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The phone rings and nobody answers the phone

There may be several reasons - such a fault on the line - try emailing them [email protected]

My phone rings and sometimes I don’t answer it.

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IKB Travel Reviews Summary

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What do customers say about IKB Travel?

As of Jan 12, 2024, 205 customers have reviewed this business and rated it 4.4 Star out of 5. The following report provides an in-depth analysis of customer reviews collected.

Source: This report was produced by TrustGuide based on a randomly selected sample of 10 publicly available reviews, sorted by relevance. See source

Overall Reputation

IKB Travel's customer reviews analysis

IKB Travel's reputation, as derived from the latest customer reviews, presents a company that excels in personalized service, attention to detail, and professional travel planning. Customers consistently praise individual agents, particularly Ali, Kasem, and Qasim, highlighting their enthusiasm, commitment, and exceptional customer service skills. The recurring themes across the reviews include the agency's ability to handle complex itineraries, their provision of a seamless and stress-free experience, and the willingness to accommodate last-minute changes and emergencies. The feedback underscores IKB Travel's reputation as a reliable and customer-centric agency in the competitive travel industry, with a notable emphasis on personal touch and high-quality service standards.

Positive Feedback

Positive customer feedback for IKB Travel commonly recognizes the agency's strengths in crafting tailored travel experiences, exhibiting thorough professionalism, and providing exceptional support throughout the travel process. Agents at IKB Travel, particularly Ali and Kasem, receive commendation for their commitment to excellence, evident in their communication skills and ability to manage and amend bookings as needed, even while the customers are abroad. The positive aspects highlighted also include ease of interaction, hassle-free experiences, and the personalized advice that customers receive, setting IKB apart from online booking portals. Additionally, customers appreciate the convenience of the travel agency’s location and their ability to secure brilliant prices, particularly for emergency or last-minute travel needs.

Concerns and Threads

The provided reviews for IKB Travel do not surface explicit negative feedback, indicating a generally satisfied customer base. However, the absence of negative comments in the reviews at hand does not necessarily imply a flawless reputation; it emphasizes the need for potential customers to conduct comprehensive research, considering these reviews in conjunction with a wider range of feedback, to understand the full spectrum of experiences with the agency. It's worth noting that while the positive feedback is valuable, some customers may have had less favorable experiences that are not represented in these reviews.

Frequently asked questions about IKB Travel

Can ikb travel assist with complex travel itineraries and last-minute bookings.

Yes, customers have praised IKB Travel for their capability to meticulously handle intricate itineraries and make amendments as necessary, including last-minute emergency bookings, suggesting strong logistical expertise.

Are the travel agents at IKB Travel attentive and customer-service oriented?

The agents at IKB, especially Ali, Kasem, and Qasim, are frequently commended in reviews for their professionalism, personal touch, and attentiveness, consistently providing high-quality customer service.

How does IKB Travel compare to online booking portals?

Customers appreciate IKB Travel for their personalized advice and the convenience of dealing with a professional, as opposed to navigating through online portals. Customers recommend IKB for personalized and hassle-free travel planning.

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The 19-Step International Travel Checklist: How to Prepare to Go Abroad

Last Updated on July 6, 2023 by Michela

Traveling internationally is both exciting and intimidating – with so many moving parts to keep track of while trip planning, you don’t want to forget essentials that will make your international travel experience safe and stress-free. With this international travel checklist , you’ll know exactly the steps to take in preparing for your upcoming trip.

Preparing for an international trip is not just about deciding what outfits you’re going to wear or what activities you’re trying to cross off your bucket list or how you’re going to stay entertained on a long-haul flight .

Travel prep includes everything from researching the visa requirements of your destination to finding a pet-sitter to simply having a pen on the plane.

This international travel checklist gives an overview of all the steps you should take before departure, plus important travel tips we often overlook, to ensure your trip goes as smoothly as possible.

Some of these links are affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through that link, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure !

Download the PDF International Travel Checklist

Step one is to convert this informative post into a handy checklist you can download and print as your international travel prep gets underway!

You will receive tons of information about preparing for international travel throughout this post, but if you’re looking for a quick and easy fix, you can jump straight to the downloadable checklist of the actionable steps you need to take.

It’s also a helpful handout to keep things organized as you’re preparing to go abroad – you have a lot to think about, so a printed list can at least streamline one aspect of your trip prep!

Not to mention you can download so much more, like a packing list or photo editing presets, since this checklist is part of The Travel Library .

Email address

Preparing for International Travel: Before Departure

1. check visa entry requirements for your destination.

The first thing you should do when preparing for international travel is update yourself if there are any visa requirements for entering the country with the passport you hold (I have the most experience with my US passport, so I’ll mostly be referencing travel as a US citizen.)

You can do a quick check for visa requirements by country and then contact the embassy covering your jurisdiction to proceed with applying for a visa if necessary.

2. Book Plane Tickets & Other Important Reservations In Advance

As soon as you know you’re leaving the country, start looking to book flights, accommodation, car rentals, and any other reservations that would be detrimental to your itinerary to not have planned.

Use my favorite cheap flight hacks to find a flight and keep in mind countries can be strict if you don’t have a return ticket home. Have some kind of proof of onward travel or your return plane ticket when going through customs.

3. Ensure Documents Are Up To Date

The most important document for international travel is your passport. Besides not losing it, you must make sure the document is not expired.

Passport renewals should be done as soon as possible if you realize your passport is expired before your next trip.

Another thing to keep in mind is that some destinations will not allow you in their country if your passport will expire within 6 months of your trip or if you don’t have enough blank pages.

4. Enroll In The STEP Program

United States citizens should always enter their trip information into the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program , offered by the US Department of State.

By entering your information, you will then be notified by email of any relevant safety news affecting your destination, including protests, emergencies, and embassy contact information.

If an emergency does occur, it makes it easier for the embassy to contact you and your family, so this is one of the most important things to do on this international travel checklist.

5. Plan For How You Will Use Your Phone

This has always been a big one for me – probably because I’ve been in countless situations where my phone doesn’t work while I travel!

You have several options for figuring out how you will use your phone abroad:

• Pay for your international phone plan through your domestic provider. (Typically expensive, but convenient)
• Only use free WiFi.
• Buy a local SIM card. (You can learn about the basics in my guide to buying a SIM card in Italy .)
• Pay for a WiFi roaming hotspot like Solis .

Depending on your budget and duration of your trip, some options are better than others. If you’re only abroad for a week, then I would just use free WiFi or pay for an international phone plan through my provider.

Anything longer and paying for a SIM card is way more worth it. The SIM takes a few days to activate, so even though it’s cheaper still than an international phone plan, it’s not very convenient for travels less than a week.

6. Notify Your Bank Where You’re Traveling To

Depending on your bank, you may have to submit a travel notification so they know what days and where you will be out of the country in order to not flag your purchases as fraud.

Also find out if the bank or certain credit card companies charge fees for international transactions.

