Tag: Updates

  • U.S. State Department Issues 16 New Travel Advisory Updates

    U.S. State Department Issues 16 New Travel Advisory Updates

    [ad_1]

    Share The Article

    Last Updated

    The U.S. State Department has just issued a further 16 more new travel advisory updates. Posted on the Department of State’s travel advisory website just yesterday, the new travel advisories are the latest of several updates already this month, as the State Department and embassies around the world work around the clock to ensure that American travelers are kept in the loop and can make informed decisions regarding their travel plans.

    Featuring a wide range of countries spanning several continents, yesterday’s travel advisories prove that even after the pandemic, there are still plenty of other things that travelers need to be wary of when traveling abroad. Here’s a look at which countries were affected by yesterday’s latest round of travel advisory updates, plus a reminder of what travel advisories are and the role they should play in any traveler’s trips abroad. 

    Travel Advisory Updates – Information For Travelers

    Travel advisory updates are the State Departments way of keeping travelers up to date with issues they may encounter on their trips abroad. Every country in the world has a travel advisory page, regardless of its popularity, which contains concise, up to date information about security threats and concerns not just in the country as a whole, but often in specific regions where appropriate. A wide range of different issues are covered, ranging from everyday issues such as high crime rates to more pressing matters such as civil unrest and terrorism. Following the pandemic, travel advisories also contain an update from the CDC on the level of Covid-19 in each destination. 

    Travel advisories come in four different levels, each one indicating the severity of the risk travelers will face in that country. Level 1 travel advisories – the least severe warning – advises travelers to “exercise normal precautions,” whilst Level 4 – the most severe warning level – tells travelers “do not travel” to that destination. Despite the strict wording on the different levels, travel advisories do not have the power to prevent a traveler from heading to a certain destination, though they do provide travelers with the information required to make the decision of whether or not to travel in the first place.

    Latest Travel Advisories – What Travelers Should Know

    Yesterday’s travel advisory updates saw a further 7 countries issued with Level 1 travel advisories, bringing the total number of Level 1 countries up to 81. Those 7 countries and their CDC-determined Covid-19 levels are:

    Angola (low Covid-19 level), Comoros (low Covid-19 level), Dominica (unknown Covid-19 level), Equatorial Guinea (low Covid-19 level), Fiji (high Covid-19 level), Poland (high Covid-19 level) and Togo (moderate Covid-19 level).

    There were also five additions to the Level 2 category, which advises travelers to exercise increased caution. They are as follows:

    • Bangladesh: exercise increased caution in Bangladesh due to crime, terrorism, and kidnapping. Low level of Covid-19.
    • Bosnia and Herzegovina: exercise increased caution in Bosnia and Herzegovina due to terrorism and land mines. High level of Covid-19.
    • India: exercise increased caution in India due to crime and terrorism. Moderate level of Covid-19.
    • Laos: exercise increased caution to Laos due to civil unrest. Unknown level of Covid-19
    • Philippines: exercise increased caution to the Philippines due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping. Moderate level of Covid-19.

    Four countries were awarded Level 3 travel advisories, which asks travelers to reconsider travel. El Salvador, which has a moderate level of Covid-19, was deemed to be Level 3 due to its high levels of crime. That was also the case for Honduras, which also has a high level of Covid-19 according to the CDC. Travelers are also asked to reconsider travel to moderate Covid-19-level Ethiopia due to armed conflict, civil unrest, communications disruptions, crime, and the potential for terrorism and kidnapping in border areas. Those with travel plans involving Moldova (moderate level of Covid-19) are also asked to reconsider them, due to the country’s close proximity to the conflict in Ukraine. 

    Flag Of Honduras Flying In Tegucigalpa

    The latest round of travel advisory updates saw no countries awarded the most severe Level 4 update – but that doesn’t mean that things can’t change quickly. In addition to making sure they read the travel advisory page for their destinations this summer, travelers should also ensure they purchase a good travel insurance policy to ensure they are covered in the event that something does go wrong. 

