Government Travel Advisories
Travel Tip #6
I was finalizing my summer travel plans when the Iran / Israel conflict erupted. I was thinking of exploring the Caucus region, specifically the countries of Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. Yet with two of these countries bordering Iran, I wasn’t so sure this was still a good idea.
So I checked out the U..S STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) website to get the American government’s assessment of the region. To get the government’s take, look up the country and the government provides a travel advisory, including a country safety rating using a system of 1-4 (1 = normal precautions, 4 = don’t go).
I was relieved to see that Georgia was a 1, albeit with several (Russian-controlled) areas designated as off-limits. Armenia and Azerbaijan were both ranked a 2, indicating increased concern, but only along their shared southern border which is disputed by the two countries (and has been for more than 30 years).
To gain a different perspective, I also like to visit the Canadian Government Travel Abroad website as well as check out UK Travel Advisories. I was relieved to see that all three governments had relatively the same (non-serious) threat assessment for the Caucus region.
And so I booked my flight. Once my travel plans are set, I usually register my travel dates with the U.S. STEP program. This alerts the American embassy in each country that I’ll be there and provides a way for the embassy to contact me if the safety situation changes.
Here are the 4 recommended steps for Americans traveling abroad. (Most countries offer a similar program for their citizens.)
Create a STEP account - Set up a free, secure account online to start receiving embassy and consulate notifications. You can also set up a guest account.
Register your trip – Register your upcoming travel details, including the location and duration of your visit.
Receive updates and alerts - Once you sign up, you'll receive alerts and updates related to your destination for the period of your choosing.
Modify your settings – When your travel plans change, update your information in STEP. This ensures the embassy or consulate has the most accurate data and won’t go searching for you if you’re out of the country.
Because I was planning to do some hiking in the countryside, I took the extra step to download a conflict map for each country (courtesy of the UK government). This way, when I booked my overland excursions, I could avoid those areas.
Here’s the Georgia map. 🦋
✴️ Bonus Tip: If you register with a American embassy overseas you get invited to consulate parties!
Do you register with the STEP program (or similar per your country) before traveling abroad? Do you conduct any research regarding safety? If so, which factors are most important for you?
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Christened “Wander Woman” by National Geographic, Erin Michelson is a professional speaker and author of the Nomad Life™ series of travel books and guides, including the #1-ranked “Explore the World with Nomads.”