7. Buy Travel Insurance

I typically never buy travel insurance, but going abroad is a different story. Not only is your trip abroad expensive, but your health insurance will likely not cover you for anything while you’re in a foreign country.

It is worth it to protect your trip and be prepared for any emergencies by investing in travel insurance. World Nomads has different policies for your needs and budget to keep you covered and have some peace of mind while traveling.

8. Ensure You Have Enough of Any Prescription Medication During Your Travels

Before embarking on your trip, order and pick up any medication or vitamins you will need for the duration of your trip.

Items like toiletries and clothes are easy to get abroad, but prescription medication is not something you want to forget.

Pro Tip: Always keep medicine in your carry-on in case your checked bag gets lost.

9. Obtain An International Driving Permit (If Necessary)

If you are planning to go on a road trip abroad, rent a car, or drive for any reason, then make sure to check if your US Driver’s License is valid in that country.

In most cases, you will have to get an International Driving Permit which is basically an authentication of your US Driver’s License.

Do this step several weeks in advance of your trip in case you have to wait for the permit by mail.

10. Receive Required Vaccinations (If Necessary)

The CDC has a feature to search for health information according to each destination around the globe. This includes current public health situations in the country and required vaccines, if any, upon entry.

11. Research Your Destination’s Current Conditions

What’s the weather like where you’re traveling to? Is there a holiday occurring during your travel dates? Asking yourself these questions and finding the answers will help you to avoid bumps in your itinerary as best as possible.

Being far away from home, you won’t have the same comforts and resources. Surprises like a national holiday where no stores are open or a train strike (yes, both of these happen in Italy where I live) can freak you out if you have to change around your travel plans!

Spontaneity is one of the most fun parts of traveling, but having a plan to be prepared can help you avoid sticky situations.

Handle Things at Home

12. Schedule a Pet or House Sitter

Taking a trip means you can forget about your troubles at home – well, not entirely. If you need your house taken care of or someone to watch a pet, get those services in order well before you leave for your trip.

Scheduling services last-minute can mean no availability, which creates a stressful situation, which we are trying to AVOID with this checklist!

13. Stop Mail Service

You’re on vacation, but your mail is not! If your mail piles up while you’re abroad, you run the risk of items stopped being delivered.

The US post office, for example, can usually hold mail up to 30 days . If you are traveling for longer than that, you may have to sign up for a forwarding service so your mail is received.

14. Share Your Itinerary With Friends & Family

The last step for handling things at home is to share your itinerary with someone staying behind. This tip is especially important for solo travelers, so friends and family can know where you’re supposed to be and when in case something happens.

You can share your detailed itinerary through apps like Wanderlog , where you can also update it as you travel.

At minimum, give loved ones or close neighbors an idea of where you’ll be and for how long so they can keep an eye out for things back home and know how to contact you if necessary.

It’s also to helpful to leave copies of documents like your passport with your family in case of emergency.

Carry-On Packing Essentials for International Travel

There are certain items you should always keep in your carry-on – medicine, valuables like jewelry, as well as an extra outfit (especially for international trips with connecting flights – you never know if you’ll be the unlucky one to have their luggage lost.)

Keep essentials easy-to-reach all throughout your airport experience. When you need to sign something or charge your phone, you don’t want to have to open up your suitcase and dig through your stuff at the airport gate trying to try and find a pen or charging cord.

Pro Tip: Take photos of your suitcases in case they get lost. It may assist the airline in recovering your lost bags quicker!

15. Extra Pens

It may be the simplest thing to cross off on this international travel checklist, but don’t forget to throw some pens into your carry-on bag or personal item.

On international flights, you’ll have to fill out customs forms and potentially other documentation based on the destination or airline. Always bring a pen with you and keep it accessible throughout your flight.

You don’t want to be stressed trying to ask neighbors for a pen or being unprepared for customs (they like to move quickly and efficiently.)

16. Important Document Folder

Especially when traveling alone and now in 2021 with COVID-related travel restrictions and rules still in place, I always carry an easily-accessible, closable folder that holds my important documents.

In this folder I’ll keep:

• Printed Boarding Pass
• Printed Itinerary
• Copies of any necessary documents like birth certificate, SSN, etc. (I only do this if I’m doing long-term travel, like study abroad)
• Visa Documentation
• Passport (I typically keep my passport in my WANDRD Backpack because it has a secret, unidentifiable pocket on the backside for anti-theft security)
• COVID-related Travel Documents – Proof of Vaccination, Proof of Negative Test, etc.

Keep the folder accessible for check-in and customs. You may also add customs forms to this folder along your journey to make sure you don’t lose them.

Pro Tip: Make sure to also take photos of important documents like your passport. If you lose it, it could help you get a replacement faster.

17. Portable Charger

I never leave for a trip – especially a long one- without my Anker Powercore Portable Charger . While traveling internationally, you never know what can happen.

You may have the wrong outlet adapter or the USB port in the plane cabin might not work and the last thing you want to do is be without a phone.

It may be the only place you have evidence of hotel reservations, transportation tickets, and moreover, where you can contact family and friends to tell them you’re safe.

The Anker portable chargers are the best brand I’ve come across, lasting me years, and worth the $60 in comparison to buying a cheap one that will stop working after a few charges.

Storytime! I once traveled to London for a weekend and on my return flight to Italy, the plane was stuck on the tarmac for SIX HOURS! I returned to Pisa eight hours late, having missed my bus back to Florence, and my phone had been dead for hours – which also happened to be the only place I had evidence of a bus ticket to try to get on the next bus. These are the kind of situations you want to avoid by always having a portable charger on you!

18. Universal Adapter

Along the lines of keeping your phone battery alive, you want to make sure you’re traveling with a universal adapter that will fit the plugs of the country you are traveling to!

No plug adapter equals no way to charge devices, use hair appliances, or power up whatever other electronics you travel with.

Most universal adapters are inexpensive and – as they say – universal, meaning they can work with a lot of different plug types. Make sure your destination is one of the plug types included before you purchase.

19. Cash in Local Currency

I personally prefer to use my card when I travel, but it depends on your destination and your bank’s policies if that’s a viable option for you.

For example, if your bank charges high fees for using your card abroad, then paying in local currency may be more economical. On the other hand, some destinations more than others are going to widely accept debit and credit cards.

Whether you wish to pay in cash or card throughout your travels, I recommend exchanging at least a couple of days’ worth in currency to ensure you have a backup method of payment in case of emergency.

Think about if you will need to take a taxi from the airport to your hotel and any purchases you may have to make as soon as you arrive in the country. The more things that fall into that category, the more money I would exchange into local currency.

Plus, if you forgot to notify your bank of your travels, you may not be able to take out cash from ATMs or your card may be declined.

Find out more about currency and using ATMs abroad before you go. Just remember, it’s always good to have a backup plan!

Final Thoughts

Traveling abroad is an incredibly rewarding experience. This international travel checklist covers all the serious stuff you need to take care of before your trip.

But it’s all so that you can avoid stressful situations and travel away from home with peace of mind!

I hope these tips were helpful and allow you to enjoy your international travel while being adequately prepared!

