How To Travel Safely With The Threat Of Terrorism

Terror attacks on popular holiday destinations are a rare but unfortunate reality. But no matter how rare or how unlikely, terrorism is still a frightening prospect when you are planning a big trip or a gap year, particularly when an attack puts a familiar city, beach resort or tourist attraction in the headlines. It raises understandable questions about whether you should go, how to stay safe abroad and what you would do if something happened nearby. Those questions deserve real, practical answers that help you make informed decisions and feel confident about travelling, rather than letting fear about what may happen put you off.

The threat deserves to be taken seriously, but it should not make every unfamiliar street feel dangerous or every crowded market somewhere to avoid. A warning needs to be understood in relation to how likely it is, how it will affect you, if at all, where you are going and what you intend to do. An attack in one location does not automatically make an entire country unsafe, just as the absence of previous attacks cannot guarantee that nothing will happen. Most importantly, you can prepare for an emergency without spending your travels expecting one.

More than 25 years of independent travel across over 150 countries, alongside professional military, security and emergency healthcare expertise have shaped how I approach these risks. Preparation is most useful when it translates into ordinary decisions you can actually make. Knowing another way out of a restaurant, understanding how to get help without your phone or recognising when returning to your accommodation would take you towards danger gives you practical options when you need them.

You cannot control whether an attack happens, and no precaution can promise complete safety. You can make informed choices, reduce avoidable exposure and learn how to respond if you find yourself in danger. With those foundations in place, there is every reason to keep enjoying the places, people and experiences that made you want to travel in the first place.

What Is A Terrorist Attack?

A terrorist attack uses violence to intimidate the public or influence authorities in pursuit of a political, religious or ideological cause. In a travel context, it can be any violent action that affects tourists, that might involve an attack on public transport, a hotel, a place of worship, a crowded street or a tourist attraction. Travellers may be deliberately targeted, but they can also be caught up in an attack aimed at the wider public.

Terrorism is distinct from a peaceful demonstration, civil unrest or ordinary crime, although different threats can occur in the same place. An explosion or violent incident is not automatically terrorism; its cause and motive may take time to establish.

If you are nearby, however, you do not need to establish the motive before protecting yourself. Respond to the danger you can identify, whether that is an armed attacker, a moving vehicle or a damaged building. Your immediate decisions should be about reaching safety, rather than waiting for someone to confirm what the incident will be called.

Emergency Summary — What To Do If An Attack Happens

If you are caught in an ongoing firearms or weapons attack, follow Run, Hide, Tell.

• Run if there is a safe escape route. Move away from the attacker, leave belongings behind and do not stop to film. Avoid a route that exposes you to greater danger.
• Hide if you cannot escape safely. Lock and barricade the entrance where possible, move away from doors and windows, and silence your phone, including vibration. Being hidden from view does not necessarily protect you from gunfire.
• Tell the local emergency services when it is safe. Give your location, what is happening and any information you already have about the attacker. Do not expose yourself to gather more details.

If there is an explosion or vehicle attack, get clear of the immediate danger and remain alert to a continuing attack. Avoid damaged structures, fire and exposed traffic routes. Do not approach the scene to investigate or retrieve possessions.

If the incident is elsewhere and your location remains secure, stay there while you check reliable updates and local instructions. Do not automatically head for your hotel, an airport or an embassy if the journey could take you towards danger.

When police arrive, keep your hands visible, avoid sudden movements and follow instructions. Once safe, seek urgent medical help where needed and let someone know where you are. Help others when you can do so without entering ongoing danger.

Understand The Real Risk Of Terrorism Where You Are Travelling

Terrorism is, by its nature, difficult to predict, and attacks can happen with little or no warning. For most travellers on ordinary tourist itineraries, however, the risk of being caught up in an attack is very low. There is generally no reason to spend your trip worrying about terrorism beyond taking basic, sensible precautions and staying informed about your destination. You can enjoy busy markets, visit famous attractions and use public transport without treating every outing as a security operation.

If the threat level has been raised, a specific warning has been issued or an attack has happened in a country you are about to visit, it is reasonable to look more closely before deciding what to do. That can be difficult when the information ranges from alarming headlines to someone insisting they went last year and everything was fine. Neither tells you enough on its own. You need to establish what is currently known, where the warning applies and how it could affect your plans.

Risk can vary considerably within a country, and a warning may concern a particular region, type of venue or group of people. The journeys between your destinations also deserve attention, even if the places you intend to stay are unaffected. Understanding those details helps you distinguish a trip that needs a few sensible adjustments from one that would expose you to a threat you cannot reasonably manage.

You do not need to become an intelligence analyst before booking a flight. You need reliable information, an understanding of its limits and a practical way to apply it to your itinerary. That is a manageable task, and far more useful than trying to decide whether an entire country deserves a simple ‘safe’ or ‘unsafe’ label.

Assess Your Destination And Your Actual Itinerary

Start with the terrorism and regional security sections of the FCDO travel advice, then compare them with the places you intend to visit. Read beyond the headline warning. Does the advice identify a particular province, border area, transport route or type of location? Does it describe attacks directed at security forces, threats against visitors or indiscriminate attacks in public places? Those distinctions help you understand your possible exposure without assuming that only the intended targets can be harmed.

Put your route alongside that information. A warning affecting a remote border district may have little bearing on a beach stay elsewhere, but it becomes relevant if your overnight bus passes through that district. Colombia is a useful example. Bogotá, Cartagena and the coffee region are established destinations for independent travellers, while parts of the country near the Venezuelan and Panamanian borders carry FCDO advice against all but essential travel. A trip exploring the coffee towns presents a very different set of circumstances from travelling through an area affected by armed groups. Treating both as simply ‘Colombia is dangerous’ tells you very little about the journey you are actually planning.

Check where tours and excursions actually go too, rather than relying on the departure city or the reassuring description in a booking listing. I have travelled extensively through Egypt on many occasions, often spending long periods exploring the country without any problems. Even so, I have periodically changed plans for tours into the Western Desert or treks across Sinai because of advice against travel to the particular areas involved. That did not mean abandoning Egypt or assuming the places where I was already travelling were suddenly unsafe. It meant adjusting a specific part of the itinerary to account for different conditions elsewhere.

Check the full excursion route, including overnight stops, and use reputable current reporting and local information to clarify any restrictions. Ask your accommodation or an established operator specific questions about the journey, but remember that an excursion being available to book does not establish that it is advisable. Where important details remain unclear, allow for that uncertainty in your decision.

Finally, consider whether the proposed precautions are realistic for you. A trip that depends on specialist transport, close protection or rapid access to professional security assistance is a different undertaking from ordinary backpacking. If you cannot access the measures needed to manage a particular route, choose another one. There is usually far more freedom in changing an itinerary than in trying to make an unsuitable journey work.

