Travelers are being a bit more cautious this spring and summer, swearing off popular locations over safety concerns. Americans are concerned about geopolitical tensions. So they're thinking twice about going to the popular locations in Mexico or South Asia.
Suzanne Morrow, CEO of InsureMyTrip, told USA TODAY that there's a ripple effect going on. At the end of February, the State Department urged "Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution."
Some are just staying home, skipping out on popular locations they would have traveled to in years past.
"A lot of people are shaken, and they're just saying, you know what, if I'm trying to go and have peace of mind on spring break, and I can go somewhere else? I'm going to opt for that," said Tyler Hosford, security director at global risk mitigation company International SOS. "It's more this mindset of I'm trying to go, you know, relax, have a margarita and not have to worry about things. Yes, it's safe, but could I just go somewhere else?"
Popular Locations on Hold
While people are still flocking to Europ and Australia as usual, others are pausing travel plans to Africa, Asia, and other parts due to the tensions in Iran. "A lot of travelers from Europe and from the U.S. and Canada will travel through those Middle East hubs," he said. "People might say, you know what, maybe we'll just postpone."
Meanwhile, in Mexico, travelers are pausing out on popular spring break destinations, choosing to go to Florida or Hawaii instead. They are concerned about cartels and recent violence in the region.
For the most part, travel to Mexico should be safe, especially if you're staying in a popular resort area. "The parts of Mexico outside of Jalisco, where a lot of the cartel activity was concentrated, are really returning to normal," said Hosford. "Places like Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo, Cancun, some of those are now safe to go to."