Any questions about the international travel checklist? Leave me a comment!

Save this checklist on Pinterest!

Michela is a travel writer and photographer living in northern Italy. She is passionate about helping people make the most of their travels by sharing advice gained from her personal experiences, off-the-beaten-path destinations and time-saving quick itineraries. Browse her top articles or have her help you plan your itinerary to your dream destination!

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Places the U.S. Government Warns Not to Travel Right Now

You may want to reconsider traveling to these countries right now.

Do Not Travel to These Countries

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Crime, civil unrest and terrorism are common risk factors for countries that end up on the State Department's "Do Not Travel" advisory list.

In 2024, tourism across the globe is “well on track” to return to pre-pandemic levels, according to projections by UN Tourism.

Global conflicts and natural disasters , ranging from a series of coups across Africa to catastrophic earthquakes in the Middle East affected international travel patterns throughout 2023. Still, international tourist arrivals reached 87% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023, according to estimates by UN Tourism .

In January 2024 alone, about 4.6 million U.S. citizens left the country for international destinations, 17% higher than the same month in 2019, according to the International Trade Administration . But some destinations warrant more caution than others.

On Oct. 19, 2023, following the outbreak of war between Israel and Gaza and flaring tensions in the region, the U.S. State Department issued a worldwide caution advisory due to “increased tensions in various locations around the world, the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests.” Prior to this update, the most recent worldwide caution advisory was issued in 2022 after a U.S. strike killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden’s successor as leader of Al Qaeda, causing “a higher potential for anti-American violence.” The worldwide caution advisory remains in effect.

The U.S. State Department also issues individual travel advisory levels for more than 200 countries globally, continually updating them based on a variety of risk indicators such as health, terrorism and civil unrest. Travel advisory levels range from Level 1, which means exercise normal precautions, to Level 4, which means do not travel there.

About 10% of countries – 19 total – have a Level 4: “Do Not Travel” advisory as of Mar. 4. In Level 4 countries, the U.S. government may have “very limited ability” to step in should travelers’ safety or security be at risk, according to the State Department. Crime, civil unrest, kidnapping and terrorism are common risk factors associated with Level 4 countries.

So far in 2024, the State Department made changes to the existing Level 4 advisories for Myanmar, Iran and Gaza, and moved Niger and Lebanon off of the Level 4 list.

Places With a Level 4 Travel Advisory

These are the primary areas the U.S. government says not to travel to right now, in alphabetical order:

Jump to Place: Afghanistan Belarus Burkina Faso Central African Republic Myanmar (formerly Burma) Gaza Haiti Iran Iraq Libya Mali Mexico North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) Russia Somalia South Sudan Sudan Syria Ukraine Venezuela Yemen

Afghanistan: The Central Asian country is wrestling with “terrorism, risk of wrongful detention, kidnapping and crime,” according to the State Department. U.S. citizens are specifically at risk for wrongful detention and kidnapping. In 2022, the government reinstituted public floggings and executions, and women’s rights are disappearing under Taliban control. The U.S. Embassy in Kabul halted operations in August 2021. Since the Taliban took control , many forms of international aid have been halted . Meanwhile, in 2023, some of the year’s deadliest earthquakes killed more than 2,400 in Afghanistan while the country continues to face a years-long extreme drought.

Belarus: Belarus, which shares a western border with Russia and a southern border with Ukraine, has been flagged for “Belarusian authorities’ continued facilitation of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the buildup of Russian military forces in Belarus, the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, the potential of civil unrest, the risk of detention, and the Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Belarus.” The U.S. Embassy in Minsk halted operations in February 2022.

Burkina Faso: Terrorism, crime and kidnapping are plaguing this West African nation. Terrorist attacks may target hotels, restaurants and schools with little to no warning, and the East and Sahel regions of the country are under a state of emergency. In late November 2023, hundreds died in clashes between state security forces and rebels near the country’s border with Mali. In June, more than 2 million people in Burkina Faso were displaced due to “violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group.”

Central African Republic: While there have not been specific incidents of U.S. citizens targeted with violence or crime, violent crime and sudden closure of roads and borders is common. The advisory states that “Embassy Bangui’s limited capacity to provide support to U.S. citizens, crime, civil unrest, and kidnapping” is a factor in its assessment. Recent data from UNICEF suggests the country has the worst drinking water accessibility of all countries in 2022.

Myanmar (Formerly Burma): Armed conflict and civil unrest are the primary reasons to not travel to this Southeast Asian country, which experienced a military coup in early 2021. Limited health care resources, wrongful detentions and “areas with land mines and unexploded ordnance” are also listed as risk factors. After Ukraine and Israel, Myanmar had the highest conflict-related death toll in 2023.

Gaza : Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization as designated by the State Department, controls much of the Gaza Strip, which shares borders with both Israel and Egypt. On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas fighters broke across the border into Israel, killing hundreds of civilians and soldiers in a brazen attack that stunned Israelis. On Oct. 10, Israel hit the Gaza Strip with “the fiercest air strikes in its 75-year conflict” according to Reuters . The conflict has since escalated into war between Israel and Hamas, with regular Israeli airstrikes leading to extensive civilian casualties in Gaza. As of mid-December, nearly 85% of Gaza’s population were displaced from their homes, according to UN estimates . The region continues to face shortages of food , water, electricity and medical supplies , with conditions deemed “far beyond a humanitarian crisis.” The State Department warns of terrorism and armed conflict within Gaza’s borders.

Haiti: In July 2023, the Department of State ordered all non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members to leave the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince in response to the increased risk of kidnapping and violent crime in the country , as well as armed conflict between gangs and police. The travel advisory states that cases of kidnapping “often involve ransom negotiations and U.S. citizen victims have been physically harmed during kidnappings.” The travel advisory also states that “U.S. citizens in Haiti should depart Haiti as soon as possible” given “the current security situation and infrastructure challenges.” A series of gang attacks in late September 2023 caused thousands to flee their homes, and many aid groups have been forced to cut or suspend operations amid escalating violence in recent months.

Iran: Terrorism, kidnapping and civil unrest are risk factors for all travelers to Iran, while U.S. citizens are specifically at risk for “arbitrary arrest.” U.S.-Iranian nationals such as students, journalists and business travelers have been arrested on charges of espionage and threatening national security. Executions in Iran rose sharply between 2021 and 2022, bringing the country’s total to nearly 580 people over the year, according to a report by Amnesty International released in May 2023.

Iraq: The State Department cites “terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict [and] civil unrest” as cause for the country’s Level 4 distinction. Iraq’s northern borders, and its border with Syria, are especially dangerous. Since the escalation of conflict in neighboring Israel in October, there has been an increase in attacks against Iraqi military bases, which host U.S. troops and other international forces. In October 2023, non-emergency U.S. government personnel and eligible family members were ordered to leave the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.

