How to Travel in the Age of Terrorism

A hooded Tunisian police officer stands guard following a shooting attack in front of the Imperial Marhaba hotel in the Mediterranean resort of Sousse, Tunisa. (AP Photo/Abdeljalil Bounhar)

This year has been a frightening one for travelers around the globe, with a worrying increase in the number of terrorist attacks specifically targeting Western tourists — predominantly those from the United States and United Kingdom.

A car bomb was detonated outside a hotel in Libya on Jan. 27, killing 13 people, including five foreigners. Two bombs detonated within 24 hours of each other in Egypt killed four people at the beginning of February. In March, a car bomb injured seven people on the tourist island of Koh Samui in Thailand.

Then there was the shooting rampage in Tunisia in May, in which 23 people were killed, most of them tourists, when a gunman opened fire in a museum.

A wall of the Bardo Museum is riddled with bullet holes during the reopening day to the public of the National Bardo Museum in Tunis, Tunisia, Friday, March 27, 2015. (AP Photo/Hassene Dridi)

In June alone, there were four major terrorist attacks — in France, Tunisia, Egypt, and Kuwait.

These are just some of the dozens of attacks around the world this year that are believed to have targeted tourists. It is a very frightening prospect.
Earlier this year, the U.S. State Department released a Worldwide Caution, advising travelers of the “continuing threat of terrorist actions and violence against U.S. citizens and their interests around the world.” The statement reminded U.S. citizens to “maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness.”

In 2010, the Wall Street Journal reported that there was a one in 3 million chance of a Westerner being killed in a terrorist attack, which is about the same as the odds of being killed by a tornado. However, the risk remains, and travelers should know what to do if they find themselves in a crisis abroad.

Related: Is Paris Safe for Tourists Following Terrorist Attack?

In the case of a large-scale crisis — such as a bombing or a mass shooting — local and international services can be put under immense strain, likely causing severe delays in medical or emergency assistance reaching you.

People hold candles and a placard reading “I am Charlie” as they gather to commemorate the victims of a terror attack against French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

With a potentially uncertain security situation, travelers may need to take increased initiative and responsibility for their own safety.

So what do you do if you find yourself in the vicinity of a terrorist attack? How can you stay out of danger? And what steps can you take to get home safely? Yahoo Travel looked to the experts to find out.

1. Leave the area immediately.

In the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack, there can be panic and confusion. Try to remain calm and patient. According to the Red Cross, you should leave the area surrounding the incident as quickly and calmly as possible and get to a safe place, ideally your hotel. Once there, go to your room, stay away from windows, and comply with the guidance of hotel staff.

2. Follow the instructions of the local security forces.

Local police, military, and diplomatic services are going to be better informed about the ongoing situation and what is the best course of action to ensure your safety. Always follow their directions.

3. Check for injuries.

If an event occurred close to you, check yourself and others around you for injuries. If anyone around you is seriously injured, seek help and give first aid. Many terrorist attacks produce mass casualties, and local medical resources can become strained or even overwhelmed. Seek medical attention if you have any of the following symptoms: excessive bleeding; trouble breathing; persistent cough; trouble walking; severe stomach; back or chest pain; severe headache; blurred vision; vomiting or diarrhea; or burning skin.

At the hospital, prepare to be patient, especially if your injuries are superficial. Hospitals and clinics are likely to have set up triage, where the worst injuries are treated first in order to save as many lives as possible.

4. Account for everyone in your group.

Confirm the whereabouts of everyone traveling with you. If any family or group members are missing, first check with the hotel and then inform the local embassy or consulate for your home country. The State Department (U.S.), Foreign Office (U.K.), or other local diplomatic authority will maintain a list of their citizens who have been killed, are missing, are injured, or have been accounted for.

Inform family and friends back home of your whereabouts and situation as soon as possible. Amid the confusion and devastation following an attack, it can be hard for people to get word out to loved ones via phone. Consider alternative forms of communication, such as social media accounts or email.

5. Contact your tour operator or airline.

In the wake of an attack, many people are likely to attempt to leave the country to get back home. This mass exodus from a single location can be a logistical nightmare. Contact your tour operator or airline as soon as possible to arrange or confirm your return travel, even if you aren’t changing your travel plans. Hotels, airlines, and tour operators are under no obligation to refund or discount changes to travel plans. But not all companies will be inflexible.
Following the recent mass shooting in Tunisia, several holiday companies allowed vacationers to cancel their trips to the country for this season, free of charge. And multiple airlines added emergency flights to bring tourists home early if they wished.

Related: Tourism in France Drops Following Terrorist Attack

6. Maintain contact with your country’s embassy or consulate.

In certain cases, the circumstances surrounding the attack might make it difficult to leave the country or the area where the attack took place. If this is the case, follow all instructions from local authorities, and keep in regular contact with your home country’s local embassy or consulate. It will be able to provide you with up-to-date information on the situation, provide safety and travel advice, work with local authorities such as hospitals and police to find missing persons or updates on injured persons, and work with tour operators and airlines to facilitate your exit; and in certain circumstances they can even provide financial aid or assist with departure from the country.

Related: What to Do If You Get Caught in a Political Protest

All U.S. citizens are advised to enroll in the State Department’s STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) — a free service that allows travelers to log their trip with consular services. You will then receive up-to-date information from the local embassy about the safety conditions at your destination. It also helps the U.S. embassy, as well as loved ones, to contact you in the case of an emergency, wherever in the world you are.

7. Know before you go.

Whenever visiting a foreign country you should always do your research ahead of time and be aware of the risks associated with traveling there. For travelers concerned about a specific destination they are planning to visit, the State Department website has a comprehensive breakdown of the political, social and health situation for every nation in the world. They also post travel warnings and advisories, with recommendations for countries that are not safe for US citizens. Visit travel.state.gov for more information.

Here are two important emergency contacts:

U.S. State Department: 1-888-407-4747 (from overseas, +1-202-501-4444)

U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Consular Assistance Hotline: (+44) (0) 207 008 1500