STATE DEPARTMENT ADVISORY

Editorial illustration showing four silhouetted figures with their hands raised to their heads in confusion or doubt, standing on concentric ring patterns and looking up at a large dark-blue globe of Earth with a giant white question mark hovering in front of it, illustrating how travelers are increasingly questioning the recommendations of professional travel experts in an age of paid influencers and commission-driven advice

Travelers are ignoring the advice of professionals. Here’s why that could be a mistake.

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Travelers are increasingly skeptical of professional advice, ignoring travel agents who collect commissions, influencers paid by destinations, and points bloggers earning kickbacks from credit card companies. A Global Rescue survey shows 85 percent of travelers are concerned about geopolitical instability yet proceed with their plans despite the risks. Cautious skepticism is healthy when evaluating tourism-engine search results and influencer endorsements that dominate Google’s first page. But ignoring U.S. State Department advisories at Level 3 reconsider travel or Level 4 do not travel can lead to serious consequences. The chief medical officer at AXA Partners US says many travelers contract serious diseases and traumatic injuries in risky locations that were easily avoidable by following government advisories.

Editorial illustration of a couple standing on a dark airport tarmac with two orange roller suitcases, watching from a distance as a fiery orange and yellow explosion cloud rises into the blue sky beyond, with a small white airplane visible on the horizon, illustrating the uncertainty of booking summer vacation travel during an active geopolitical conflict in the Middle East

Is it safe to book a summer vacation yet?

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The U.S. and Iran are reportedly close to a deal that would end the war, lift sanctions, release frozen Iranian funds, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Travel companies say the worst is priced in. Airbnb expects second-quarter bookings to drop one percentage point across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific. Booking Holdings cut its full-year revenue forecast through June. Iranian lawmakers called the U.S. proposal a wish list. Before booking, check State Department advisories at Level 3 or Level 4, examine flight routes for airspace closures, buy cancel-for-any-reason insurance, and pay only with a credit card.