Libya: Following the end of its dictatorship over a decade ago, Libya has been wrought with internal conflict between armed groups in the East and West. Armed conflict, civil unrest, crime, kidnapping and terrorism are all risk factors. U.S. citizens have been targets of kidnapping for ransom, with terrorists targeting hotels and airports frequented by Westerners. The U.S. Embassy in Tripoli halted operations in 2014. In mid-September 2023, floods, which some say were intensified by climate change , killed thousands in eastern Libya. Clashes between armed factions escalated across the country in the latter half of 2023, including in the capital city of Tripoli and in Benghazi.

Mali: After experiencing military coups in 2020 and 2021, crime, terrorism and kidnapping are all prevalent threats in this West African landlocked nation. In July 2022, non-emergency U.S. government employees and their families were ordered to leave the country due to higher risk of terrorist activity. A U.N. report in August 2023 said that military groups in the country, including both Mali security forces and possibly Russian Wagner mercenaries, were spreading terror through the use of violence against women and human rights abuses. Democratic elections were supposed to occur in February 2024, but Mali’s military junta postponed the plans indefinitely. In December, the U.N. officially ended a decade-long peacekeeping presence in the country, which had been among the agency’s deadliest missions, with hundreds of the mission personnel killed since 2013.

Mexico: Each state in Mexico is assessed separately for travel advisory levels. Six of the 32 states in Mexico are designated as Level 4: Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas. Crime and kidnapping are listed as the primary risk factors throughout the country. Nearly 112,000 people were missing across the country as of October, a number the U.N. has called “alarming.”

North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea): U.S. passports are not valid for travel “to, in, or through” this country, home to one of the world's longest-running dynastic dictatorships. The travel advisory states that the Level 4 distinction is due to “the continuing serious risk of arrest and long-term detention of U.S. nationals.” In July 2023, a U.S. soldier fled across the border into North Korea, where he is believed to be in North Korean custody, the first American detained in the North in nearly five years. He was returned to U.S. custody in September 2023.

Russia: The travel advisory for Russia cites its invasion of Ukraine , harassment of U.S. citizens by Russian government officials and arbitrary law enforcement as a few of the reasons for the Level 4 designation. Chechnya and Mount Elbrus are specifically listed as Level 4 regions. Terrorism, civil unrest, health, kidnapping and wrongful detention are all noted as risks.

Russia Invades Ukraine: A Timeline

Somalia: A severe drought resulting from five failed rainy seasons in a row killed 43,000 people in 2022, and caused a famine amid conflict with Islamist insurgents . Violent crime is common throughout Somalia , pirates frequent its coast off the Horn of Africa, and medical facilities, where they exist, have limited capacity. Crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health and kidnapping are all risk factors. In January 2024, some passengers aboard a U.N.-contracted helicopter were taken hostage by al-Shabaab militants after the vehicle crashed in central Somalia.

South Sudan: Crime, kidnapping and armed conflict are the primary risk factors for South Sudan, which separated from Sudan in 2011, making it the world’s newest country . Weapons are readily available, and travelers have been victims of sexual assault and armed robbery.

Sudan: The U.S. evacuated its embassy in Khartoum in April 2023, and the country closed its airspace due to the ongoing conflict in the country, only permitting humanitarian aid and evacuation efforts. Fighting has escalated in the region between two warring generals seeking to gain control after a military coup in 2021 ousted the country’s prime minister. Civil unrest is the primary risk factor for Africa’s third largest country by area. Crime, terrorism, kidnapping and armed conflict are also noted. The International Criminal Court began investigating alleged war crimes and violence against African ethnic groups in the country in 2023. Millions have fled their homes due to conflict, and the U.N. has said its efforts to provide aid have been hindered by a lack of support, safety and resources. As recently as December 2023, the United Nations warned of catastrophic famine , with millions of children at-risk for malnutrition .

Syria: The advisory states that “No part of Syria is safe from violence,” with terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, armed conflict and risk of unjust detention all potential risk factors. U.S. citizens are often a target for kidnappings and detention. The U.S. Embassy in Damascus halted operations in 2012. Fighting in neighboring Israel has escalated since October, and the conflict has spilled over into Syria, where the U.S. has carried out air strikes following drone and rocket attacks against American troops in Syria and Iraq, triggered by the Israel-Hamas war.

Ukraine: Russian setbacks in their invasion of Ukraine buoyed hopes in Ukraine in 2023. However, Ukraine is a Level 4 country due to Russia’s invasion, with crime and civil unrest also noted as risk factors. The country’s forces shot down two Russian fighter jets on Christmas Eve 2023, in a move Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said “sets the right mood for the entire year ahead.”

Venezuela: Human rights abuses and lack of health care plague this South American nation, which has been in a political crisis since 2014. In 2019, diplomatic personnel were withdrawn from the U.S. Embassy in Caracas. Threats in the country include crime, civil unrest, kidnapping, wrongful detention and poor health infrastructure.

Yemen: Six of the nine risk factors defined by the State Department – terrorism, civil unrest, health risks, kidnapping, armed conflict and landmines – are all present in Yemen. Despite private companies offering tourist visits to the Yemeni island of Socotra, the U.S. government argues those arranging such visits “are putting tourists in danger.” Civil war and cholera are also both present throughout the country. The U.S. Embassy in Sanaa halted operations in 2015. The country has experienced a relative lull in the civil war fighting, but as peace negotiations have gotten traction, flare ups in the fighting have jeopardized progress. Most recently, the U.S. and U.K. have carried out a series of airstrikes in the country, targeting Iran-backed Houthi sites.

Other Countries to Watch

Since Jan. 1, the State Department has updated travel advisories for 17 different countries as well as for the West Bank and Gaza, adding information about specific regions or risk factors, or simply renewing an existing advisory. Travel advisory levels can change based on several factors in a nation, such as increased civil unrest, policies that affect human rights or higher risks of unlawful detention.

The State Department has given about 25 countries an assessment of Level 3, meaning it recommends people “reconsider travel” to those destinations.

On Oct. 14, one week after the deadly Hamas attack on Israel, Israel and the West Bank were both moved from Level 2 to Level 3, while Gaza remains at Level 4. The region’s travel advisory was updated in November to reflect travel restrictions for certain government employees who have not already left the area, and it was updated again on Jan. 3.

Following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in early October, the U.S. State Department raised Lebanon ’s travel advisory level from a Level 3 to a Level 4 level due to “the unpredictable security situation related to rocket, missile, and artillery exchanges” between Israel and Hezbollah or other militant groups. In December, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut returned to normal staffing and presence, and on Jan. 29, the country was moved back to Level 3. Crime, terrorism, armed conflict, civil unrest, kidnapping and unexploded landmines are listed as the country’s primary risk factors. However, the country’s borders with Syria and with Israel, as well as refugee settlements within Lebanon, are specifically noted as Level 4 regions.

China became a Level 3 country in late 2020, with an update in December 2022 citing “the surge in COVID-19 cases, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, and COVID-19-related restrictions” as the reason for the advisory. In June 2023, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) was moved from the Level 3 to the Level 2 list, but travelers are still advised to be cautious in the area due to “arbitrary enforcement of local laws.” Meanwhile, Macau remains at Level 3.