Interpret Travel Warnings And Previous Attacks In Context

A raised terrorism threat level deserves attention, but it is not a prediction that an attack will happen during your visit. National systems use different categories and wording, so read the explanation issued by the relevant authorities rather than assuming a number or label means the same thing everywhere. Look for any accompanying instructions or specific warnings that would require you to change your plans.

In Egypt, for example, UK restrictions on direct flights to Sharm el-Sheikh remained for almost four years after the 2015 aircraft bombing, despite repeated calls from Egyptian officials and UK holiday firms for them to be lifted. That did not mean the whole country was off limits, nor did an airport-specific restriction establish that the resort itself was dangerous. This is why travellers need to understand the specific restriction rather than take blanket assumptions as gospel.

An attack that has already happened needs equally careful interpretation. Early reports may be incomplete, and the authorities may still be establishing whether the attackers have been stopped or whether other locations are at risk. Avoid drawing immediate conclusions from either dramatic footage or reassuring claims that the incident is over. Give verified information time to emerge before making a non-urgent decision about a forthcoming trip.

Increased security afterwards may offer reassurance, but more officers and checkpoints do not prove that the danger has passed. Equally, an attack does not establish that another is imminent or that every visitor must cancel. Consider what is known about any continuing threat, what the authorities are advising and whether restrictions or closures would materially affect your visit.

Be wary of using past experience as a forecast. Your previous visit, or someone else’s trouble-free holiday, can tell you something about a destination but cannot settle a question about current conditions. The useful outcome is a decision you can explain in practical terms. Your plans remain reasonable with sensible precautions, particular arrangements need changing, or there is enough concern or uncertainty to postpone. You do not need to prove that a destination is completely safe before travelling, but you should understand the reasons for your choice.

Prepare Before You Travel

Preparing for the possibility of a terrorist attack is a small part of getting ready for a trip, much like knowing what to do if you lose your passport or need medical help. Most of the useful arrangements are ordinary travel precautions that will serve you in other emergencies too. They deserve some attention before departure, then you can get on with looking forward to your travels.

The aim is to make sure you can act without having to organise everything from scratch under pressure. If you are travelling independently, you may not have a tour representative or an employer’s assistance team to turn to, so know what support you can access and make arrangements that work for you and anyone travelling with you. A little preparation now can leave you with fewer practical problems to solve if something happens.

Check Your Insurance And Sources Of Assistance

Travel insurance policies can treat the consequences of terrorism differently, so check what yours would cover rather than looking for a single mention of the word. Emergency treatment for injuries, medical repatriation, cancellation and cutting your trip short are separate benefits. A policy may cover medical care after an attack without paying for you to cancel because you no longer feel comfortable travelling.

Ask specifically about security evacuation too. Being transported home because you are medically unfit to remain abroad is different from being moved because of a security threat. Do not assume that medical evacuation cover includes both. If your itinerary changes following an attack, establish what conditions apply, including any requirement for a change in FCDO advice or prior authorisation from the insurer.

Find out what the assistance service can arrange in practice. Can it identify a suitable hospital, help coordinate treatment or advise on covered travel arrangements? Does it provide access to security specialists, or is its role limited to medical assistance and claims? Having someone answer a telephone is reassuring, but knowing what they can actually do is far more useful.

Save the emergency assistance number and your policy details offline, with a separate backup. Keep British consular contact details available as well, while recognising that consular staff cannot replace local emergency services or guarantee evacuation. If you have access to support through a tour operator, employer or university, check its scope before relying on it. The aim is to know whom to contact for which problem, rather than discovering the limits of each service during an emergency.

Make Sure You Can Communicate In An Emergency

Being able to receive reliable information, call for help and tell someone where you are gives you practical support when circumstances change. Smartphones are useful, but you should always have ways to reach assistance without depending entirely on one device or internet connection.

Before departure, check that your phone will work at your destination and arrange a practical way to make calls as well as access data. A data-only package may let you message home but will not necessarily let you make an ordinary telephone call to your insurer or accommodation. Save essential contacts offline and keep a small paper backup, including your accommodation address in the local language. If your phone is lost or damaged, you can then borrow a telephone or ask staff to help without first having to recover access to all your accounts.

Know the local emergency number and check any calling, text or accessibility arrangements you may need. Do not assume that 999 works abroad or that the UK’s silent-call procedures apply elsewhere. Sign up for relevant travel advice alerts and know where to find local emergency announcements, so you have a reliable starting point if reports of an incident begin circulating.

Agree check-in arrangements with someone you trust at home, and give them your rough itinerary and accommodation details. Discuss what they should do if you miss contact, allowing for ordinary delays while identifying circumstances that warrant seeking help. A brief message giving your location, whether you are safe and what you intend to do next is much more useful than a worrying fragment followed by silence.

Keep your phone charged and carry a power bank, but have alternatives in mind if the network becomes unavailable. Depending on what is working, that might mean sending a text instead of repeatedly attempting a call, using accommodation Wi-Fi or asking reception to make a call from a landline. None is guaranteed during a major incident, but having several options makes you less dependent on the first one succeeding. Get somewhere safe before stopping to message; communication should support your safety, rather than delay your escape.

Agree What To Do If You Become Separated

If you are travelling with others, a simple separation plan can prevent confusion during an emergency. This applies whether you are away with friends or joining people from your hostel for an afternoon. Agree that everyone should get to safety first, rather than wait at the entrance or return to search if someone is missing.

Choose a meeting place away from the venue and an alternative if it becomes inaccessible. Everyone should know that these are options to use only when safe to reach. If the agreed café is on the other side of a police cordon or would require walking towards the attack, go somewhere secure and make contact from there instead.

Make sure each person has the accommodation details and a shared contact who can pass messages between you. If someone remains unaccounted for, give the emergency services their last known location and relevant details rather than re-entering danger yourself. You can help someone far more effectively by getting accurate information to responders than by becoming another person who needs finding.

Plan Around Your Own And Your Companions’ Needs

Emergency arrangements need to work for the person using them. Consider anything that could affect how you receive a warning, move to safety or manage an unexpected delay. Mobility, hearing, vision, medication and other individual needs should inform your preparations without becoming reasons to assume that travel is beyond you.

If you need assistance, ask accommodation or venue staff specific questions before relying on their arrangements. An ‘accessible room’ tells you little about how you would leave it during an emergency. Establish whether there is a usable step-free exit, what happens if lifts are unavailable and how staff would assist you. Where evacuation equipment or a designated refuge forms part of the plan, ask how it works and how help is summoned.

Think about what you need to keep functioning independently if you cannot return to your room. That might include a mobility aid, hearing-aid batteries, glasses or essential medication. Keep critical items accessible and explain any assistance you may need in a form you can easily show someone, particularly where language could be a barrier.