    Young Traveler Holding Up A US Passport Ahead Of International Travel

    Read More:

    Top 5 U.S. Airports With The Cheapest Airfares

    Travel Insurance That Covers Covid-19 For 2022

    TikTok Study Reveals Most Popular Travel Destinations

    ↓ Join the community ↓

    The Travel Off Path Community FB group has all the latest reopening news, conversations, and Q&A’s happening daily! 

    Travel-off-Path-group-1-1
    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS

    Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox

    Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling.  Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • U.S. State Department Updates Travel Advisories For 10 Countries

    U.S. State Department Updates Travel Advisories For 10 Countries

    [ad_1]

    Share The Article

    Last Updated

    The United States’ Department of State has just updated the travel advisory pages for 10 countries around the world. Whilst international travel may have moved closer towards normality over the past few months, it still isn’t completely without risks and challenges – as these updates show – and travel advisories still play a key role in keeping travelers in the loop before they take their trips.

    From common, everyday issues such as crime and health concerns, to more serious problems such as terrorism, war and kidnapping to name but a few, travel advisories are routinely updated by the State Department to contain up to date information about the risks associated with different destinations. Here’s a look at which ten countries were included in yesterday’s travel advisory updates, plus a recap of what travel advisories are and how they help travelers.

    What Are Travel Advisories? Information For Travelers

    Curated and updated by the State Department as often as is required, travel advisories provide simple, clear information about the risks travelers may face when traveling abroad. Travel advisories are color coded and sorted into four different levels – with Level 1 being the least severe and Level 4 being the most severe – to make it quick and easy for travelers to see the risks associated with visiting a specific destination. 

    In addition to updates from the State Department, each travel advisory contains information from the CDC about whether there is a low, moderate or high level of Covid-19 in the destination. Whilst they do not legally prevent a traveler from visiting a country, they can help a traveler to make an informed decision about whether or not it is a good idea to visit, playing an important role in the pre-travel process.

    New Travel Advisory Updates – What Travelers Should Know

    The ten new travel advisory updates posted on the State Department’s website yesterday feature all four of the system’s levels. Two countries were handed Level 4 updates – their details are as follows:

    • Libya – do not travel to Libya due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict. The CDC states it has an unknown level of Covid-19
    • Iran – do not travel to Iran due to the risk of kidnapping and the arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens. The CDC has determined that Iran has a low level of Covid-19

    Three countries were handed Level 3 warnings, which tell travelers to reconsider travel to such destinations. 

    • Lebanon – reconsider travel to Lebanon due to crime, terrorism, armed conflict, civil unrest, kidnapping and Embassy Beirut’s limited capacity to provide support to U.S. citizens. The CDC states it has a low level of Covid-19
    • Guyana – travelers should reconsider their trips to Guyana due to crime. The CDC has also stated that the country has a high level of Covid-19
    • Guatemala – travelers should reconsider their trips to Guatemala due to crime, with some parts of the country designated as no-go areas. The CDC states it has a moderate level of Covid-19
    lebanon is open for tourism

    Only one country received a Level 2 travel advisory – Zimbabwe – due to crime, with the CDC adding it has a low level of Covid-19. Four countries received Level 1 travel advisories; these are as follows:

    • Saint Kitts and Nevis – CDC indicates a high level of Covid-19
    • Poland – CDC indicates a moderate level of Covid-19
    • Namibia – CDC indicates a high level of Covid-19
    • Mongolia – CDC indicates a high level of Covid-19

    Whilst they do provide important information that travelers should be aware of, travelers are free to do their own research and decide whether or not to follow through with their travel plans. Regardless of a country’s travel advisory level, travelers should always make sure they have a good travel insurance policy to keep them safe and protected whatever happens on their vacation.

    Read More:

    These 5 U.S. Airports Have The Longest TSA Security Wait Times

    Travel Insurance That Covers Covid-19 For 2022

    Los Cabos Setting New Records: Why Americans Are Flocking To Cabo

    ↓ Join the community ↓

    The Travel Off Path Community FB group has all the latest reopening news, conversations, and Q&A’s happening daily! 

