Is it Safe to Travel to Europe?

As the people of Paris settle back into a cautious state of normalcy, one looming question remains. “Is it safe to travel to Europe?”

It's a valid question. Safety is important and we must be vigilant when it comes to preserving the security of our families and loved ones.

But with daily news programs blasting all manner of grim forecasts from riots to police brutality, murder to terrorism, it’s hard to know what safety is anymore.

Safety by the Numbers

To be sure, terrorism is increasing. The Institute for Economics & Peace just released the Global Terrorism Index, which found that terrorist activity increased by 80 per cent in 2014 to its highest recorded levels. In 2014 there were 32,685 deaths from terrorism, up from 18,111 in 2013. Since the year 2000, the number of deaths related to terrorism have increased nine fold. But these numbers must be taken in context and the study also reminds readers that 437,000 people are victims of homicide each year, nearly 13 times more than the number of terrorism victims.

Other leading causes of death also significantly outpace the number of terrorism-related deaths, including heart disease (611,000 people), accidents (130,00 people) and self-harm (41,000 people) as reported by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

A grim reminder that we already live our daily lives in peril. We drive too fast, we drink too much, we send text messages while crossing busy intersections. We participate in all manner of activities that are generally safe, but can occasionally go horribly wrong. And when that one moment is then amplified over and over by the media, it can take on a much greater significance and cause our anxiety levels to increase.

Take aviation mishaps, for example. When an incident such as the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 occurs, it can dominate the news for months or even years, inevitably causing travellers to ponder the safety of air travel.

But according to the International Air Transport Authority, close to 3.3 billion people flew on 38 million flights in 2012. In total, there were 12 fatal accidents with 641 fatalities that year.

Admittedly, taking numbers in context can only alleviate some of the concerns over safe travels. Certainly, flying was not safe for the 641 people who perished in air accidents in 2012. Still, the risk was minimal compared to the total number of passengers flying.

John Boulding, CEO of Insight Vacations, recommends people “properly understand ‘risk’ vs. ‘fear.’”

So, is it Safe to Travel to Europe?

The world is not entirely convinced that Europe is a safe place to go. Reuters reports that Europe’s travel industry could lose up to $1 billion in revenue as a result of the terror attacks in Paris. Hotel revenues are down 30 per cent and airline bookings have fallen by 27 per cent, according to the article.

Boulding, who just completed a global tour promoting Insight Vacations’ new Europe & Britain tours, spent a lot of time talking about safety and travelling to Europe.

“…of all the conversations I’ve been having, perspective is a recurring theme,” said Boulding. “If you were to take what you see on CNN or Fox News at face value, it could appear that Europe is falling apart at the seams.’

But just five days after the incident in Paris, Insight Vacations hosted a group of travellers who experienced the city without changing a moment of their planned activities.

“They dined at a famous restaurant on the left bank on the first evening, they visited the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, and they went to the Moulin Rouge and enjoyed the illuminations. They were welcomed by Parisians at every stage.”

After his return home, Boulding is encouraging travellers and locals to spread the word about visiting Europe by using the hashtag #Come2Europe on social media channels.

“#Come2Europe is a call to action for Canadians to take that once in a lifetime trip to Europe, and not let situations curtail your travel plans.”

Not convinced? Insight Vacations carries more than 100,000 guests a year to Europe, and they’ve never once had to change or cut short a European itinerary, according to Boulding.

“I certainly won’t curtail my travel plans and I suggest you might want to do the same. [Despite] what is perceived to be happening on TV screens, we must continue with our daily lives,” said Boulding.

Follow @MonicaPoling