Following an attempted coup in August 2023, Niger was elevated to Level 4 in August and the Department of State ordered all non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members to leave the U.S. Embassy in Niamey. In early January 2024, the overall risk level for the country was lowered back to Level 3. Despite the new classification, the State Department still asks non-emergency government personnel and eligible family members to depart the country.

In mid-December 2023 there was an explosion at Guinea’s main fuel depot which has since affected access to health care and basic goods and services. The country was subsequently designated a Level 3 nation after having previously been Level 2. Concerns about civil unrest, health, crime and fuel shortages impacting local infrastructure were listed as the primary risk factors contributing to the change.

Several Level 3 countries are among the worst countries for human trafficking, as designated by the State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report . Level 3 countries on this list include Papua New Guinea, Guinea Bissau, China and Chad. There are also nine Level 4 countries designated as among the worst for human trafficking: Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, Syria, South Sudan and Venezuela.

Over 70 countries are currently at Level 2, meaning the State Department recommends travelers “exercise increased caution” when traveling to those destinations.

Botswana became the newest Level 2 country on Feb. 26 after having previously been Level 1, with crime noted as the primary risk factor.

France, which saw nationwide protests throughout 2023, has civil unrest and terrorism noted as risk factors for its Level 2 status, and Sweden’s Level 2 status is associated with risks of terrorism.

The Level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas was updated in January to reflect water safety concerns. The advisory warns that “activities involving commercial recreational watercraft, including water tours, are not consistently regulated” and notes that government personnel are “not permitted to use independently operated jet-ski rentals on New Providence and Paradise Islands.” It also warns visitors to be mindful of sharks, weather and water conditions. The advisory also says that crime is a primary risk factor with gang-on-gang violence contributing to high homicide rates in some areas. Visitors are asked to “be vigilant” and to not physically resist robbery attempts.

Bangladesh 's Level 2 travel advisory was updated in October 2023 to add a note about the country’s general election , which took place Jan. 7, 2024. The advisory states “demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence.” The U.S. has since claimed the country’s election was not free nor fair.

In November 2023, several Level 2 travel advisories were updated with new cautionary information. The advisory for Ghana was updated to reflect threats against LGBTQI+ travelers specifically, noting “anti-LGBTQI+ rhetoric and violence have increased in recent years.” Meanwhile, the advisory for South Africa was updated in February to note that routes recommended by GPS may be unsafe with higher risk for crime.

Turkmenistan was moved off of the Level 2 list to become the newest addition to the Level 1 list on Jan. 22, meaning normal precautions are recommended but there are no risk factors causing travelers to practice increased caution.

The State Department asks travelers to pay attention to travel advisory levels and alerts , review country information pages for their destinations and read related country security reports before going abroad.

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• THE BIG IDEA

Why travel should be considered an essential human activity

Travel is not rational, but it’s in our genes. Here’s why you should start planning a trip now.

In 1961, legendary National Geographic photographer Volkmar Wentzel captured two women gazing at the surf off Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia. This and all the other images in this story come from the National Geographic image collection.

I’ve been putting my passport to good use lately. I use it as a coaster and to level wobbly table legs. It makes an excellent cat toy.

Welcome to the pandemic of disappointments. Canceled trips, or ones never planned lest they be canceled. Family reunions, study-abroad years, lazy beach vacations. Poof. Gone. Obliterated by a tiny virus, and the long list of countries where United States passports are not welcome.

Only a third of Americans say they have traveled overnight for leisure since March, and only slightly more, 38 percent, say they are likely to do so by the end of the year, according to one report. Only a quarter of us plan on leaving home for Thanksgiving, typically the busiest travel time. The numbers paint a grim picture of our stilled lives.

It is not natural for us to be this sedentary. Travel is in our genes. For most of the time our species has existed, “we’ve lived as nomadic hunter-gatherers moving about in small bands of 150 or fewer people,” writes Christopher Ryan in Civilized to Death . This nomadic life was no accident. It was useful. “Moving to a neighboring band is always an option to avoid brewing conflict or just for a change in social scenery,” says Ryan. Robert Louis Stevenson put it more succinctly: “The great affair is to move.”

What if we can’t move, though? What if we’re unable to hunt or gather? What’s a traveler to do? There are many ways to answer that question. “Despair,” though, is not one of them.

In this aerial view from 1967, wall-to-wall seaside sunbathers relax under umbrellas or on beach towels in Ocean City, Maryland .

A 1967 fall festival in Guadalajara, Mexico , starred traditionally costumed musicians and dancers.

We are an adaptive species. We can tolerate brief periods of forced sedentariness. A dash of self-delusion helps. We’re not grounded, we tell ourselves. We’re merely between trips, like the unemployed salesman in between opportunities. We pass the days thumbing though old travel journals and Instagram feeds. We gaze at souvenirs. All this helps. For a while.

We put on brave faces. “Staycation Nation,” the cover of the current issue of Canadian Traveller magazine declares cheerfully, as if it were a choice, not a consolation.

Today, the U.S. Travel Association, the industry trade organization, is launching a national recovery campaign called “ Let’s Go There .” Backed by a coalition of businesses related to tourism—hotels, convention and visitor bureaus, airlines—the initiative’s goal is to encourage Americans to turn idle wanderlust into actual itineraries.

The travel industry is hurting. So are travelers. “I dwelled so much on my disappointment that it almost physically hurt,” Paris -based journalist Joelle Diderich told me recently, after canceling five trips last spring.

(Related: How hard has the coronavirus hit the travel industry? These charts tell us.)

My friend James Hopkins is a Buddhist living in Kathmandu . You’d think he’d thrive during the lockdown, a sort-of mandatory meditation retreat. For a while he did.

But during a recent Skype call, James looked haggard and dejected. He was growing restless, he confessed, and longed “for the old 10-countries-a-year schedule.” Nothing seemed to help, he told me. “No matter how many candles I lit, or how much incense I burned, and in spite of living in one of the most sacred places in South Asia, I just couldn’t change my habits.”

When we ended our call, I felt relieved, my grumpiness validated. It’s not me; it’s the pandemic. But I also worried. If a Buddhist in Kathmandu is going nuts, what hope do the rest of us stilled souls have?

I think hope lies in the very nature of travel. Travel entails wishful thinking. It demands a leap of faith, and of imagination, to board a plane for some faraway land, hoping, wishing, for a taste of the ineffable. Travel is one of the few activities we engage in not knowing the outcome and reveling in that uncertainty. Nothing is more forgettable than the trip that goes exactly as planned.

Related: Vintage photos of the glamour of travel

Travel is not a rational activity. It makes no sense to squeeze yourself into an alleged seat only to be hurled at frightening speed to a distant place where you don’t speak the language or know the customs. All at great expense. If we stopped to do the cost-benefit analysis, we’d never go anywhere. Yet we do.