If you are travelling with children or someone who needs support, agree who will help and what that involves. Keep instructions simple enough to remember under pressure, and avoid making arrangements that depend entirely on one person being present. These conversations are best handled calmly beforehand, so everyone can enjoy the trip knowing their needs have been considered.

Keep Essentials Ready

Having access to your passport, money and essential belongings makes it easier to manage disruption after an incident. Keep them organised in secure, familiar places, with copies of important documents stored separately. Set aside emergency funds and an alternative means of payment so you can arrange transport or accommodation without relying on your everyday bank card alone.

I normally travel with carry-on luggage only, but I still keep a smaller, foldable bag inside my main pack containing the essentials I cannot afford to lose, including my passport, charger and electronics. It doubles as my personal bag on the plane and my daypack when exploring, so it is already doing a useful job throughout the trip. It also means my essentials are together if I need to grab it in a hurry and leave my main pack behind.

If you check your main pack into the hold, the same principle still applies. Keep that smaller bag with you as your carry-on, including any essential medication and important documents. Your ‘bug-out bag’ does not need to be a separate piece of specialist equipment. It can simply be the bag you already use, organised so you can manage without the rest of your luggage.

Bug out bags are meant to be grabbed in an instant as you escape an emergency. If you are in immediate danger and don’t have it, then normal rules still apply. Do not delay to collect it or return for it if it will increse your risk. Its purpose is to make things easier when you have a safe opportunity to leave, not give you another reason to stay in danger.

Have An Independent Exit Strategy

An exit strategy is your emergency failsafe for leaving the country if remaining there becomes unsafe. It needs to be something you can put into action yourself, with accessible funds, the necessary documents and realistic departure options. It should not depend on a travelling companion’s bank card, a promised lift or an assumed government evacuation.

Identify how you would leave and an alternative if your preferred option becomes unavailable. Check how you would reach the departure point and whether another route would require a visa or permission to enter a neighbouring country. I always have enough money in a separate account to get a last minute ticket anywhere in the world and then have a few nights in a good hotel plus a bit extra for meals and emergency cash, just in case. It honestly isn’t that much in the grand scheme of things, but it is good to have in an emergency. Keep emergency money separate from your everyday spending budget, with an alternative means of payment, so a cancelled service or failed bank card does not leave the plan unusable.

Decide what would prompt you to activate it, such as official advice to leave or a deteriorating situation that threatens your remaining departure options. You want enough time to act while a safe, practical journey is still possible, rather than waiting until transport has stopped before considering what to do.

An attack does not automatically mean you need to leave the country, and heading straight to an airport can be a poor decision if the route or terminal is affected. A workable exit strategy gives you an option to use when circumstances warrant it, based on current information.

Reduce Your Risk While Enjoying Your Trip

When you are travelling, sensible precautions can help reduce the risk terrorism poses without taking over the experience. Nobody needs to run around like Jack Bauer from ’24’, constantly on high alert and punching innocent people on the off chance they are planning a terrorist strike. Nor do you need to avoid everywhere that could conceivably be a target. You would never leave the house with that mindset. Busy markets, festivals, public transport and famous attractions are often part of what makes a trip worthwhile, and you should feel confident visiting and enjoying them unless there is a specific reason to change your plans. The possibility that a public place could be targeted is not, on its own, a reason to avoid it.

You can adapt principles used in professional protective security to ordinary travel. Notice what is happening around you, assess whether it affects your safety and make a proportionate decision. For backpackers, that might mean choosing another route, moving somewhere with more room or simply recognising that nothing requires your attention and getting back to exploring that temple. Awareness does not require hypervigilance or constant anxiety. A little attention when you arrive, followed by an occasional check as things change, helps you maintain your options without demanding your constant concentration.

The more you practise, the more natural it becomes, almost like developing a ‘spider sense’, although there is nothing supernatural about paying attention. For me, these habits have become largely automatic. I make a quick mental note of my surroundings, then carry on enjoying myself. That is the useful balance to develop. You remain interested in the place and the people around you, with enough awareness to recognise when something deserves a closer look or a change of plan.

Adapt Your Plans To Specific Risks

Most visits to attractions, markets, restaurants and other places you want to explore will be uneventful. You can choose what interests you and look forward to enjoying it. Somewhere being popular with tourists does not, by itself, give you a reason to stay away, and you do not need to find a security justification for every stop on your itinerary.

I have never allowed the fear of what might happen to stop me visiting somewhere simply because it is a tourist hotspot. What makes me reconsider is something concrete, such as a credible warning affecting that location, an incident nearby or a journey that would take me through an area I should avoid. There is a considerable difference between enjoying a busy market and insisting on entering one that police are evacuating because you have not finished your souvenir shopping.

When a concern does arise, establish which part of your plans it affects and change that part accordingly. If you are travelling overland through South America but there is a specific warning against overland routes into Colombia, but there are no warnings against the country itself, fly in instead and enjoy visiting Monserrate in Bogota for example. A warning concerning a particular attraction at the time you are visiting may mean postponing the visit and exploring somewhere else. Shortening your time at an attraction does not resolve a warning about the attraction itself, but neither does a problem on one road necessarily rule out the whole outing.

Once you have made a reasonable adjustment, let yourself enjoy the revised plan. An afternoon elsewhere or a different journey can leave most of your itinerary intact. Keep enough flexibility to respond if circumstances change, without allowing one specific concern to become a reason to worry about everything you do.

Develop Your Situational Awareness

Situational awareness means understanding what is happening around you, recognising changes that could affect your safety and keeping enough attention available to respond. It is useful for everything from crossing a busy road to noticing a confrontation developing nearby. You already use it in familiar surroundings; travelling involves applying the same habit somewhere you have less local knowledge.

Start by getting a feel for the setting you are in. How are people moving? Where are crowds gathering, and does that fit what is happening? A queue outside a station is ordinary. People suddenly turning back from its entrance, staff closing doors and an argument becoming aggressive deserve more attention. You are looking for meaningful changes and combinations of observations, rather than treating every unfamiliar sight as suspicious.

I tend to keep my head up and my eyes peeled out of habit, although that is less dramatic than it sounds. I simply take in the people, movement and activity around me, make a quick mental note, then carry on enjoying myself. Then if something is off, or changes in a way that it shouldn’t, I can give myself time to act accordingly. The training behind that is the SALUTE format to give those observations structure, a military reporting system that covers size, activity, location, unit, time and equipment. Everyday travellers do not need that level of detail or a running intelligence report on everyone buying an ice cream at a beach, but what this does is condition you to constantly observe your surroundings and key features, and that is something you can use and develop for yourself. The useful principle is to notice specifics: what is happening, where it is happening and whether it changes your options.

