Does this surprise anyone here?
Why Americans are ignoring US travel warnings
You might think American travelers would snap to attention when the State Department issues warnings. But there are growing signs you would be wrong.
The US State Department in just one month, April, issued nine travel warnings. They covered places such as Iraq, Syria and Mexico. Did anyone take heed?
A new online poll conducted by travel company Travel Leaders found only 14 percent of the 1,000 Americans in the survey said such warnings would have any impact at all on their plans.
About one in five in the survey said it would have little effect.
Only 18 percent of those surveyed said they would completely alter their travel plans in response to such warnings. The remaining 47 percent said the warnings would have some effect but not enough to make them cancel travel plans altogether.
“Many American travelers tend to find these warnings to be overly dramatic and don't use them as a cautionary aid, “ writes Linda Ripoll in the “Password Without Stress” blog. She goes on:
“The reason behind this lack of respect for State Department warnings comes from the thought that the US Government uses propaganda to keep Americans from exploring certain regions either for political or cultural reasons. Many American travelers look to other Western media such as; the UK, Australia and Canada for the truth about international travel.”
That sounds about right.
There was a “worldwide” travel alert from the State Department only hours after the military killing of Osama bin Laden. But travel observers say the lack of specific cities and ambiguous suggestion of “vague dangers” reinforced the inadequate nature of such warnings.
Issuing a Worldwide travel alert is like saying, “don’t leave your home because somewhere, someday, something bad might happen.” It’s meaningless.
State Department "warnings" are dispatched "when long-term, protracted conditions ... make a country dangerous or unstable;" Americans are urged to avoid going to those places.
"Warnings" have no expiration date, Echard said.
On the State Department’s website, 34 nations are on the warning list, including Mexico, Haiti, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.
There are several hostels on this forum from a couple of those countries. Would you guys agree that travelers should stay away?
We have discussed before that many backpackers will continue to travel despite widespread economic crisis, war, disease, or any other situations that would keep traditional tourists away. Are we (backpackers) too naive? Obviously some places really are dangerous and people should keep out, but most are not.
I might read the State Department’s warnings, but I don’t think they would stop me from traveling if I was already planning to go. Is that just an American sentiment or is it more of a backpacker mentality?
What about you? Would you change your travel plans based on warnings from the government?
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