Which sounds like the most dangerous way to spend your next vacation?

Situational awareness and risk assessment. Wow! Smart travelers have been doing this for years.

That being said, some cases are clear cut. Backpacking along the border of a war zone, for example, is insane. Deciding that Paris or Istanbul is too risky is a harder call.

I think the real key is being aware of your surroundings at all times. Don't get in the middle of political protests (that almost happened to our RS tour group in Naples). If a street or establishment looks dodgy, don't ignore it to "live like a local." There are places locals avoid too. And most importantly, try to blend in to your surroundings. You may not be able to pull off looking like a local but you don't have to call attention to the fact that you are a tourist either.

Philip, one of the best articles I have ever read on the subject. Balanced and objective. Thank you.

Good article, Phillip.

I've never bought into the "Don't look like a tourist" thing. Not looking like a clueless tourist always made more sense. Looking like you know what you're doing (and what everyone around you is up to) can deflect a lot of potential nonsense.

Excellent read - thanks for sharing.

It certainly was a good piece !

Good article. It's really frustrating to see what the (mostly) TVmedia latches onto and then watch as a perfectly reasonable travel destination becomes "too dangerous". I went to Turkey in 2014 and almost didn't go due to continuing media coverage of events there. I'm glad I went. It was a little intimidating at times, but I learned a lot, saw a lot and had a good experience. I try to keep that hysteria in my mind now as I plan my trips. There's surely a few places I wouldn't go...but for the most part I'm going to do my own research and make my own travel decisions. I'm not totally safe anywhere, I know. But I'm going to Paris in April and I'm going to Egypt next year.

Valerie, I went to Egypt 1979; right after Camp David Accords. On that same trip I was also in Greece and Italy. Of the three the Egyptians were the kindest and most hospitable. To this day I have a fondness for these beautiful people. Still, right now, today, as things are, I would not go back. Next year? Maybe; have to see what things look like when I am ready to return. I was in Istanbul last year; before the attacks. Would I go back now? Yes, but I wouldn't take the kids. I have a higher responsibility for their safety than my own. Besides I can run faster without them..

I am surprised that everyone missed the irony of the article.

@James - Egypt has been on the top of our list forever, but we've been putting it off. However, I had a friend return from 10 days there last week and she had a phenomenal time and she was my catalyst for not putting it off any longer. She was in a group of 2 with a private guide and did not head to the north Sinai area. She flew down to Luxor and her transiting by car around Cairo was in a sedan as they were in a private group. These seemed to be good safety accommodations and so I replicated them for our trip. She felt safe the entire time and very welcome. The industry people she came across were extremely happy to see American tourists.

@James again - I hope I didn't miss the irony. What was it? I can hazard only one guess, but I don't want to memorialize it here if I'm bone-headedly wrong:)

Valarie; I loved Egypt. Every taxi driver wanted to take me to a Synagogue to demonstrate that they loved Israel. I traveled alone and took the old Russian train to Aswan and then flew back to Cairo. Discovered that first class the windows didn't open because it was air-conditioned .... but of course the air conditioning hadn't worked in 10 years Ended up in the back car sitting on the floor with some unsavory looking gentlemen. The air trip back occurred when the DC10 had this issue with a rear door opening in flight so naturally we were diverted and grounded at a military runway were soldiers shot scorpions on the runway for sport. With out explanation (only put it together once i returned to the states) we sat on the runway for 4 to 6 hours before another plane arrived for us. Met a charming woman from Dallas that evening...... Wonderful. Paid a gentleman with one of those little wooden boats to take me down river then swam in the river with the local kids. Great memories even today. I know you will love it. When my kids are independent I will return. This year is going to be a brief tour of central and eastern Ukraine. As far as I am willing to stick my neck out at present.

The NY Times "An Informed Traveler ..." was an interesting, well written piece but I can't figure how it would have helped anyone at that Brussels airport or on that metro on that day. Risk assessment ? Awareness of their surroundings ? What should those people have done differently - or more wisely - to mitigate their risk of dying at the hands of faith-based mass murderers ? And I doubt an article on the statistical instances of highway fatalities or death by firearm would be any consolation as they make a choice of prosthetic limb for their future.

Of course 'awareness' can't save you from everything but it might in some situations. Fear is also no prevention against a laundry list of bodily harms which could happen to you wherever you are.

Risk assessment is good in concept...and not always easy to implement when unforeseen circumstances are presented.

That was a good article and seemed to provide a balanced view. A couple of sentences that stood out for me were....

"How scared or not you are is an emotion, not a statistic" and "The antidote is good information."

I suppose the bottom line is that there are risks everywhere whether at home or abroad, so those need to be dealt with wherever we are.

I'm personally a big fan of hysteria. Not because it's reasonable but because supply and demand mean I'll pay less for airfare and lodging to visit while others are canceling their trips.

I leave in a few days on a 10 week trip that will take me to a few places that have recently seen terrorist activity.

I'm not worried.

However, I have heard from a number of people asking me if I shouldn't reconsider where I'm going, do I have travel insurance in case something happens to me, and am I sure that I really want to go now.

All the people asking the above don't travel. My friends who do travel say just one thing.....have a great time.

woinparis; you pretty much did define the greatest travel threat.

Brad; to define someone's personal concerns of hysteria shows a lack of tolerance for the views and emotions of others.

Frank II: More often than not that's the case. Still, you gotta love them for caring.

I am a big fan of Brad and have yet to find him to be insensitive in his posts (of which there are over 8,000).