Is my travel destination safe?

Safety has become a major concern for a great many travellers.
Many tourists wonder and worry about the unstable political situation in certain countries, the risk of uprisings or riots, hostage-taking or attacks carried out by terrorist groups, etc.

How can you find out whether a travel destination is safe?

Choose your destination carefully and do your research

1. The first selection criteria are always shaped by personal preferences: the type of holiday, your favourite kind of place (sea, mountains, city...), your budget, the type of transport and accommodation, the number of travel companions, the distance, etc.
This first selection will point you towards a few preferred destinations. If this selection leads you to an unfamiliar or risky destination, other sources of information will be useful (points 2 and 3).

2. You can look for tourist and cultural information about the country in travel guides, travel websites, tourist offices, travel agencies, tour operators, blogs, social media, etc. There's so much information available that you'll be spoilt for choice.

However, these sources don't always have the most up-to-date information, and aren't always (commercially) "neutral". They may therefore not be a reliable source of information on safety in a country.

3. Safety information. You'll find this best by checking the notices issued by official and diplomatic bodies. Every country has an official body (usually the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) that constantly assesses the political and security risks of foreign countries.

In Belgium, this is diplomatie.be: this website also gives you information about Belgian representations abroad and the official documents required to travel there (identity card, passport, visa, etc.).
In France: diplomatie.gouv.fr
In the USA: travel.state.gov

These notices aren't binding but let travellers get an up-to-date overview of the risks in the areas or countries they're visiting. They're often a reference point for decisions made by tour operators, carriers and insurers regarding their offer or their intervention on the ground.

4. Belgian travellers heading to a country outside the European Union can register on the "Travellers Online" website https://travellersonline.diplomatie.be/ run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Thanks to this registration, the local consulate is aware of their presence and can more easily inform and help them in the event of a major problem.

Stay informed about safety

• On the ground, an effective way to stay informed is to follow local and/or international media (print, online, and TV news). Be careful, though, as local media may not always be impartial in their (political) analysis of events (depending on the country).
• It's also, of course, advisable to check and follow the notices of (local) official and diplomatic bodies (see above).
• Your tour operator can also inform you through their local representative.

Is safety on the ground no longer guaranteed?

Do you notice that the security situation on the ground is deteriorating, that the area you're in is affected by large demonstrations, riots, uprisings, or attacks, or that it exposes you to security risks?

• In this case, your tour operator will be able to inform you and will assess whether it's advisable to repatriate you or move you to a safer place. Often, they will first try to limit or cancel planned excursions, visits or trips for as long as the unsafe situation continues.
• The websites of official and diplomatic bodies (see above) will advise you on what to do. If you feel unsafe and are staying in a risk area, it's advisable to contact the local Belgian consulate so they're aware of your presence.
• An unsafe situation (uprising, riot, demonstration, etc.) can exist (temporarily) in limited areas (e.g. around official buildings in the capital, in a public square, in a large park, road blockages, etc.) without necessarily affecting the safety of tourists elsewhere in the country.

Whatever the case, always respect the local rules and customs of your host country and stay alert in risk areas.

The different types of assistance for travellers

• If travellers find themselves in an emergency due to a security problem, their tour operator will make the necessary decisions and take the required measures (provided the trip was booked through them).

• What does the local Belgian consulate do? The Belgian consulate (or, failing that, any other consulate of a European Union country) can only step in as a last resort and in very specific cases: issuing official (temporary) documents, searching for missing persons, putting you in touch with local lawyers, doctors or translators, providing assistance in the event of arrest or detention, contacting someone in Belgium who can provide the help you need. The consulate therefore does not get involved in private, tourist, medical or financial matters. See the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website for more information. Warning: If you deliberately expose yourself to dangers or risks you couldn't have been unaware of, forcing the consulate to intervene, it may require reimbursement of all or part of the costs it incurred as a result of a rescue operation.

• Travel insurance will step in within the framework set out by the type of contract taken out, both on the medical side (hospitalisation costs, medical repatriation, assistance in case of illness, accident or death) and on the personal assistance side (lost documents, lost luggage, early return, provision of money abroad, financial assistance in the event of legal proceedings, etc.). Note: In practice, travel insurance excludes from its cover countries at (civil) war or affected by uprisings, riots, acts of terrorism, etc. For travellers who are already on the ground when such events unexpectedly occur, this doesn't necessarily mean the assistance provider is completely unable to intervene. As long as free movement and resources on the ground allow it, assistance providers will do everything possible to help their policyholders (medical side and personal assistance). The assistance provider can also share the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' advice with you and has first-hand information thanks to its local correspondents.

Also read: Insecurity while travelling and Countries "excluded" from assistance cover