Holidaymakers are starting to worry about their summer travel destinations, as the threat of terrorism blights popular destinations such as France and Spain. Both areas have been issued high risk warnings by the Foreign Office. Earlier this week, a Moroccan man was arrested in Majorca after he was accused of recruiting fighters for the terrorist group Isis, whilst promoting terrorist attacks throughout Europe. However, there are still destinations in Europe and across the world which have a low risk of terrorism.
The Foreign Office has said that much of Europe is under a general threat from terrorism. The advice on the website says holidaymakers should be ‘vigilant as attacks could be indiscriminate’. It says that the attacks could be against UK nationals and motivated by conflict in Syria and Iraq.
As a result of the FCO warnings, tourists are beginning to consider new destinations for their summer holiday. A spokesperson for HolidayTravelWatch said that people seem to be moving away from East Mediterranean destinations in fear of terrorism. He added that several ‘beautiful’ destinations are reported as having a low threat of terrorism. The destinations include Portugal, Iceland, Malta and some further afield such as Cuba and New Zealand.
Holidaymakers should keep up to date with the latest travel advice from the Foreign Office. A spokesperson for the ABTA said that it’s members rely on the expertise of the Foreign Office for travel destinations. They added that just as the threat in the UK is severe, travellers should remain alert wherever they travel.
Some of the safest destinations to visit this summer:
Iceland
Iceland is fast becoming a popular tourist destination. Just this week, it was visited by Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. It’s easy to see the appeal with it’s natural beauty within waterfalls and volcanoes. In 2015, around 241,000 British nationals visited the country, with most visits being trouble free. It is currently listed on the website as being low risk from a threat of terrorism. However, check the local tourism sites ahead of your visit for bad weather which can sometimes affect the country.
Liechtenstein
This destination doesn’t have a British diplomat and sees just over 2,000 British visitors a year. It has a ski resort, which could lead to it’s popularity growing. It’s also under a low threat from terrorism, but there is a moderate warning of avalanches in winter.
Malta
According to the Maltese tourist office, crime against tourists in Malta is rare, but incidents such as pickpocketing can occur. 450,000 Brits now visit Malta every year, but most visits go ahead without a problem and there is a low terrorism threat.
Bahamas
This divers paradise has a low threat from terror. However, cases of Chikungunya fever and violent crimes such as robbery have been reported previously. Hurricane season in the area runs between June and November, so check local websites for weather updates.
Costa Rica
In 2014, 54,000 British people were drawn to the rainforest island of Costa Rica. The area has a low risk of terrorism, but in the last two months there has been confirmed cases of the Zika virus.
Fiji
This beautiful archipelago of islands attracts 20,000 British people each year. This honeymoon destination has a low threat of terrorism, but there are weather warnings for floods and cyclones.
How to minimise your risk of terrorism:
- Regularly check advice from the Foreign Office.
- Keep up to date with the news about the country that you are visiting.
- Look out for any suspicious activity and report it to the local police.
- Keep your mobile phone with you and add emergency numbers to your contact.
- Identify places where you could seek shelter in an emergency.