Keep observations separate from conclusions. Someone appearing out of place may catch your attention, but unfamiliar clothing, nervousness or standing alone does not establish that they pose a threat. That huge, scary looking guy sitting down in the booth opposite you may look threatening, but he may actually just want his lunch. Behaviour and context are more useful. A person waiting beside a doorway is different from someone aggressively preventing people from leaving through it. You can acknowledge uncertainty without either dismissing a concern or deciding you have identified an attacker.

Give yourself the attention needed to notice these things. Stop somewhere suitable to study your map instead of walking through an unfamiliar station with your eyes fixed on the screen. Don’t walk everywhere oblivious to your surroundings and your earpods in. If you are exhausted after an overnight journey, take time to get your bearings before committing to the next leg. Fatigue and distraction affect everyone, and managing them is more useful than expecting yourself to remain perfectly alert.

Once you understand the setting, let your attention return to enjoying it, checking again when something changes. Avoid becoming so absorbed in watching one person that you lose track of everything else. Awareness should leave you better informed and able to act, without making your travels feel like a prolonged search for trouble.

Notice Exits And Alternative Ways Out

One of the first things I notice when I walk into a place is how I would get out. It is second nature now, and a damn good habit to develop. Knowing how to leave gives you a practical option if a situation changes quickly.

People naturally remember the entrance they used, but that route may become blocked, crowded or lead towards danger. Imagine hearing gunfire and everyone rushing towards the same tiny doorway, or an explosion cutting off the entrance altogether. Taking a moment to notice another way out gives you an alternative to assess instead of relying on the only route you remember.

This might sound paranoid or unsettling, but it isn’t. It’s just a simple habit you can build into getting familiar with a place. Notice the options when you arrive, then carry on enjoying yourself, updating that mental picture if something changes. You do not need to spend dinner mentally rehearsing an escape between every mouthful.

When checking into accommodation, look at the evacuation plan and locate the stairs serving your room. In a restaurant, a walk to the toilets can help you understand the layout and notice another marked exit. At a station or attraction, pay attention to signs for alternative exits as you explore. You do not need to inspect every corridor or enter restricted areas; ask staff if the arrangements are unclear.

Look beyond the door itself. Could you reach it without squeezing through tightly packed tables or a crowd? Does it lead outside, into an enclosed courtyard or towards another part of the building? A marked emergency exit may be alarmed for normal use, which is different from being locked or obstructed. If an exit appears unusable, establish what alternative is available rather than assuming the sign alone guarantees a way through.

If an incident happens, use what you can see and hear to choose your route. The closest door is only useful if you can reach it without exposing yourself to greater danger and it takes you somewhere safer. Do not follow the familiar entrance automatically, and do not assume an alternative you noticed earlier remains appropriate regardless of where the threat is. Familiarity gives you choices; the conditions at the time determine which one to use.

Choose A Position That Gives You Options

Another important part of this is choosing where to sit or stand. Situational positioning is used in the security industry to maximise safety and maintain a tactical advantage. For everyday travel, that means choosing a position that gives you a useful view, freedom to move and as many options as possible if things go FUBAR.

In a restaurant or café for example, I always look for a seat with my back to a wall and a clear line of sight to entrances and exits. That reduces my blind spot behind me and helps me notice changes without constantly turning around. If it also gives me straightforward access to an exit and substantial structural protection on another side, all the better. I also avoid getting wedged into a booth or corner where leaving depends on several other people rearranging themselves first. If I need to get out quick I don’t need to be shoving someone out of the way to do it.

You aren’t always going to have a choice of where to sit, and you won’t always get the best option either. Just be a bit sensible and apply that thinking as much as you can to the situation you are in. You don’t need the perfect tactical seat before ordering lunch, just try and favour somewhere you can see what is happening and get up easily, keep your pack out of your escape route and avoid blocking anyone else’s movement. The aim is to give yourself as many options as possible, then settle down and enjoy being there.

Act On Concerning Behaviour Without Confrontation

The point of noticing concerning behaviour is to give yourself time and options. You do not need to prove that someone is dangerous before deciding you would be more comfortable elsewhere. Equally, noticing something unusual does not make it your job to investigate or deal with. Your responsibility as a traveller is to protect yourself, rather than take on the role of security staff or police. A proportionate response may be as simple as changing seats, creating some distance or leaving.

I have lost count of the times I have noticed the atmosphere in a bar change, heard a conversation take on a more aggressive tone or seen people begin squaring up, and simply finished my drink and walked out before a fight broke out. I did not need to know who started it or wait until someone threw a punch. Leaving was easy at that point, and there was no benefit in staying for confirmation in the form of a flying bar stool. If the danger is already immediate, forget the drink and get out.

An argument in a bar does not suggest terrorism, but it demonstrates the value of acting while leaving is still straightforward. More directly relevant concerns might include someone making threats of an attack, displaying a weapon threateningly or trying to force entry while threatening violence. You do not need to establish their motive before moving away and seeking help. Base your response on the immediate danger. Leave promptly if threatened, and report less urgent concerns from somewhere safe.

Someone pacing back and forth nervously, sweating profusely in a huge winter coat in the middle of summer and muttering dramatic prayers or a villainous speech to a potted plant may raise a few eyebrows, but seeing a hundred tourists photographing the Eiffel Tower does not mean they are all doing hostile reconnaissance. Things like repeated attempts to enter restricted areas or test whether secured doors can be opened, particularly alongside other concerning conduct, give you something more specific to assess. Keep concerns grounded in observed behaviour and context, rather than suspicion alone.

If you can move away safely, do so. Alert staff or security discreetly from a safer position, or contact the local emergency services if there is an immediate threat. Describe what you actually saw or heard, where it happened and where the person is now, if you already know. ‘Someone threatened to attack visitors and is trying to force the entrance’ gives responders useful information. You do not need to add a theory about who they are or stay nearby to collect more evidence.

Avoid staring, following, challenging or moving closer to photograph them. Those actions can draw attention to you and turn an opportunity to leave into a confrontation. Pass on the concern when safe, leave intervention to the professionals and get yourself somewhere safer.

Keep Away From Suspicious Items And Report Them

Backpackers spend much of their time surrounded by bags. A pile of rucksacks in a hostel luggage room is perfectly ordinary, and an unattended suitcase does not automatically mean danger. What matters is the context, including where the item is, how it came to be there and anything you have already observed that gives you a specific reason for concern.

You can use the HOT principle to make an assessment, is it Hidden, Obviously suspicious or Typical of the location? But honestly you don’t need to worry too much about professional training to notice something is off. If the guy in a big winter coat you saw muttering to himself earlier suddenly leaves a smart briefcase on an airport bench and walks away quickly, do a runner yourself and alert airport staff. If a normal traveller leaves their backpack on the seat while they walk ten steps to a vending machine, you probably don’t have to tackle them to the ground. It’s all about context.

