By
Kaitlin Menza, Good Housekeping
Throughout
the year, the U.S. State Department issues recommendations about the
safety of international travel. They are intended to advise Americans
about dangers surrounding, for example, the civil war in Syria, terrorist threats in Somalia, or armed robberies in Venezuela. But this season, they've issued an alert that's particularly striking: It's for the entire continent of Europe.
"[W]e
are alerting U.S. citizens to the risk of potential terrorist attacks
throughout Europe, targeting major events, tourist sites, restaurants,
commercial centers and transportation," reads the statement.
"The large number of tourists visiting Europe in the summer months will
present greater targets for terrorists planning attacks in public
locations, especially at large events." The alert ends on August 31,
2016.
[post_ads]The recommendation comes months after the devastating terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels.
France is still operating under a state of emergency following the
tragedies of November 2015, but they will still play host to the Euro
Cup this summer, a month-long series of soccer tournaments that rival
the World Cup and Olympics in terms of attention. "Euro Cup stadiums,
fan zones, and unaffiliated entertainment venues broadcasting the
tournaments in France and across Europe represent potential targets for
terrorists, as do other large-scale sporting events and public gathering
places throughout Europe," the statement continued.
In
addition to the Euro Cup, the State Department also cautioned Americans
about the Catholic Church's World Youth Day in Poland, as well as the
Tour de France, both held this July.
Of
course, a travel alert doesn't mean you can't go, or even shouldn't go:
It just asks Americans to take extra precautions and stay informed of
local politics while traveling to Europe. Travel to Europe hasn't suffered very much
since the terror attacks; in fact, the strong American dollar and cheap
oil prices mean that this is an exceedingly cheap time to go. But with
this latest warning coming on the heels of yet more frightening Zika
news, it's starting to feel like a staycation is the best destination
there is.