That’s one reason why I’m bullish on travel’s future. In fact, I’d argue travel is an essential industry, an essential activity. It’s not essential the way hospitals and grocery stores are essential. Travel is essential the way books and hugs are essential. Food for the soul. Right now, we’re between courses, savoring where we’ve been, anticipating where we’ll go. Maybe it’s Zanzibar and maybe it’s the campground down the road that you’ve always wanted to visit.

(Related: Going camping this fall? Here’s how to get started.)

James Oglethorpe, a seasoned traveler, is happy to sit still for a while, and gaze at “the slow change of light and clouds on the Blue Ridge Mountains” in Virginia, where he lives. “My mind can take me the rest of the way around this world and beyond it.”

It’s not the place that is special but what we bring to it and, crucially, how we interact with it. Travel is not about the destination, or the journey. It is about stumbling across “a new way of looking at things,” as writer Henry Miller observed. We need not travel far to gain a fresh perspective.

No one knew this better than Henry David Thoreau , who lived nearly all of his too-short life in Concord, Massachusetts. There he observed Walden Pond from every conceivable vantage point: from a hilltop, on its shores, underwater. Sometimes he’d even bend over and peer through his legs, marveling at the inverted world. “From the right point of view, every storm and every drop in it is a rainbow,” he wrote.

Thoreau never tired of gazing at his beloved pond, nor have we outgrown the quiet beauty of our frumpy, analog world. If anything, the pandemic has rekindled our affection for it. We’ve seen what an atomized, digital existence looks like, and we (most of us anyway) don’t care for it. The bleachers at Chicago ’s Wrigley Field; the orchestra section at New York City ’s Lincoln Center; the alleyways of Tokyo . We miss these places. We are creatures of place, and always will be.

After the attacks of September 11, many predicted the end of air travel, or at least a dramatic reduction. Yet the airlines rebounded steadily and by 2017 flew a record four billion passengers. Briefly deprived of the miracle of flight, we appreciated it more and today tolerate the inconvenience of body scans and pat-downs for the privilege of transporting our flesh-and-bone selves to far-flung locations, where we break bread with other incarnate beings.

Landscape architects work in their Rio de Janeiro, Brazil , studio in 1955.

A tourist photographs a towering century plant in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, in 1956.

In our rush to return to the world, we should be mindful of the impact of mass tourism on the planet. Now is the time to embrace the fundamental values of sustainable tourism and let them guide your future journeys. Go off the beaten path. Linger longer in destinations. Travel in the off-season. Connect with communities and spend your money in ways that support locals. Consider purchasing carbon offsets. And remember that the whole point of getting out there is to embrace the differences that make the world so colorful.

“One of the great benefits of travel is meeting new people and coming into contact with different points of view,” says Pauline Frommer, travel expert and radio host.

So go ahead and plan that trip. It’s good for you, scientists say . Plotting a trip is nearly as enjoyable as actually taking one. Merely thinking about a pleasurable experience is itself pleasurable. Anticipation is its own reward.

I’ve witnessed first-hand the frisson of anticipatory travel. My wife, not usually a fan of travel photography, now spends hours on Instagram, gazing longingly at photos of Alpine lodges and Balinese rice fields. “What’s going on?” I asked one day. “They’re just absolutely captivating,” she replied. “They make me remember that there is a big, beautiful world out there.”

Many of us, myself included, have taken travel for granted. We grew lazy and entitled, and that is never good. Tom Swick, a friend and travel writer, tells me he used to view travel as a given. Now, he says, “I look forward to experiencing it as a gift.”

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10 Things You Should Never Wear on a Plane — and What We're Replacing Them With From $6

Shop comfy sneakers, cozy layers, and more essential items to best prepare you for your next flight.

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Packing for a trip is stressful enough, but choosing the right outfit to wear on the plane is a land mine for potential mistakes that can throw your flight into flux. No matter if you’re dressing for comfort or style , there are quite a few no-no’s of air travel that should be avoided in order to ensure a smooth trip — but don’t worry, we’re here to help.

No matter how long your flight is or where you’re headed, we’ve outlined the 10 most common fashion mistakes that travelers make and the easy swaps to try along the way. From trading in open-toed shoes for a more sensible option to always having a cozy layer on hand , here’s how to ace your next flight with Amazon essentials starting at just $6.

Don't Wear: Open-toe Shoes

Wear this instead: comfy walking sneakers.

Leaving your toes exposed during a flight is not ideal. After all, sandals lack support and warmth, plus it’s unlikely that the floor of the plane has been cleaned in a while. These supportive Puma sneakers are an excellent alternative because not only will they get plenty of wear on vacation, but they also keep your feet insulated and protected. Plus, they’re on sale for 30 percent off at Amazon right now.

Don't Wear: Pajamas

Wear this instead: a versatile loungewear set.

You may be tempted to wear pajamas to maximize comfort, but when you’re traveling you want to make the most of your wardrobe — and anything you wear on a plane, you shouldn’t also wear into your clean sheets. A cozy alternative is this stylish two-piece set that can be styled in multiple ways throughout your trip, all while keeping you as comfy on your next long-haul flight. The half-zip sweatshirt is a great layer to easily take on and off during your travels, while the drawstring pants are the picture of sleek loungewear. Not to mention, it’s available in 21 gorgeous colors, like hot pink and green .

Don’t Wear: Your Engagement Ring

Wear this instead: an affordable alternative.

From theft to loss, there are too many things that can go wrong when wearing your engagement or wedding ring while traveling. With that in mind, it’s worth picking up a simple band that won’t draw attention to your jewelry, like this basic tungsten ring that’s only $17. The material is scratch-resistant, hypoallergenic, and comfy to wear, while coming in a wide range of sizes to fit all travelers.

Don’t Wear: Fragrance Deodorant

Wear this instead: unscented deodorant.

When you’re spending an extended amount of time in an enclosed space such as an airplane, there’s an unspoken rule to avoid strong scents such as perfume or deodorant to keep you (and other people on your flight that may be sensitive to smells) comfortable. This long-lasting, natural deodorant from Native offers an impressive 72 hours of odor control, plus it’s aluminum- and baking soda-free. You can still feel as fresh as the moment you left your house once you de-plane, just without the overwhelming traditional deodorant scent.

Don’t Wear: an Open-top Purse

Wear this instead: a zippered bag.

The chaos of boarding the plane and getting settled leaves far too many opportunities for your purse to spill over, so it’s not advisable to travel with an open-top tote that can’t safely be stowed under your seat. Instead, try investing in a zippered, anti-theft purse that will serve you well throughout the duration of your travels, all while keeping your belongings safe and secure from takeoff to landing. This shopper-loved option from Travelon is fitted with several reliable zippered pockets alongside an RFID-blocking pocket, providing peace of mind in the form of a wearable and sleek bag. The adjustable crossbody strap and convenient magentic snap flap are just icing on the cake.

Don’t Wear: Ankle Socks

Wear this instead: compression socks.

