Thankfully, there were no fatalities due to the terrorism in the New York City area this weekend. Whenever acts of terrorism occur, people often question whether they should still travel. Is it safe to go to that city? Is it safe to travel in general?
A few clients contacted me about their European travels following the attacks in France and Belgium. They weren't traveling to the affected countries but expressed concerns about European travel. While I will always advise if your travel is affected by such actions, or if any government travel alerts or warnings have been issued, I could only share my personal thoughts on the subject. It could just as likely happen in the USA, as we saw this weekend. If we let terrorism and fear control our lives then the terrorists will have won. It is ultimately up to the client to decide what is right for them but that is the opinion that I share when asked about the situation.
Interestingly, many of the queries agents field are from the media. The more outrageous the reaction the better the ratings. I saw a few news queries following this weekend's attacks but no clients called to change their plans. The news reports on events that are out of the ordinary. Terrorism falls into that category. Don't let fear of the unlikely prevent you from living your life. Even better, get out into the world and make new friends through travel. The more we get to know our fellow humans, the easier it is to dispel the ignorance and hate that breeds terrorism.