Travel experts offer advice amid jitters about Kosovo's impact on regional travel
April 7, 1999
Web posted at: 4:31 p.m. EDT (2031 GMT)
ATLANTA (CNN) -- With summer vacations around the corner, the
crisis in Kosovo has prompted a flurry of concerned phone
calls to travel agents about trips to Greece, Turkey and
Italy.
Tour operators in these regions say it's "business as usual,"
but for jittery customers, travel agents are offering advice
on what precautions they can take for a safe journey.
There are currently no U.S. State Department warnings or announcements for Greece, Turkey or Italy related to the conflict in Kosovo, but visitors from the United States would do well not to advertise their nationality in those
regions. Some anti-American sentiment is possible, according
to Steve Loucks, of Carlson Leisure Group.
"Don't call attention to yourself as an American when
you're traveling abroad. Sample the local cuisine instead of
going to a restaurant that's synonymous with America," he
said. "Wear clothes that don't necessarily have emblems
that are associated with the United States."
Mike Pingrey, of the American Society of Travel Agents,
described a common tactic for Americans who want a low
profile. "There is a trick that a lot of Americans like and
that would be to wear a maple leaf on your collar and pretend
to be Canadian."
Other precautions for Americans overseas include: letting the
U.S. embassy or consulate know you're in town, and leaving an
itinerary with the embassy in the event of any problems.
Many travel agents recommend leaving a detailed
itinerary with someone at home as well.
Some Adriatic cruises to skip Dubrovnik
For the latest travel guidelines, prospective vacationers can
check the U.S. State Department Web site (See Related Sites below). And some tour
operators, such as Renaissance Cruises, have added extra
information to their own Web sites to answer questions and
reassure worried travelers.
One change some tour operators have made concerns the
Croatian coast of the Adriatic.
"A number of cruise lines have indicated they're not going to
sail to Dubrovnik, which is in Croatia, during the upcoming
season," said Loucks. He added, "There are questions at this
point as to whether or not Venice is going to be served or
any port in the Adriatic Sea."
The best approach vacationers can take right now is to keep
up with current events.
"Don't cancel your plans yet. You don't really need to," said
Pingrey. "But you need to keep your common sense and travel
cautiously."
CNN Travel Now Correspondent Stephanie Oswald contributed to this report.
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