Inflammation and swelling are incredibly common during air travel, and if you often find yourself struggling with discomfort, you’ll benefit from swapping traditional ankle socks for a pair of these best-selling compression socks . Made from a high-quality spandex blend, these socks are lightweight and breathable, promoting healthy circulation in your legs for lessened fatigue and swelling during your trip. In fact, flight attendants have even called them “perfect” for air travel. 

Don’t Wear: Stiff Denim or Trousers

Wear this instead: slacks with an elastic waistband.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look your best on a flight. However, you’ll never regret prioritizing your comfort during longer trips, and these elastic waistband trousers are the perfect alternative to traditional denim. Still effortlessly stylish without digging into your skin, these flowy, cropped pants feature deep pockets, a trendy crop, and they’re made from 100 percent cotton. Did we mention they’re just $30 at Amazon? 

Don’t Wear: Claw Clips

Wear this instead: a soft scrunchie.

Ever tried getting comfortable against a headrest while wearing a claw clip? Well, if you haven’t yet, we certainly don’t recommend starting now. Claw clips may be stylish, but they’re not the most comfortable headwear to sport on a plane. Instead, pick up a pack of these satin scrunchies that keep your locks healthy and luscious without causing creasing or breakage. At just $8 for a pack of five, the scrunchies are just under $2 apiece.

Don’t Wear: a Tank Top

Wear this instead: a comfy layer.

Even if you’re headed to a warm weather destination, make sure to pack an extra layer. Airplane cabin temperature is notoriously fickle, quickly oscillating from hot to cold, so don’t forget to keep a cozy cardigan tucked into your carry-on suitcase. We like this sleek open-front cardigan that’s currently 54 percent off thanks to an on-site coupon. The cardigan is equipped with deep pockets and has a breathable, airy design that’s practically made for traveling.

Don’t Wear: an Underwire Bra

Wear this instead: a bralette or sports bra.

Longhaul flights are tedious enough, why make them worse by wearing an underwire bra that’s guaranteed to dig into your skin throughout the entire duration of the trip? Of course that doesn’t mean that you have to entirely forego support, and this Hanes seamless bralette is a far more comfortable choice. The breathable, ribbed material keeps you cool regardless of the temperature on your flight, and the smooth and supportive fit will immediately have you trading in your underwire bras. Best of all, it’s even available in sizes ranging from XS to 2XL, with a major discount bringing the price down to just $6.

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Good communication skills.

Good communication skills. Your agent named Ali, he went above and beyond. Tickets issuing on time. Kind regards, Saleh

Date of experience : 27 December 2023

It was a great experience with IKB…

Distinguished company,, It was Great experience with IKB Travel Agency! They were incredibly friendly, helpful, and responsive, special thanks to Haitham. When I had to reschedule my trip, they handled it quickly and without any hassle. Highly recommended to deal with such a professional company.

Date of experience : 10 May 2023

Great travel agency

Great travel agency, very professional team. One of the last remaining High Street travel agents. Fantastic to be able to have real people to speak to rather than a faceless robot.

Date of experience : 17 November 2023

HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE- DISHONETS COMPANY & THEIR STUFF ONLY LIES TO HUSTLE YOUR MONEY - ZERO CUSTOMER CARE

THIS IS THE MOST DISHONEST COMAPNY I HAVE EVER COME ACCROSS IN MY LIFE. I RECOMMEND TO ANYONE INTENDING TO USE THEM THINK TWICE AS YOU WILL BE LOOSING YOUR MOENY IF ANYTHING PAY TWICE THE MONEY OF YOUR TICKETS. I AM A DISABLED WOMAN AND I USED THIS AGENCY LAST YEAR IN DECEMEBER2022. I ENDED UP PAYING THREE TIMES THE VALUE OF MY INITIAL TICKET- I WAS STUCK IN A FOREINGH COUNTRY AND INSTEAD OF THEM HELPING ME THEY MADE ME GET NEW TICKETS AND PAY FOR MY HOTELS AND IN THE END THEY ALSO LOST MY RETURN TICKET. THE ACTUAL AIRLINE WAS TELLING ME THEY ONLY CAN RE-ISSUE OR AMEND/ RE-SCHEUDLE YOUR FLIGHT IS THEM, HOWEVER, INSTEAD IKB TRAVEL AGENCY TOOK ZERO RESPONSABILITY - TOOK MY MONEY AND IN THE END I HAD NO TCIKET AND MADE MY TRIP A LIVING HELL AND LOST 4 DAYS OF MY TRIP. TO TOP THIS UP I ALSO WAS TRAVELLING WITH MY SON AND HUSBAND SO IMAGINE ALL THIS ADDITIONAL COSTS X3. THEY ARE MASSIVE LIARS, SO COMMUNICATE WITHNTHEM ONLY IN WRITTI NG BECAUSE WHATEVER THEY SAY ON THE PHONE IS COMPETELY DIFFERENT TO WHAT THEY WILL DO IN THE END. ALL THEY DO IS HUSTLE PEOPLE WITH ANY OPPORTUNITY THEY CAN TAKE. THEY ALSO ARE HORRIBLE AT COMMUNICATING AND NEVER ANSWER THEIR PHONES IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH YOUR TRIP. DO NOT USE THIS AGENCY FOR THEIR SERVICES.

Date of experience : 11 December 2022

exceptional experience with this travel agency

I recently had an exceptional experience with this travel agency, especially with an agent named Haitham. As a busy businessman, I was in a tight spot needing to book a last-minute flight to Dubai for myself and my family. Haitham not only found us seats but did so at a price significantly lower than what I could find online on sites like Skyscanner. When unforeseen circumstances required a change in our flights, Haitham stepped up once again. He managed to rearrange everything at the best possible price. If I had made these bookings through a website, I would have certainly lost money and struggled to get assistance. It wasn't just about saving money, though; the comfort and ease of dealing with Haitham and his team made a usually stressful situation quite pleasant. Highly recommended for their exceptional service and customer care. لقد كانت لي تجربة استثنائية مع هذه الوكالة السياحية، وبشكل خاص مع وكيل يدعى هيثم. كرجل أعمال مشغول، وجدت نفسي في موقف صعب عندما احتجت إلى حجز رحلة طيران إلى دبي في اللحظة الأخيرة لي ولعائلتي. لم يجد هيثم لنا مقاعد فحسب، بل وبسعر أقل بكثير مما وجدته على الإنترنت في مواقع مثل سكاي سكانر. وعندما اقتضت الظروف تغيير رحلاتنا، كان هيثم للمرة أخرى على قدر المسؤولية. تمكن من إعادة ترتيب كل شيء بأفضل سعر ممكن. لو كنت قد قمت بهذه الحجوزات من خلال موقع إلكتروني، لكنت بالتأكيد خسرت المال وواجهت صعوبة في الحصول على المساعدة. لم يكن الأمر يتعلق بتوفير المال فقط، بل كان الراحة وسهولة التعامل مع هيثم وفريقه قد جعلت موقفاً عادة ما يكون مليئاً بالتوتر ممتعاً للغاية. أوصي بهم بشدة لخدمتهم الاستثنائية ورعاية العملاء. من تووشی ڕووبەڕووبوونێکی زۆر نایاب بووم لەگەڵ ئەم ئاژانسی سەفەرییە، بەتایبەتی لەگەڵ نوێنەرێک بە ناوی هەیسەم. وەک کاسبکارێکی بەشوێن، کەوتبوومە چەندین گرفتەوە کاتێک پێویستم بە دەستکەوتنی فڕۆکەیەکی لە کاتژمێری کۆتایی بۆ دووبەی بۆ خۆم و خێزانەکەم. هەیسەم نەک تەنها شوێنی نیشتەجێیمان دۆزییەوە، بەڵکو بە نرخێکی زۆر کەمتر لەوەی لەسەر ئینتەرنێت دۆزمەوە لە ماڵپەڕەکانی وەک سکای سکانەر. کاتێک پێویست بوو فڕۆکەکانمان بگۆڕین بەهۆی شتێکی نەخوازراو، هەیسەم جارێکی تر یارمەتیمان دا. هەموو شتێکی ڕێکخستەوە بە باشترین نرخی مەمکین. ئەگەر من ئەم داواکارییانە لە ڕێگەی ماڵپەڕێکەوە کردبا، بێگومان پارەم لەدەست دەدا و ڕووبەڕووی قەیرانی گەیشتن بە یارمەتی دەبوومەوە. نەک تەنها پارە پاشەکەوت کردن، بەڵکو ڕاحەتی و ئاسانی لە دانوستاندن لەگەڵ هەیسەم و تیمەکەی، دۆخێکی هەمیشە فشارباری کرد بۆ دۆخێکی زۆر خۆش. زۆر پێشنیار دەکرێن بۆ خزمەتگوزارییەکی سەرەکی و گرینگیدان بە موشتەری.

