After the terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels, many Canadians are wondering whether Europe is a safe summer vacation destination.
Many travellers say they won鈥檛 let the attacks deter them from visiting the continent. According to , the seasonally adjusted number of Canadian tourists returning from abroad has remained relatively steady since October.
Experts say you shouldn鈥檛 be afraid -- but stay vigilant.
Mary Jane Hiebert, chair of the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies, says travel agents aren鈥檛 seeing a major shift in European vacation plans this year. While some Canadians may have decided to avoid France, Belgium and other European countries for now, it has not had a significant impact on the industry, she told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview.
鈥淚 think that people are not necessarily afraid, I think they are just taking some precautions in advance,鈥� she said.
The key to safe and enjoyable travel is to 鈥渂e aware of your situations and surroundings鈥� and give yourself extra time to deal with increased security measures at airports, train stations and other public places, Hiebert said.
Here are some precautions you can take as you plan your European vacation:
Keep track of travel advisories
The Canadian government regularly for each country online. There is currently no blanket advisory for Europe, but the government is advising Canadians to 鈥渆xercise a high degree of caution鈥� if travelling to due to the elevated threat of terrorism. The U.K. government has issued similar advisories.
The U.S. Department of State, meanwhile, following the March 22 terror attacks in Brussels.
For up-to-date Canadian advisories and alerts while travelling, you can download the or subscribe to
Register your travel plans
The Government of Canada offers a free registration service for citizens living and travelling abroad. Joining the allows officials to notify you in case of an emergency in the region where you are travelling.
Know how to contact the Canadian embassy or consulate
Before you head to the airport, take a moment to jot down the location and contact information for the Canadian embassies or consulates in the countries you鈥檒l be visiting. A full list is To request emergency consular assistance, you can email sos@international.gc.ca or call 1-613-996-8885 collect, where available. In many countries, there are also toll-free numbers for the
Save emergency contact numbers for your destination
The U.S. State Department for most countries -- a handy guide for travellers.
Prepare for possible delays
Security measures have been ramped up at airports, train and bus stations across Europe, so plan accordingly, Hiebert said.
Travellers should make sure that they have enough time between connecting flights and always have their passports and other identification documents ready in case of random checks.
鈥淚t will be a slower process, no question,鈥� Hiebert said.
