What To Consider Before Traveling To Europe

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The Russian-Ukrainian conflict threatens to spread beyond Eastern Europe. Gas prices are rising and the upcoming tourist season is getting increasingly uncomfortable. So how do you protect your vacation from a distant war?

That's what travelers like Dawn Pick Benson are trying to understand. He plans to visit Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia and possibly Montenegro this summer. And he closely followed events in Eastern Europe.

Benson, a marketing strategist in Grand Rapids, Michigan, monitors official sources like travel newsletters, State Department bulletins, and relies on his informal network of friends and contacts at his travel destinations. This has removed Romania from the list because it is so close to the conflict.

"I will reconsider my directive if the regional contacts advise me to do so, if the unrest spreads to areas closer to my targets," he said. "I still plan to travel."

Many Americans do the same. According to a survey by MMGY Global, a travel marketing agency, almost half of US travelers (47%) postponed their travel plans to Europe because they wanted to return to the war in Ukraine. About the same number (50%) said they were worried about potential flight delays, train delays, cancellations, and potential border closures.

Chicago photographer Amy Boyle began planning her trip, digging deeper into her destination by consulting State Department announcements, local media, and social media posts. Like Benson, he prefers to go where he knows the locals. For him, it means a journey that begins in England this spring. So far, all of your research suggests that your break will be safe.

"I didn't want to put myself or anyone else at risk," Boyle said. "But I also believe that the cancellation of all of our travel plans will continue to affect the economies of other countries, as well as our ability to come together as individuals."

Besides research, what can you do to protect your vacation from war?

"Safe, safe, safe," says Laura Heidt, insurance specialist at Brunel Travel, a travel agency in Birmingham, Alabama.

And not just any insurance. Most travel insurance policies are "designated perils" that cover the policy holder in certain circumstances, e.g. B. if you get sick while traveling or your airline loses your luggage. This policy completely excludes war. But for some reason, the cancellation policy allows you to cancel your vacation if you don't feel safe and get a refund of 50-75% of the non-refundable prepaid value.

Cancellation of insurance for any reason costs more than regular insurance, usually between 10% and 12% of the cost of your trip. "But in times of uncertainty, it pays off," Haydt said.

Lisa Conway, head of placement at travel insurance company Battleface, said insurers still don't see most European countries as war-torn areas in Ukraine. But those planning a summer vacation should keep this in mind.

"I recommend looking for a travel insurance option that gives you maximum flexibility and choice based on your specific needs," he added.

Annie Erling Gofus, a travel consultant for Wunderbird who specializes in booking travel to Central and Eastern Europe, says the biggest change she advises clients is to add an emergency evacuation plan to their travel policies. Companies like Medjet or Global Rescue can fly clients abroad when conditions become unsafe.

"If a client is planning a trip to Central Europe, I will offer them non-medical evacuation insurance," he said.

The real advantage of working with professionals like Gofus is that they are with you every step of the way. If something goes wrong, an expert travel consultant will work hard to get you home safe and sound.

However, experts say it's not enough to check all the boxes at the place of travel to make sure the State Department, your travel adviser and the local news all agree the trip is safe. It's good to think "what if". In particular. and if the conflict extends beyond Ukraine. And whether the ban on oil imports will lead not only to higher gas prices, but also to a widespread energy crisis. Then there is the joker, the corona virus. What if it burns again this summer?

"Think carefully about where you are going to travel," says Narendra Khatri of Insubbuy, a travel insurance company. "No one can say for sure what this conflict will look like in the summer."

Therefore, it is safe to travel in Europe. I think it's time to make an appointment to travel to Turkey and Greece this spring. Experts say, for now. The CEO of SmarTours, Christine Petersen, a tour operator that offers tours in Europe, says that if you know where to go, you can visit Europe safely.

"It would be a big mistake to unite all the countries in the region," he said. "It can be a common mistake to react to a concussion, to stop traveling to other parts of Eastern Europe or even Western Europe."

Russia's Ukraine, of course, is a red zone, said Harding Bush, chief of security operations for Global Rescue. Poland and Moldova are yellow zones. "Poland, because of the refugee situation, Moldova, because experts say it may also be involved in a conflict." :

"War," he said, "is not a tourist attraction.

Prospective travelers should consider local epidemic and public health guidelines before planning a trip. For travel health information, see the interactive map on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Travel Health Tips webpage.

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