Americans should always be alert when they travel but we need to be especially cautious right now, as the U.S. State Department just issued a worldwide travel advisory.
The advisory reads: “The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East. There is the potential for demonstrations against U.S. citizens and interests abroad. The Department of State advises U.S. citizens worldwide to exercise increased caution. Please read carefully our Travel Advisory, country information, and any recent security alerts when planning travel at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html.” See screenshot below.
It’s always a good idea to read not only U.S. State Department warnings for the country or countries you’re visiting but also read what our English-speaking allies might have to say for their citizens since they could differ for political reasons.
I always check Australia’s Smartraveller, Canada’s Advisories and the United Kingdom Foreign Travel Advice:
Australia warns at the top of their pages with a bright orange background: “Israel-Iran Conflict: Information for Australians in Israel & the Occupied Palestinian Territories or Iran.”
When I travel, I try to keep my voice down (Americans are known to be loud talkers), dress like a local (no branded T-shirts or sweatshirts). My only exception is my NY Yankees cap since they’re quite common here. I’ve seen dozens of NYY caps and the vast majority were worn by Europeans. I also don’t wear sneakers when I travel.
As the travel advisory warns, stay away from any demonstrations. I’ve been in Europe for the last two weeks and have visited multiple countries including Italy, Turkey and Greece. I’ve seen flyers leftover from previous demonstrations and banners that read “Free Palestine” or “Free Gaza.”
I wouldn’t cancel a trip unless you’re going to Israel or Iran but I would be more aware and make an effort to fly under the radar. I have noticed that the usually welcoming Italians and Greeks have not been very friendly but it hasn’t been too bad.
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