July 20, 2005
No. 128
Foreign Affairs Canada announces that it has changed the terminology it uses to
communicate official travel warnings to Canadians. The department encourages
Canadians to visit the Consular Affairs Web site (http://www.voyage.gc.ca) as early as
possible when making plans for travel abroad.
"The safety and security of Canadians living and travelling abroad is of paramount
importance to the Government of Canada. Travel warnings constitute the government's
front-line advice to Canadians about what may be happening in a country that they are
planning to visit or live in," said Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew. "I strongly
encourage Canadians planning to travel abroad to visit the Consular Affairs Web site.
There, they will learn about their travel destination, the domestic conditions that apply,
the challenges associated with travelling as a dual citizen, as well as many other vital
travel-related issues."
"Travel warnings and the new terminology are part of the increasingly preventative
approach we are taking in our Travel Information Program," said Dan McTeague,
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who is also responsible for
Canadians abroad. "Our goal is to educate Canadian travellers and to provide them
with the advice they need to make responsible decisions-before they leave
Canada-and to minimize risk while abroad. Thus, if the level of threat to a person's
safety is high, Foreign Affairs Canada will now advise Canadians to avoid 'all travel' to
that destination. If the threat in a destination is not as great, the department will advise
Canadians to avoid 'non-essential travel.'"
For example, in a country engaged in a war, travel warnings will state that "Foreign
Affairs Canada advises against all travel to this country." For a nation recovering from
civil unrest, travel warnings will read: "Foreign Affairs Canada advises against
non-essential travel to this country." Situations and events that can trigger a travel
warning include civil unrest, war, rebellion, natural disasters and health emergencies.
Foreign Affairs Canada has introduced the distinction between "all travel" and
"non-essential travel" in order to increase the awareness of Canadian travellers, as well
as the travel industry, of safety and security issues abroad. This change now aligns the
terminology used in Canada's travel warnings with that used by other government
departments and countries. It also responds to a formal request from the World
Tourism Organization to governments worldwide to standardize the terms used in travel
warnings.
Despite the new terminology, the basic meaning of travel warnings has not changed.
Foreign Affairs Canada's Travel Information Program offers indispensable advice on
more than 200 destinations worldwide. To find out more, visit http://www.voyage.gc.ca.
- 30 -
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Sébastien Théberge
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs Canada
(613) 995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca
Backgrounder
TRAVEL WARNINGS
On July 18, 2005, Foreign Affairs Canada changed the terminology of its travel
warnings, which can be viewed at http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/sos/warnings-en.asp.
Previously, the terminology used in travel warnings referred to "Canadians" and
"Canadian tourists." New Foreign Affairs Canada terminology refers to "all travel" and
"non-essential travel."
The nature of travel warnings remains the same. The purpose of Foreign Affairs
Canada travel warnings is to provide formal recommendations that Canadians avoid
travel to a country, or specific region(s) of a country, when information from credible
sources suggests that it is not safe to travel there. Refunds and insurance claims will
still need to be settled by the traveller and the travel agency or travel insurance
company.
There are nine different levels of travel warning. When the threat is high or imminent,
the warning advises Canadians to avoid "all travel," and in some cases, to depart the
country or region concerned. When the threat is not as great, the warning advises
Canadians to avoid "non-essential travel" to the country or region. Whether travel is
essential or not is a matter of personal assessment, based on each individual's family
or business needs, concern for personal safety, knowledge of a country or region, and
other issues. For a full list of the nine different levels of travel warning, visit
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/sos/warnings-en.asp.
Travel warnings constitute an integral part of the country travel reports in which they
appear. Travel reports are available for more than 200 destinations worldwide at
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/ctry/reportpage-en.asp. They enable Canadians to make
well-informed decisions regarding destinations and itineraries, in addition to planning
and preparation for travel, to ensure a safe, secure, and positive experience abroad.
Travel warnings and travel reports are among the communication tools employed in the
Travel Information Program (http://www.voyage.gc.ca/), which provides Canadians
living and travelling abroad with official advice from the Government of Canada. For
more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions page at
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/main/before/faq/tip-en.asp.