If a bag simply appears forgotten and nothing else suggests danger, tell staff so they can follow their procedures. If you believe an item may be dangerous, move away promptly and report it to staff, security or the local emergency services. Explain its exact location, what you saw and why it concerned you. Do not remain beside it while making the call or gathering photographs.

If needed, follow police or security directions, seek substantial cover and avoid gathering beside windows or parked vehicles. Do not use a mobile phone or radio within 15 metres and move as far away as possible before calling.

Once clear, stay clear until those responsible say it is safe to return. A suspicious item may turn out to be harmless, and reporting it does not mean you have declared it a bomb. You have passed a specific concern to people equipped to assess it, without putting yourself or others at unnecessary risk.

What To Do If A Terrorist Attack Happens In The Destination You Are Already In?

Hearing that an attack has happened in the country or city you are visiting can be frightening, particularly when the first reports are confused and people at home start asking whether you are safe. If you are away from the incident and your location remains secure, you have time to establish what is happening. You do not automatically need to abandon your accommodation or make an urgent journey.

The immediate question is whether the incident affects where you are or somewhere you need to go. An attack across the country presents different circumstances from one near your hotel or on your route back. Check the reported location and local instructions before deciding to move. If you are already somewhere safe, an unnecessary journey can expose you to disruption or danger you would otherwise avoid.

Establish Whether Your Location Or Journey Is Affected

If you hear about a serious terrorist attack, such as a mass shooting or bombing, start by establishing its location, timing and the current instructions from local authorities. Those details will help you distinguish an immediate concern from an incident that may have little effect on your stay.

Check local police or emergency announcements, reputable reporting and FCDO updates for named streets, stations and neighbourhoods. Early headlines may name an entire city when the incident is at one particular site, while warnings about attackers still at large may cover a wider area. Establish what is confirmed and which instructions apply to you, rather than guessing a safe distance from the initial report.

If the attack happens nearby, concentrate first on whether your present location remains secure. If you are inside an unaffected hotel, café or other suitable building, do not step outside to investigate or automatically set off for your accommodation. Speak to staff, follow local emergency instructions and establish whether you should remain inside or move somewhere safer. Your hotel being only ten minutes away is little comfort if the walk would take you towards the attack. If danger develops where you are, respond to that immediate threat rather than waiting for an online update.

If the attack happens somewhere you are heading, pause the journey where you can safely do so and check your options. If you are about to leave for an affected attraction, postpone the visit. If you are already on a train approaching a station where an incident has occurred, speak to railway staff and follow announcements about diversions or alternative stops. Do not get off at the affected station to investigate or insist on making your connection. If your journey is several days away, you have more time to monitor developments before deciding whether to reroute, delay or cancel that part of your itinerary.

If the attack happens in a very different part of the country, check for wider warnings and any effect on your onward plans, but keep the geography in perspective. Hearing about an attack in Bangkok while staying in a guesthouse in Chiang Mai does not, by itself, give you a reason to pack in a panic or head for the nearest airport. Provided your area is unaffected and there are no broader restrictions or threats relevant to you, you may be able to continue your stay much as planned.

In each case, consider the route as well as the destination. An unaffected hotel or airport may still be difficult to reach because of cordons, closed stations or suspended services. Confirm access with the relevant operator or accommodation before setting off; a navigation app showing a route is not confirmation that it is safe or open.

Remain Somewhere Secure Until You Can Make An Informed Decision

Waiting can feel uncomfortable when reports are still coming in and you want to do something useful. But if you are somewhere secure, staying there while the situation becomes clearer is a positive safety decision. Your aim is to have a secure, practical base where you can rest, meet your essential needs and decide what to do next. That will often be your accommodation, provided the property and the journey to it remain unaffected.

If you are already in secure accommodation, there may be no reason to move. Speak to staff about local instructions and any changes affecting the property. Moving to a hotel further away should solve a specific problem, such as exposure to the incident or restricted access, rather than simply put more distance between you and somewhere named in the news.

If you have taken temporary refuge in a café, shop or another building, ask staff where you can wait and follow their emergency procedures. Move away from exposed windows and entrances if the incident is close by. Charge your phone if possible, check that you have any medication you need and let someone at home know where you are. You do not have to resolve the rest of your trip while the situation is still unfolding.

Once movement is appropriate, return to your accommodation if you have confirmed that it can receive you and that there is a suitable route. If the property is affected, inaccessible or unable to accommodate you, arrange somewhere else outside the affected area. Confirm the booking and transport before leaving your temporary refuge. Staff or your assistance provider may be able to help, particularly if you do not know the neighbourhood.

Check reliable updates at sensible intervals for information that changes your options, such as restrictions being lifted, transport resuming or instructions affecting your building. Silence outside or other visitors deciding to leave is not, by itself, confirmation that you should follow. Equally, if fire, smoke, violence or an evacuation instruction makes your present location unsafe, act promptly rather than waiting for your preferred arrangements.

You are working towards somewhere suitable to stay in the short to medium term, and then somewhere safe in the long term, not necessarily an immediate departure from the city or country. Once you have that base, you can eat, rest and consider your onward plans with a clearer head.

What To Do If You Are Caught In A Weapons Attack

Being caught in a weapons attack or an active shooter scenario, despite being extraordinarily rare, is perhaps one of the most terrifying experiences you can encounter, but your priorities are straightforward and reassuringly simple. You run like hell, you hide if you can’t, and you contact the authorities only when, and if, it is safe to do so. The most important thing is, you survive. You may be suffering from jet lag and wearing a questionable vest, but you are not Bruce Willis in ‘Die Hard’. Your job is to get away from the attacker, not confront them.

The ‘Run, Hide Tell’ best practice comes from UK National Counter Terrorism Security Office and is official FCDO advice. If you hear gunfire or become aware of someone attacking people with a weapon, escape immediately if there is a route that takes you away without exposing you to greater danger. No filming, collecting your backpack or hanging around to establish what is happening. If you cannot escape safely, hide and protect yourself as much as humanly possible Turn off your phone and keep quiet. Report the attack only when it is safe to do so. You do not need to identify the motive or wait for someone else to act before protecting your life.

Run If There Is A Safe Escape Route

Escape if you can reach somewhere safer without exposing yourself to greater danger. Move away from the attacker rather than automatically heading for the entrance you used. If that doorway takes you towards the threat, use another available route. Leave your backpack and other possessions behind if you need to. Do not stop to film, or grab anything.

In a restaurant, that might mean using an accessible rear exit rather than crossing the dining room towards an attacker at the front. In a hostel, it might mean taking an alternative staircase or fire escape instead of heading into reception. Use what you can see and hear to choose; do not approach the threat to establish exactly where it is.

