- Highlighting the gap between official advice and reality, a traveler canceled his dream trip to Colombia after discovering an unknown crime increase.
- Experts have warned that travel in 2026 poses unique risks, requiring travelers to cross-check government warnings with real-time social media and local insights.
- Find out how to assess your personal risk tolerance and use pro strategies – like examining multiple data points – to decide if a destination is safe You,
Colombia has been at the top of their bucket list for years
He recently started planning a solo trip to Cartagena and Medellin. he was eager to sip tinto Coffee in a café and a walk on the beach in Playa Blanca.
At first the destination seemed safe, but then a travel advisory from the US State Department came warning of an increase in crime. And then he started doing more research, reading local crime reports and talking to Colombian immigrants on Reddit and Facebook.
Then other thoughts started coming to his mind.
“The most significant point was the apparent increase in robberies and kidnappings of tourists in the cities, much of which was unreported in the mainstream travel press,” says Malloy, an attorney in Bethesda, MD.
He canceled his trip.
Malloy is not alone. It’s been a busy year for government travel warnings, but those notices don’t address an individual traveler’s individual risk factors. And as a result, many travelers are wondering how to answer the question: Is the place I plan to visit safe?
Can you trust crime reports at destinations?
Sean Malloy canceled his bucket-list trip to Colombia after finding a worrying crime report on Reddit that didn’t follow official government advice. This begs the question: Who do you trust when planning a trip? We want to hear your thoughts.
- do you trust State Department Travel Advice To give you the full picture, or do you rely more on social media and expat forums?
- Have you ever canceled a trip because you got a “bad feeling” from your research, even though the official warnings were mild?
- Is the world really becoming more dangerous for travelers, or does the Internet make us more aware of the risks?
How do you determine if a destination is safe?
As travelers begin to think about their 2026 trips, personal safety is coming into focus.
Andrew Coggins, a management and international business professor at Pace University, says it can be difficult to determine how dangerous a place is. It’s a balance between your own risk tolerance and the conditions on the ground. But he says Malloy took the right steps.
“Some of the key indicators of dangerous destinations are unstable governments, civil unrest and high crime,” he explains. “These don’t always top the news radar, but watching and listening to vetted news sources with a global perspective can help you stay informed about what’s going on around the world.”
Pro Strategies to Detect Travel Risks in 2026
Experts say travel next year will be fraught with risks, from crime to geopolitical turmoil. But there are several ways to make sure you’re aware of the dangers before you go on a trip.
Cast a wide net. According to John Rose, chief risk advisor at ALTOUR, a global corporate travel management company, no source is completely reliable. “Security is dynamic, so it is essential to cross-reference data points ranging from crime trends to health infrastructure to geopolitical stability, rather than relying on any single source,” he says.
Check official and unofficial sources. Sure, the State Department is an official source, but don’t stop there when looking for security advice, says Harding Bush, associate director of security operations at Global Rescue.
“To assess the safety of an international destination, start by checking the U.S. State Department’s travel warnings and other countries’ travel ratings, such as the UK Foreign Commonwealth Office and Canadian travel advisories and advisories,” he says. He says informal sources can also be important. “Ask friends or colleagues who have recently visited the area whether it is considered stable, or whether it is in or close to a conflict zone, as well as identify any violent factions present.”
A top comment I never thought of.
I always feel a little lost in understanding the State Department’s warnings, which can seem permanent and unyielding. The tip about cross-referencing with UK and Canadian advice is smart. I never thought of doing this.
It’s refreshing to read a balanced perspective that empowers us to do our own research instead of just telling us to stay home.
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