A friend's decision this week to cancel a holiday to Tanzania, on the basis of a vague Foreign Office warning about increased terrorist threat, seems almost whimsical against the backdrop of tanks patrolling Heathrow and the evacuation of Gatwick's north terminal after the discovery of a live grenade in a passenger's luggage.
While we eagerly scan the Foreign Office website for advice on travel to so-called 'high-risk' destinations, such as Kenya, Bali and Egypt, it is not unreasonable to assume that any Kenyans, Balinese and Egyptians planning a spring break to Britain at the moment may be seriously considering whether that cut-price hotel room in London is such a bargain after all.
The events of the last week underline more forcefully than ever why we must continue to travel. Taking off for your holidays with the prospect of a shoulder-held missile pointing at the undercarriage of your Boeing 747 is admittedly scary. But let's face it, staying at home is not such a rosy option either right now - unless, that is, you happen to live in a lighthouse in the Outer Hebrides.
Of course, talk of airports and planes being 'soft targets' for terrorists is bound to create a 'feel-bad' factor about travel. Just as John Gummer forcefeeding his daughter a burger failed to convince the public about the safety of British beef during the BSE crisis, so David Blunkett's assurance that flying must be safe because his son flew from Manchester last week seems woefully inadequate.
What's really needed is for the travel industry to acknowledge that people are jittery about travelling and to give additional incentives for booking holidays. This doesn't necessarily mean cutting prices (though there are bargains to be had, most notably in the destinations favoured by Americans, such as London and the Caribbean).
In these uncertain times what is needed is an assurance that travellers are not going to be out of pocket if they suddenly need to alter their plans. British Airways has taken the bold and commendable step of suspending its usual cancellation and alteration policy on all long-haul economy flights booked between now and the end of March.
As for travellers, the onus is on us to keep a sense of perspective. We may not be able to predict where a terror ist attack will occur, but we can take measures to offset at least some of the risks, mundane though they may seem. Make sure you have a good travel insurance policy which covers you in the event of delays and cancellations; check the firm you travel with is bonded so that you do not risk losing your money or being stranded abroad in the event of a failure (during the Gulf War several big travel firms went under); and ask your tour operator what their refund policy is should you decide to cancel due to 'disinclination to travel'. Some are more flexible than others.