    Travel-off-Path-group-1-1
    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS

    Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox

    Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling.  Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Airbnb Makes Major Updates To Platform And Adds New Features For Travelers

    Airbnb Makes Major Updates To Platform And Adds New Features For Travelers

    [ad_1]

    Share The Article

    Last Updated

    The platform now includes a category feature and a split house function

    The American Company Airbnb recently made major updates to its platform. Now, every user who visits the official website, will find a six minutes film where Brian Chesky, Co-founder and CEO, explains the new features and shows travelers a new lifestyle.

    On Wednesday, Chesky announced “the biggest change to Airbnb in a decade”, during the company’s virtual summer event, which includes a new search function called “categories”, a new feature called “split homes”, and new travel insurance for guests called “AirCover”. The website and app have been redesigned to showcase the company’s new strategy.

    These recent updates allow travelers to expand experiences and discover new exotic locations adapted to their needs and lifestyles. According to the information shared in a press release, Airbnb is adapting to what travelers and remote workers currently need.

    woman working from home office

    Chesky explained the reasons for the new features: “First, people are more flexible about where they live and work, so we’ve designed a new way to search with Airbnb Categories. Second, people are taking longer trips, so we created Split Stays to give you more options by splitting your trip between two homes. And third, we’re introducing AirCover for guests, giving you the confidence to book knowing that Airbnb’s got your back.” 

    Since last year, the company has been making updates and optimizing services— they made 150 upgrades in 2021— to adapt to the pandemic and satisfy customers. Despite its struggles, the changes have worked and Airbnb’s future is looking brighter. Their business model is currently being adopted by other companies in the travel industry: Marriott is now offering short-term rentals to reach similar audiences

    More About Airbnb 2022 Summer Release

    Airbnb reported an increase in bookings for summer 2022 of 80% compared to the summer of 2019. The company also noticed different behaviors: longer stays from travelers who work remote and interest in different travel experiences. 

    Airbnb considers that a new travel era has begun. “We think people are ready to dream again,” said Chesky. The CEO also added: “A lot of people have been sequestered at home for two years. Many people haven’t taken that big trip for the first time. And so we want to encourage people to get out of their house and venture into this big world.”

    Here are more details about the new features:

    • Airbnb Categories: the new redesign now shows 56 categories of unique homes—from tiny houses to a yellow submarine treehouse— to match users’ interests and help them discover new fascinating listings.

    For this feature, the company selected 6 million homes across the world that offer guests special experiences. Travelers will be able to choose their preferred unique homes from categories like “castles”, “caves”, “farms”, homes with “amazing pools”, “mansions”, and even “OMG”. 

    • Split Homes: Considering that travelers are choosing longer stays, this new feature allows guests to split a trip between two different houses in the same area. 

    Split stays can be also combined with 14 categories so that travelers can have similar homes or preferred activities. For example, a guest can split stays and find two homes near the coast to surf in different locations in the same region.

    Woman Carrying Surfboard On Beach
    • AirCover: This new insurance offers four different types of protection. A booking protection guarantee that finds a guest a similar home in case the host cancels a reservation within 30 days of check-in, a check-in guarantee that finds solutions in case a guest can’t check into the home, a get-what-you-booked guarantee that offers guests alternatives in case the home doesn’t look as advertised, and a 24 hours safety line if a guest doesn’t feel safe in one of the listings.

    The new redesign and features of the Airbnb 2022 Summer Release are already live for users in the United States and will be visible from other countries throughout the week. The company created a page where travelers can learn more about the new updates. 

    Read More:

    Marriott Now Offers Short Term Rentals Competing With Airbnb

    Travel Insurance That Covers Covid-19

    Airbnb Will No Longer Offer Refunds For Covid-Related Cancelations

    ↓ Join the community ↓

    The Travel Off Path Community FB group has all the latest reopening news, conversations, and Q&A’s happening daily! 

    Travel-off-Path-group-1-1
    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS

    Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox

    Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling.  Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories

    [ad_2]

    Source link