Encourage people nearby to leave with you, but do not let their indecision prevent your escape. Warn others away from danger when you can do so without delaying yourself or remaining exposed. Keep moving towards safety rather than stopping just outside the building to watch.

Hide If You Cannot Escape Safely

If escaping would take you towards the attacker or across an exposed area, hide. Get out of sight and, where possible, into a room with a door you can lock and barricade. Move away from the doorway, stay quiet and silence your phone, including vibration. Avoid trapping yourself unnecessarily if an alternative exit is available, but do not remain exposed while searching for a perfect hiding place.

A locked or barricaded door can delay access and make you harder to find, but concealment is not cover. Concealment hides you from view; cover provides physical protection from the threat. This is not Hollywood. Bullets can pass through doors, walls, floors and ceilings, and overturned tables definitely will not stop a 9mm bullet fired directly at it.

Obviously any cover is better than nothing, if you can’t escape, get into a room, lock it or barricade it and take steps to hide or take cover in there. But if at all possible, look for substantial structural material you can put between yourself and the attacker without exposing yourself. Thick reinforced-concrete walls or substantial structural columns may offer better protection than glass, lightweight plasterboard partitions or furniture. A hollow decorative pillar is not the same thing as a reinforced structural column, and a wall’s appearance alone cannot tell you what it will stop. You won’t always have a chance, especially when you are simply trying to escape, but it’s always worth trying to keep this in mind.

For example, inside a room, a position behind substantial internal structure and away from the entrance may offer more protection than crouching directly behind the door or beneath a window. Combine being out of sight, restricting access and using available cover wherever possible. Do not leave a secured hiding place merely to search for something that looks stronger. If fire or the attack itself makes that position untenable, use any safer escape opportunity available.

Tell The Emergency Services When It Is Safe

Contact the local emergency services once doing so will not delay escape or reveal your hiding place. Give your location first, including the building, floor or nearest identifiable landmark. Explain what is happening and distinguish where you are from where you last saw the attacker.

Provide details you already know, such as the number of attackers, weapons seen, direction of movement and any casualties. Say when information is uncertain or no longer current. Do not move closer, look out of a window or leave shelter to gather a better description.

If you cannot speak safely, follow the destination’s emergency-call procedures and any instructions from the call handler. Do not assume that the UK’s silent-call arrangements work abroad. Keep the phone silent and avoid speakerphone or other sounds that could reveal you.

Follow Instructions When Armed Police Arrive

Keep your hands visible and empty where possible, avoid sudden movements and follow officers’ instructions. Do not run towards them, grab at them or reach into your bag or pocketfor identification unless directed. They may not immediately know who is a victim and who presents a threat.

Officers may point weapons at you, give forceful commands, search you or direct you to leave belongings behind. Cooperate even if the response feels abrupt. Their immediate priority is to stop the attack, so the first officers may pass injured people while moving towards the threat. Follow the evacuation directions given rather than assuming their arrival means it is safe to leave your hiding place or return for possessions.

What To Do If There Is An Explosion

Bomb attacks are exceedingly rare, but explosive devices are still among the most common terrorist methods used in public attacks. An explosion can leave you frightened, disorientated and unsure what has happened. You do not need to establish whether it was a bomb, an accident or part of a wider attack before protecting yourself. Concentrate on getting clear of immediate danger, finding suitable protection if you cannot leave safely and contacting the emergency services when it is safe to do so.

Run, Hide, Tell remains relevant if an attack is continuing, but an explosion also creates hazards that affect where you can and should go. A building may offer protection from a threat outside, while fire, smoke or structural damage may make another building unsafe to remain in. Just as importantly, the first blast does not necessarily mark the end of the danger. Further explosions, secondary devices or other forms of attack are possible, so avoid approaching the scene or gathering nearby.

An explosion can leave you disorientated, frightened and struggling to understand what is happening. Noise, dust and confusion may make it difficult to locate the danger, while other hazards may not be visible or audible at all. You cannot be expected to identify every risk or make a perfect assessment under those conditions. Concentrate on the safest achievable action with the information you have, whether that is moving clear of an obvious hazard or taking protection when escape is unsafe, and adjust as conditions become clearer.

Get Clear Of The Blast And Immediate Any Hazards

If you can move, begin getting clear as soon as there is a route that does not expose you to greater danger. You may have ringing ears, poor visibility or difficulty judging where the explosion came from. Focus on the ground ahead and the hazards you can identify rather than trying to reconstruct what happened. Leave possessions behind and do not approach the blast site to investigate.

Look ahead and above as you move. Broken glass, damaged signs, masonry and other material can continue falling after the initial explosion. Avoid stopping beneath damaged façades, beside shattered shopfronts or directly outside the building you have just left. If you emerge from a station, for example, keep moving away from its damaged frontage rather than joining people watching from beneath the entrance canopy.

Choose your route around fire, smoke, exposed electrical cables and unstable debris. Do not climb over wreckage or enter a damaged passage merely because it appears to be the shortest way out. Follow emergency directions where available, but keep paying attention to the route itself. Other people running in one direction does not establish that it is clear.

If debris is falling and you cannot immediately move clear, protect your head and neck and use substantial nearby protection where available. Move on when there is a safer opportunity. A position that briefly shields you from falling material may still be unsuitable if smoke, fire or further damage threatens it.

Once you have gained distance, seek a position away from the scene and its obvious hazards, leaving access clear for emergency services. Do not return for luggage or gather nearby to film. Getting beyond the first damaged doorway is progress, but the aim is to get out of the affected area rather than stop at its edge.

Leave Or Shelter According To The Building And Surrounding Danger

After an explosion, being indoors is not automatically safer than being outside, or vice versa. The question is whether the building offers protection or has itself become dangerous. You are not expected to assess its structural integrity. Use the information available and follow emergency directions to make the safest decision you can in the circumstances.

If the blast has affected the building you are in, fire, smoke, falling material or visible damage are reasons to evacuate by a usable route where possible. Use emergency stairs rather than an ordinary lift. Do not assume that a room remains suitable for shelter simply because it puts a door between you and the scene.

If the explosion happened outside and your building appears unaffected, remaining inside may offer better protection than entering the street. Move to an internal area away from windows and the frontage facing the blast. In a hotel, that could mean following staff to an internal corridor rather than waiting in a glass-fronted reception area.

Treat sheltering as a decision you keep under review. Smoke entering the area, worsening damage or emergency instructions may require you to move. Conversely, if the building remains secure and authorities advise staying inside, you do not need to evacuate simply because others are leaving. The aim is to avoid exchanging useful protection for greater exposure outside.