Date of experience : 10 November 2023

TB Information for International Travelers Fact Sheet

Tuberculosis information for international travelers, what is tuberculosis (tb).

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria that are spread from person to person through the air. TB usually affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body, such as the brain, the kidneys, or the spine. In most cases, TB is treatable and curable; however, persons with TB can die if they do not get proper treatment.

What is multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB)?

Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR TB) is TB that is resistant to at least two of the best anti-TB drugs, isoniazid and rifampin. These drugs are considered first-line drugs and are used to treat all persons with TB disease.

What is extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB)?

Extensively drug resistant TB (XDR TB) is a rare type of MDR TB. XDR TB is defined as TB which is resistant to isoniazid and rifampin, plus resistant to any fluoroquinolone and at least one of three injectable second-line drugs (i.e., amikacin, kanamycin, or capreomycin).

Because XDR TB is resistant to the most powerful first-line and second-line drugs, patients are left with treatment options that are much less effective.

XDR TB is of special concern for persons with HIV infection or other conditions that can weaken the immune system. These persons are more likely to develop TB disease once they are infected, and also have a higher risk of death once they develop TB.

How is TB spread?

Drug-susceptible TB and drug-resistant TB are spread the same way. TB bacteria are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. These bacteria can float in the air for several hours, depending on the environment. Persons who breathe in the air containing these TB bacteria can become infected.

TB is not spread by

• shaking someone’s hand
• sharing food or drink
• touching bed linens or toilet seats
• sharing toothbrushes

How does drug resistance happen?

Resistance to anti-TB drugs can occur when these drugs are misused or mismanaged. Examples include when patients do not complete their full course of treatment; when health-care providers prescribe the wrong treatment, the wrong dose, or length of time for taking the drugs; when the supply of drugs is not always available; or when the drugs are of poor quality.

Are international travelers at risk of getting drug-resistant TB while traveling?

Although MDR and XDR TB are occurring globally, they are still rare. HIV-infected travelers are at greatest risk if they come in contact with a person with MDR or XDR TB. All travelers should avoid high risk settings where there are no infection control measures in place.

Documented places where transmission has occurred include crowded hospitals, prisons, homeless shelters, and other settings where susceptible persons come in contact with persons with TB disease.

Air travel itself carries a relatively low risk of infection with TB of any kind.

What is the risk of acquiring TB on an airplane?

The risk of acquiring any type of TB depends on several factors, such as extent of disease in the patient with TB, duration of exposure, and ventilation. Most important, there must be someone with infectious TB disease on the same flight to present any risk. If someone on the flight does have TB disease, persons on flights lasting 8 hours or longer are at greater risk than persons on shorter flights.

How can TB be prevented?

Travelers should avoid close contact or prolonged time with known TB patients in crowded, enclosed environments (for example, clinics, hospitals, prisons, or homeless shelters).

Travelers who will be working in clinics, hospitals, or other health care settings where TB patients are likely to be encountered should consult infection control or occupational health experts. They should ask about administrative and environmental procedures for preventing exposure to TB. Once those procedures are implemented, additional measures could include using personal respiratory protective devices.

Is there a vaccine to prevent TB?

Yes, there is a vaccine for TB disease called Bacille Calmette-Gurin (BCG) . It is used in some countries to prevent severe forms of TB in children. However, BCG is not generally recommended in the United States because it has limited effectiveness for preventing TB overall.

What should I do before traveling internationally?

Travelers who anticipate possible prolonged exposure to persons with TB (for example, those who expect to come in contact routinely with clinic, hospital, prison, or homeless shelter populations) should have a tuberculin skin test (TST) or TB blood test before leaving the United States. If the reaction to the TST or TB blood test is negative, they should have a repeat test 8 to 10 weeks after returning to the United States. Additionally, annual testing may be recommended for those who anticipate repeated or prolonged exposure or an extended stay over a period of years. Because persons with HIV infection are more likely to have an impaired response to both the TST and TB blood test, travelers who are HIV positive should tell their physicians about their HIV infection status.

What should I do if I think I have been exposed to someone with TB disease?

If you think you have been exposed to someone with TB disease, you should contact your doctor or local health department about getting a TB skin test or TB blood test. And tell the doctor or nurse when you spent time with this person.

What are the symptoms of TB disease?

The general symptoms of TB disease include feelings of sickness or weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. The symptoms of TB disease of the lungs also include coughing, chest pain, and the coughing up of blood. Symptoms of TB disease in other parts of the body depend on the area affected. If you have these symptoms, you should contact your doctor or local health department.

Where can I find other health information about my travel destination?

CDC’s Travelers’ Health website lists health information for travelers by destination.

CDC issues travel notices when there is a health threat to travelers. These notices describe levels of risk for the traveler and recommended preventive measures to take at each level of risk. Travel notices are organized by disease and by travel destination.

Additional Information

CDC. Questions and Answers About TB .

CDC. Tuberculosis: General Information (2006).

CDC. Tuberculin Skin Testing (2006).

CDC. BCG Vaccine (2006).

CDC. Health Information for International Travel – The “Yellow Book”: Chapter 3 – Infectious Diseases Related to Travel: Tuberculosis (2012) .

WHO. Tuberculosis and Air Travel: Guidelines for Prevention and Control (PDF).

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