BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – With Memorial Day weekend marking the unofficial start to summer travel, the U.S. Department of State is urging travelers to take extra steps to stay safe, especially those headed overseas.
AAA estimates 45 million Americans traveled for the holiday weekend, and with more vacations coming up, officials say one of the most important steps for international travelers is making sure passports are up to date and checking for the latest travel guidance before departure.
“Make sure that you check out travel.state.gov and look at any travel advisories. Plan ahead. Ensure that you know where the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate is in case you need our support,” said Mora Namdar, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs.
On the website, travelers can find current travel advisories by country, passport information and processing guidance, and international travel tips and destination-specific details.
The site also points travelers to a free service called the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). STEP allows U.S. citizens and nationals to register an upcoming trip abroad, helping the State Department contact them quickly in an emergency.
The program can also provide updates tied to destinations, including health alerts, weather updates and safety and security information.
Officials say STEP can help travelers plan ahead using information from the local U.S. embassy in their destination and can help the embassy reach them if something goes wrong, such as a natural disaster, civil unrest or a family emergency back home.
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For travelers trying to avoid high costs this summer, there is another option: stay stateside. With airfare and rental prices still high, travel experts say more families may choose road trips and destinations within driving distance.
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