Would you cancel a trip with the new Europe travel alerts?

By Laura Bly
October 4, 2010

My reaction to this weekend's news that the U.S. State Department has issued a rare, four-month alert for European travel because of continued but unspecific threats from al-Qaeda and affiliated organizations?

Meh.

As a charter member of the "you're far more likely to be killed on your way to the airport than at the hands of a terrorist" club, I certainly wouldn't scrub a trip or put off planning one. The latest State Department alert doesn't spotlight individual countries in Europe, and doesn't advise Americans to stay away - or even stay off the subway. But it does remind them of "the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure," and recommends they take "every precaution to be aware of their surroundings and adopt appropriate safety measures to protect themselves when traveling."

And what might those "tourist infrastructures" and "appropriate safety measures" encompass? The advisory doesn't say - making interpretation a matter of how much risk you're willing to assume in a world where liquid bans and slip-on shoes have become part of what travel analyst Henry Harteveldt calls the "new, new, new normal."

"If you think you won't be able to enjoy your trip because of the alert, then postpone it until the chatter dies down," suggests Christine Cantera of WhyGoFrance.com. "If you can't postpone it but would rather not be in Paris, then you can alter your itinerary to include the many other things to see and do throughout France. If it's Paris or bust for you, then stay in a hotel that's not an iconic name or location or an international chain, take more taxis, see the Eiffel Tower (the target of two false bomb threats in recent weeks) from afar and spend more time getting to know the less-visited areas of the city."

"Many people simply do not have the confidence to travel, whether from inexperience, age or just plain fear," she adds. "And I think that sometimes, they need to hear that it's OK to postpone the trip or try somewhere else when something like (the latest travel alert) comes up."

Fair enough.

But for those on the fence, consider this: A year ago this week, the U.S. had just issued a travel alert for Germany, noting recent threatened attacks by al-Qaeda and the Taliban against major German cities. I was in Berlin to research a story on the 20th anniversary of the Fall of the Wall, and my visit coincided with a weekend celebration to mark reunification between East and West Germany.

Police presence and anxiety levels were high - but not as high as Berliners' enthusiasm as tens of thousands thronged the streets to celebrate the rebirth of their unified city and nation.

Germany is once again in the spotlight, with the U.K. foreign office upgrading its own travel alert this weekend to note, vaguely, that "like other large European countries, Germany has a high threat of terrorism. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers." (France received a similar alert from the U.K.)

A year ago, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her country's reunification "was the result of boldness, determination and moral courage." Continuing to travel in the face of terrorist threats requires the same qualities - let's hope they're in ample supply.

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