Protests and strikes are a fact of life around the world. From peaceful marches to more disruptive protests, they are a way for residents to affect change when other means don’t work, or to express their dissatisfaction with local government, businesses or other authorities.
Unfortunately, these incidents can adversely affect your travel plans or put your safety at risk. If you’re in or traveling to an area experiencing protests or other civil unrest, here are some tips for staying safe and getting the most out of your trip (or knowing when to cancel it. or it’s time to go home).
Weigh the risk versus the cost.
When it comes to deciding whether or not to continue traveling to a place in the midst of unrest, sometimes the decision is clear. Airports may close, flights may be canceled, or, the US State Department may issue its highest level of travel advisory for that country, which is Level 4: Do Not Travel.
In other cases, it’s less cut and dry. For example, Spain, Ecuador, and Hong Kong — three places that have recently seen widespread disruption from protests — are all listed at Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. In these cases, it can be difficult to decide whether to proceed with your travel plans.
Some things to consider:
- Is the entire country or city affected or just selected areas, and how easy would it be to avoid trouble spots?
- Are the airlines offering refunds or free changes?
- How much money will you lose by canceling?
- What are locals or travelers recommending right now?
- Is this problem a threat to your safety or more of an inconvenience to your plans?
- How likely is it that the situation will escalate?
- What are the odds that you might be stranded and unable to get to the airport or unable to leave the city or country?
- Am I contributing to the problem?
Learn what insurance covers.
Most travel insurance does not include coverage for acts of terrorism or civil unrest associated with war. The only way you’re usually covered by insurance is if you’ve purchased “cancel for any reason” coverage, which comes at a premium price and usually within 30 days of your first deposit payment. Purchased at least two or three days in advance. Your journey begins. Even then, you likely won’t get all your money back.
Another option is to turn to your credit card. Some credit cards from Chase or American Express (such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve or American Express Platinum cards, which come with higher annual fees) include travel protections that can help you earn some cash back.
Register with your embassy.
US citizens can register. steps (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program), which sends email and text alerts about protests and other disruptions in the area you’re traveling. However, as explained below, it is sometimes not as fast or detailed as local news in distributing important information. For example, during my recent visit to Quito, the president announced a curfew amid protests in the country against rising gas prices and austerity measures. I heard about it from local sources a few hours before I received the alert from the embassy.
It’s also a good idea to let your family know your itinerary and give them embassy information so they can contact you on your behalf if you’re unable to make it. However, don’t rely on the embassy for rescue unless you are in real danger.
In most cases, the embassy will ask you to grant asylum until the restrictions are lifted. If your flight gets canceled and you can’t afford to buy a new flight, or you’re stuck longer than expected and can’t afford a hotel, they’ll lend you money, but they usually But they won’t be chartering flights or keeping you inside the embassy.
This was the experience of American tourist Kyle Allison when he was in Ecuador during the 2010 coup attempt in the country. “The road to our hotel was blocked by burning cars and helicopters landing in the street next door,” he said. “We had just run away from the live fire in the streets when a local family yelled at us to get into their car. They said they would but they wouldn’t do anything. They could do it for us,” he said. are.”
Follow local news and foreigners for the latest information on the ground.
News published by foreign publications is often not as detailed or up-to-date as that published by local news organizations that know the area and have more staff on the ground. Often stories in the global press paint the entire country as a no-go zone, even when the unrest is confined to a small area.
To get the real scoop and get more detailed information, check out local publications. Search for your niche hashtag on Twitter. For tweets in another language, Twitter has a “Translate Tweet” option. Google Translate also has a function that translates words on images which can be handy for reading screenshots. To find expat groups or other local groups for citizens on Facebook, search for the name of the city or country with keywords like “news” or “expat.”
However, when talking to expats, consider where they live, as expats tend to live close to each other and don’t know much about what’s going on outside of their neighborhood. American Elaine Smith, who has lived in Santiago, Chile for 15 years, explains, “I was more or less on the ground for student protests in Santiago for eight years, and was often more than aware of what was happening. There have been other foreigners, most of whom live in other parts of the city.”
Be flexible, as things can change at a moment’s notice.
Protests can move to different parts of the city, roads that were open can suddenly close, and even peaceful protests can quickly turn dangerous. Where possible, book refundable accommodation, tours, and transport so you can make adjustments as circumstances change.
I saw it myself in Quito. Knowing that access to the airport might be cut off, I booked a hotel near the airport and an Airbnb in Cumbayá, a small town between the airport and Quito. Before my arrival, Kambay was quiet, there were no protests in the area. It changed the morning on my arrival, and the road to Kambay became impassable. But since I had a backup hotel near the airport, I wasn’t stuck without a place to sleep.
Most hotels offer free cancellation up to 24 hours, but policies may vary. Sometimes a non-refundable hotel is a few dollars cheaper, but in this case it’s worth paying a little extra for the flexibility.
Bring cash and stock up on supplies.
During unrest, banks may close, ATMs may run out of money, and stores may have limited supplies. Bring cash, and if things get rough, make sure you have access to basics like water and food. It’s also a good idea to have an extra battery pack for your phone in case of a power outage.
Pack light
In the event that you need to leave quickly or travel a long distance due to transportation strikes, you don’t want to be stuck with multiple large suitcases. Additionally, when flights are disrupted for days, airport lines can be long and slow when they resume. You’ll save yourself some time if you don’t have to check baggage.
Avoid active protest.
If you run into a protest or a large gathering of people, stay at the edges of the crowd (toward the back, if the group is marching) and don’t draw attention. Walk – don’t run – stay away from crowds or into a building.
If there are protests around your residence, stay away from windows and shelter in place (having extra equipment, as mentioned above, comes in handy here). and obey any curfews imposed by government agencies that limit the hours citizens can be on the road. Violating curfew can not only put you in danger but also get you arrested.
If you need to travel across town or between cities, do so during daylight hours. Early morning is often best because people who have been protesting late into the night are still sleeping.
Learn how to get help.
Find local numbers for emergency services and check to see where the nearest hospitals and police stations are located. Know the location of the nearest embassy and have their phone number handy.
In these situations, a hotel stay provides some security and on-site support. If you’re choosing to rent an Airbnb or other apartment, choose a place with a responsible host – preferably one onsite or nearby.
Finally, make your safety a priority, but try to have a good attitude. Panic doesn’t help anyone. As long as you are safe, make the most of your trip. It may not be the one you made, but it will be memorable.