What Are Travel Advisor Risks and Duties in War Time?

Once again, the United States is embroiled in a shooting war and once again it is, for now, concentrated in the Middle East. The implications for travel advisors are clear enough, as I will explain below, but execution remains risky because information and options are often unreliable and/or rapidly changing.

That said, travel advisors have responsibilities to try to help their travelers, especially those who may be at physical risk from war activities. These obligations are not limited to corporate travelers for whom “duty of care” applies.

While the war presents physical and psychic risks to travelers in the affected areas, this is also an opportunity for travel advisors to show travelers some of the benefits of using a travel advisor.

That said, I again caution everyone involved in helping travelers to recognize that information about the war and its effect on travel can change minute to minute, literally. Therefore, in advising clients in the war zone, you should be exceptionally clear about which information is reliable and how it may change. Many clients in the war zone are going to be frantic to get out, terrified in ways that are difficult to imagine from a safe distance here in the United States.

Travel Advisor Responsibilities & Resources

The first issue always is: what resources can be trusted to provide reliable and actionable information?

Some information may be accessed through the U.S. State Department’s websites. State has posted these notices:

Worldwide Caution Following the launch of U.S. combat operations in Iran, Americans worldwide and especially in the Middle East should follow the guidance in the latest security alerts issued by the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Americans Abroad: Enroll at https://step.state.gov to receive the latest security updates from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Americans who need consular assistance can call 24/7 +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad) and 1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. and Canada).

The State Department also chose to post its “leave now” warning for 14 Middle Eastern countries on the X website. Some or all similar advice was posted on Facebook and probably in other places, but such advice assumes that internet and telephone services will still be available in the war-affected areas.

The State Department message reads:

All Americans located abroad, particularly those in the Middle East, should enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov to receive the latest messages and updates from your nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

U.S. citizens overseas are also encouraged to follow our “Security Updates for U.S. Citizens” channel on WhatsApp and to follow @TravelGov on social media. The latest alerts can be found at travel.state.gov as well.

Americans in the Middle East may contact the Department of State 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-202-501-4444.

Inexplicably, in my opinion, the State Department reportedly raised the travel advice level for some of the war zone countries only to Level 3: Reconsider Travel.

Egypt remained at Level 2, but some areas within the country were now at Level 4: Northern and Middle Sinai Peninsula, Western Desert, and Egyptian Border Areas. This illustrates the problem of useable information in war zone conditions.

Travel advisors should also reach out immediately to the travel insurance program that clients, hopefully, purchased to determine what steps are being taken to assist clients trying to leave the war zone. Consortia may be another good source of information, especially regarding suppliers with whom they have contracts.

Obviously, another key source is the airline and cruise lines themselves, recognizing again that whatever they say could change moment to moment. Massive numbers of commercial flights are being cancelled and alternative arrangements for assisting clients will be necessary. CNN has published an interesting article that describes many of the complexities in recovering flight operations in the face of massive disruptions.

Alternative to Fleeing the War Zone

There may be some circumstances in which, despite the State Department’s generic advice to “leave now,” it is safer for clients to remain sheltered inside the war zone for a period. This is a difficult decision to make, and such advice may be strongly resisted by travelers afraid of the consequences of remaining in a contested war zone that is being actively bombed. The best a travel advisor can probably do in such circumstances is to present all the information you have as clearly as possible, with appropriate caveats as to reliability, and have the traveler make the decision of what action to take.

The Bottom Line

Surely every travel advisor will want to do right by their clients. I have tried to emphasize the uncertainties involved in giving advice and making arrangements in the conditions that exist in the Middle East right now.

My ultimate advice is: (1) collect as much information as you reasonably can as fast as you can, (2) be very clear with your clients about what you know, what you think may be true but aren’t confident about, (3) the risks and uncertainties involved in any particular course of action, and (4) have the client make the decisions. To the extent possible, make a written record of the advice you give, the basis for it, and the client’s decisions.

The most difficult situation will be the one in which the panicked client demands that “you tell me what I should do.” This will require considerable diplomacy on your part because the client will later often experience memory failure about who said what to whom. Hence my urging you to make a record of everything that is said and the basis for it.

Going forward, you should always recommend travel insurance for your clients, particularly for international travel. Even if this war ends tomorrow, the instability driven by it will continue for some time and across many markets.