieve a full HTML widget. It comes ready to use with styles and images. It can be embedded right in your site using the classic iframe technique for example. You can resize the iframe to your needs as the content provided is fluid and responsive. It works without any javascript.

Note: As simple as it is, it has no customization options besides it's size through the parent iframe.

There is one mandatory GET parameter countrycode which takes a two letter ISO countrycode. It is case insensitive so you can use "de" or "DE" (for Germany). See Wikipedia for a comprehensive list of possible codes.

Sample Code

Parameters used: ?countrycode=NG

Parameters used: ?countrycode=CY

JS Country Widget Option

https://www.travel-advisory.info/widget.js

This JS should be placed at the bottom of your page or should be loaded after the required html element that functions as an anchor. This anchor can be any element. It must have the id 'travel-advisory-info-widget' .

The widget comes with a variety of options.

GET: countrycode (mandatory) Iso Alpha 2 Country code (see above for reference)

GET: styles Takes the values 0 (disable) and 1 (enable). The default is "1". Disable removes the default style declarations from the embedded html. You can use this when you have multiple widgets on a single page as the style declaration would be the same or when you want your own styles.

GET: classname Takes as string (limited to 50 chars) that may consist of 0-9, a-z, A-Z and "-" and "_" and uses them as CSS classnames or classname prefix for elements in the embedded html. You can use this, when you want to give distinct and own css classnames.

GET: width Takes either sizes in PX (e.g. '200px') or the value 'auto'. This value is applied to the container with the message content. When not applied, the container size is '100%'. Will not work when the parameter 'styles' is set to 0 (zero).

GET: height Takes either sizes in PX (e.g. '200px') or the value 'auto'. This value is applied to the container with the message content. When not applied, the container size is '100%'. Will not work when the parameter 'styles' is set to 0 (zero).

GET: images Takes the values 0 (disable) and 1 (enable). The default is "1". Disable removes the images (countryflag and info icon) from the embedded html.

Parameters used: ?countrycode=AU

Parameters used: ?countrycode=CN &styles=0 &images=0 &classname=something-else

Global Risk Score

Average risk rating of all countries. Based on 1,044 individual travel advisories.