Stay Clear Of Secondary Devices And Further Attacks

A secondary device is another explosive device placed as part of the attack. Its purpose may be to harm people escaping, gathering nearby or coming to help. Further devices are not inevitable after an explosion, but the possibility is one reason the first blast cannot be treated as confirmation that the attack is over.

For a civilian, the practical response is to remain aware of where you are moving and waiting. Do not assume that a crowd gathering across the road marks a safe place simply because everyone has reached it. Follow responders towards designated safer areas, and tell them about any suspicious item you have already noticed if you can, but remember, you are not responsible for checking an assembly point or searching an evacuation route for explosives. Your only priority is your survival.

If you encounter a suspicious object while leaving, do not touch it, step over it or move closer to inspect it. Change direction if you can do so safely, alert people approaching it and report its location once clear. Keep the report factual: where it is, what you observed and why it concerned you. Do not attempt to establish whether it is connected to the first explosion.

An attack may also continue through gunfire or another weapon rather than a second bomb. Respond to the danger as it develops instead of remaining focused on the original blast site. Respect police cordons even when the street beyond looks quiet; restrictions may account for threats you cannot see. There is no fixed waiting period after which returning becomes safe. Wait for clearance from those managing the incident.

If You Are Trapped Or Cannot Get Out

Being unable to escape can be frightening, particularly if you cannot see what is blocking the way or whether anyone knows you are there. You still have useful actions available. Concentrate on making your location known, limiting further exposure and conserving your strength rather than repeatedly forcing an escape that is not possible.

If your phone works, contact the local emergency services. Give the building’s name or address, your floor and room or the last identifiable place you reached. Explain whether you are trapped beneath debris, injured or unable to use an exit, and report smoke or fire near you. A description such as ‘first-floor corridor behind reception, stairs blocked’ helps responders locate you more effectively than the building address alone. Follow the call handler’s instructions and conserve battery between necessary communications.

If you are trapped beneath debris, avoid unnecessary movement that could disturb material around you or raise more dust. Cover your nose and mouth with available fabric if possible, recognising that this offers only limited protection from dust and does not make smoke or toxic gases safe to breathe. Do not light matches or use a lighter.

Signal rescuers using any loud noise you can other than screaming or shouting, by tapping on a nearby pipe, wall or other hard surface without disturbing unstable debris. Repeated shouting can exhaust you and increase dust inhalation, so only use it when needed to attract attention, particularly when you hear rescuers nearby. Pause between signals so you can listen for a response.

Tell anyone you reach if your condition changes, especially if breathing becomes difficult or smoke reaches you. You do not need to undertake a dangerous attempt to free yourself to be doing something useful. Providing a clear location, signalling and following rescue instructions are practical steps that help others reach you.

What To Do If There Is A Vehicle Attack

A vehicle being deliberately driven into people has become an increasingly common method of attack for terrorists in the last decade, and can turn an ordinary street, market or gathering into a dangerous situation within seconds. You may not immediately understand whether the driver has simply lost control or is purposely attacking people., and you don’t need to. Your only response here is to recognise the danger and get the hell away from it.

Run, Hide, Tell remains the underlying approach, but your first movement needs to get you clear of the vehicle’s path and towards somewhere it cannot readily reach. A pavement or pedestrian area is not necessarily protected simply because vehicles are not supposed to enter it. Once clear of its immediate path, remain alert to what happens next: a stopped vehicle does not necessarily mean the attack has ended.

Get Clear Of The Vehicle’s Path

Move out of the vehicle’s path immediately and towards somewhere it cannot readily follow. You cannot outrun a vehicle along an open road. Choose the quickest accessible route that takes you out of its approach, rather than running ahead of it or following a crowd without looking where it is going. There is no universal manoeuvre that fits every street; use the space and obstacles actually available.

Look for substantial separation from the vehicle. An accessible building entrance away from its path, a route behind substantial structural barriers, a building corner or a passage too narrow for it to enter may provide an escape opportunity. At a roadside market, that could mean moving into an accessible building rather than continuing along the exposed line of stalls. Do not squeeze into a dead end where the vehicle could pin you against a wall.

A kerb, café table or lightweight pedestrian railing is not reliable protection. Purpose-designed vehicle security barriers are different from ordinary street furniture, but you may not be able to distinguish them in the moment. Use substantial obstacles where available without assuming that anything labelled a bollard will stop a moving vehicle.

If you cannot move quickly, use the nearest accessible option that creates separation or puts substantial protection between you and the vehicle. You do not need to reach a particular building or perform an athletic escape manoeuvre. The priority is to get out of the immediate path using what you can reach.

Keep Moving Away From Any Continuing Attack

A vehicle stopping, crashing or becoming stuck does not establish that the danger is over. The driver may reverse, move again or leave the vehicle and attack with another weapon. Do not approach the car, attempt to pull the driver out or gather around to see what has happened. Keep your attention on reaching a safer position.

If the attacker emerges with a weapon, apply Run, Hide, Tell according to the circumstances. Continue escaping if there is a safe route; secure yourself out of sight if there is not. Somewhere that prevented the vehicle reaching you may still be exposed to an attacker on foot, so reassess rather than assuming the first obstacle has resolved every threat.

Once safe to call, tell the local emergency services your location, where the vehicle is and whether it is still moving. Give its direction of travel and a description if you already know them, together with any observed weapons or casualties. Do not return for a registration number, photograph or better view.

There may be injured people nearby, and wanting to help is entirely understandable. Don’t. You are not an emergency worker and you are not Superman. Giving responders an accurate casualty location is far more useful assistance than giving them another casualty to deal with. Follow police directions if there are any and keep access routes clear so emergency teams can reach those who need them.

Once You Have Reached Safety

Getting clear of an attack is a significant step, but you may still feel frightened, shaky or unsure what to do. You do not have to sort out the rest of your travels immediately. You need to triage your situation and needs into what is vital, what is necessary and what is secondary. Once your location is secure, concentrate on any medical needs, letting someone know where you are and getting the support that will help you make your next decision.

Being able to walk away does not necessarily mean you are uninjured, particularly after an explosion, a fall or being struck. Equally, feeling overwhelmed does not mean you are incapable of managing what comes next. Deal with urgent needs first, accept practical help and give yourself time before making decisions that can safely wait.

Get Medical Help If You Need It

Once the immediate danger has passed, give any injuries the attention they need. It is easy to dismiss pain when you are relieved to have escaped, or to assume that someone else needs help more than you do. Let medical staff assess that. You do not need to diagnose yourself or decide how serious an injury is before asking for assistance.

Severe bleeding, difficulty breathing, collapse or loss of consciousness require emergency help through the local emergency number. After a head injury, difficulty staying awake, a seizure, new weakness or problems speaking or walking are also emergency warning signs. Tell the operator where you are and what has happened, and follow their instructions. Do not delay urgent treatment while trying to contact your insurer.

