State Department advisories can be confusing, if you don’t know what you are reading.
Right now, there are about 210 advisories from the US State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs. All destinations are ranked from levels 1 to 4.
Level One says to exercise normal precautions. Level Two says to exercise increased precautions. Level Three says to reconsider travel. Level Four says do not travel as the US may have limited ability to assist you.
Warnings range from possible terrorist attacks in Italy to arbitrary enforcement of local laws in China to extreme and unpredictable weather in Antarctica.
There is an advisory warning of violent crimes in the Dominican Republic.
More than half of the advisories are at Level 1, the lowest level. This tells travelers to exercise normal precautions. Keep in mind, there could be higher levels within a country or a region.
What does this mean for you, as a traveler? Read the warnings before you book and before you go. Pay attention if there are any specific warnings for your area of travel. Be sure to read the entire warning and don’t just look for the level. For instance, the advisory for Barbados says there is nothing to worry about. Keep reading and you will find there are certain areas where two businesses are running pirate ship cruises at night. These have caused problems and issues for many tourists.
Situations change quickly, especially in high-risk areas.
If you sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program you will receive alerts if something changes. It also provides ways for the US Embassy to reach you, if necessary.