TOO MUCH. TOO LITTLE. Vague warnings are no help

Posted on 12/02/2015

The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) expressed concern Tuesday that ambiguous, generalized worldwide travel warnings that offer no country-specific details can be confusing to travellers and risk discouraging travel across the board.

“While the issuance of the alert was no doubt well-intentioned, the lack of any detail particularizing the conditions in specific countries or regions of the world is concerning,” ASTA CEO Zane Kerby said in a statement. “Vague, overly broad warnings offer travellers little in the way of helpful guidance. In fact, they have the unintended consequence of discouraging travel everywhere, negatively affecting the travel industry and the economy as a whole.” The US Department of State issued a Worldwide Travel Alert on November 23, recommending, among other things, that US citizens remain vigilant when in public places and when using public transportation, to avoid crowds and to be aware of their surroundings. "

The travel alert said Islamic groups like ISIS, al-Qaeda and Boko Haram “continue to plan terrorist attacks in multiple regions. These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics, using conventional and non-conventional weapons and targeting both official and private interests.” While country-specific travel alerts and warnings are taken seriously by ASTA and passed on to customers by travel agent members, it is ultimately up to the individual to decide when and where to travel. While consumers booking their own travel will typically have little else to rely upon, experienced and knowledgeable travel agents are uniquely positioned to guide their clients in making informed travel decisions. Curiously, the alert comes with an official expiry date – February 24, 2016. No reason was given as to the significance of the particular date.