If you were close to an explosion, tell the clinician explicitly, including whether you were inside a building or vehicle, thrown by the blast or struck by debris. Blast injuries can affect internal organs without an obvious external wound, and some symptoms can develop later. Breathing difficulties, chest pain or coughing blood after an explosion need urgent medical attention. Changes in hearing, persistent ringing in your ears or dizziness also deserve assessment rather than being dismissed as something that will sort itself out.

Before leaving medical care, make sure you understand what to watch for, where to seek further help and whether your onward journey needs to wait. If you are travelling solo, tell staff, particularly after a head injury where someone may need to stay with you. Get a written record of your treatment and any medication prescribed.

Let Someone Know You Are Safe

People at home may hear about the attack before they hear from you. Once urgent medical needs are being addressed, send a short, factual update to someone you trust. They need to know your condition, where you are staying and when you expect to contact them again.

Something as simple as ‘I am safe and back at my guesthouse. I am staying here tonight and will message you tomorrow morning’ gives them useful information without committing you to hours of calls while you are exhausted. If you are injured or need practical help, say so clearly. Ask that person to update others if repeating the same conversation becomes overwhelming.

If calls are not connecting, try a text or a messaging service when connectivity allows. Networks can become congested or disrupted, so a delayed response from someone else does not, on its own, tell you what has happened to them. International SOS specifically highlights possible communications failures after an incident.

If someone you were travelling with remains unaccounted for, give police or the official incident enquiry service their details and last known location. Distinguish what you actually know from what you fear may have happened. Follow the official process for tracing them.

Decide Whether To Continue, Relocate Or Leave

An attack does not automatically mean your entire trip is over. Equally, you do not owe anyone a demonstration of how fearless a backpacker you are. Once urgent needs are dealt with, the decision is whether continuing your plans is sensible, practical and something you actually want to do.

Consider what has changed. Is there a continuing threat or advice to leave? Are transport and essential services operating? Can you obtain medication or follow-up treatment? Does your onward route pass through an affected area? Use current local instructions, FCDO advice and confirmed information from transport providers to assess your options. The FCDO advises travellers in a crisis to consider whether to leave the area or country when it is safe to do so.

Adjust the part of the trip that needs changing. A closed station may mean postponing a journey or choosing another route. An ongoing threat affecting a city may justify moving elsewhere. Worsening conditions across the country, or medical needs that cannot be met locally, may make leaving the better option.

If your backup plan is needed, turn it into a confirmed journey. Check that transport is operating, the route is usable and you meet any transit or entry requirements. A ticket appearing for sale is not enough on its own. Where departure is advised and a safe, workable option exists, act before your choices narrow.

If there is no urgent reason to move, give yourself some breathing space. You can decide after a meal, some rest and a clearer update. Continuing, changing direction and going home can all be reasonable decisions.

Arrange The Support You Need

The practical aftermath can feel disproportionately difficult when you are tired or shaken. You may need treatment authorised, a flight changed, replacement documents or simply someone competent to help organise the next step. Use the assistance available rather than trying to manage every problem alone.

Contact your insurer’s emergency assistance service with your policy details, location and a brief account of what you need. Ask specifically about treatment arrangements, transport, accommodation changes or returning home, as relevant. Establish what they can arrange, what requires approval and what costs you may have to meet yourself. Keep the case reference and written confirmation of important decisions.

For British travellers, the FCDO can provide consular assistance and information about available support. Contact it if you are hospitalised, lose your passport or cannot resolve a serious welfare problem locally. Follow any incident-specific instructions about registering your whereabouts. Assistance depends on the circumstances, and a government evacuation should never be assumed.

Keep medical reports, receipts and messages confirming cancellations or additional expenses together. A simple note on your phone is enough to record who you spoke to, when and what they agreed. You do not need to complete every claim immediately; retaining the information now makes dealing with it later much easier.

Recover Your Confidence And Decide If You Want To Keep Travelling

A terrorist attack in the same city or country you are in can shake your confidence even if you were nowhere near it. If you were directly involved, finding your feet again may take time, and that is understandable. You may feel ready to carry on, or you may want familiar surroundings and people you trust. You do not have to know immediately, you don’t have to make any immediate decisions and there is no pressure on you to decide what to do straight away. You will need time, and that’s okay.

For now, give yourself a little breathing space. Once you are somewhere secure and your immediate needs have been met, have something to eat, get some rest and speak to someone at home who makes you feel supported. Let the itinerary wait. Missing a few attractions or spending several quiet days in one place is a perfectly reasonable way to look after yourself.

If you decide to keep travelling, then there is no rush. When you feel ready, start with something you would normally enjoy. That might be breakfast at a familiar café, a short walk around the neighbourhood or a relaxed afternoon with someone you have met at your accommodation. You do not have to launch straight back into a packed day of sightseeing. Small, comfortable experiences can give you room to enjoy where you are again, at your own pace.

Going home is also a valid choice. It does not erase the good experiences you have had or mean you will never travel again. Equally, feeling ready to continue does not mean you are taking what happened lightly. You are allowed to make the decision that suits you, and to change it later. If you are struggling with sleep, everyday activities or feeling able to cope, seek professional support. You deserve that help without having to reach a crisis first.

What happened was not your fault. It does not mean you were foolish to travel or that your judgement cannot be trusted. The world still holds extraordinary places, kind people and experiences worth having, even if those things feel a little distant right now. Take the time and support you need. Your curiosity can wait for you, and there is every reason to hope that travelling will feel rewarding again.

Keep The Risk In Perspective

After reading about shootings, explosions and vehicle attacks, you could be forgiven for wondering whether you should just stay at home. Take a breath. Learning how to respond to an emergency can make it feel rather more likely in your mind than it actually is. You are preparing for a highly unlikely possibility, in the same way that emergency care is all about training for the absolute worst case scenario, not reading a description of what your next holiday will look like.

For most travellers, being caught in a terrorist attack is extremely unlikely. Most days travelling are spent exploring somewhere interesting, finding something good to eat and wondering whether you can get another day out of that T-shirt before doing some laundry. That is the reality worth keeping hold of. The frightening exception gets the headlines precisely because it is exceptional.

I have never let the fear of what might happen stop me visiting somewhere simply because it could be a target. Give me a specific, credible reason to change my plans and I will assess things and adapt them if needed. Otherwise nothing will stop me. That is sensible risk management. Avoiding every busy market, famous attraction or train station because something could theoretically happen would leave very little room for travelling, or everyday life for that matter.

You do not need to memorise every possible scenario or spend your trip looking for danger. Take sensible precautions, know the basic emergency response and pay attention when there is a concrete reason to do so. Then get on with enjoying yourself. The whole point of being prepared is to feel more confident exploring the world. Be prepared, not scared.