Whenever there is an incident within the places that we travel large enough to draw media scrutiny it can and does not only change the travel dynamic, but also raise concerns among travellers.
With this in mind we are now offering the following travel advice for our tours to the Middle-East.
Protests in the Middle-East and Beyond
Whenever there is an international incident that has heavy media coverage then there is always a risk of protest or even an act by an individual.
In these respects, our policies actually remain exactly the same as they always do with regards to protests and that is to stay as far away from them as possible. This as a rule is strictly enforced on our trips, as is the taking of photos in such situations.
Staying safe whilst in country
Again, staying safe whilst in country is largely an extension on how we would usually behave on trips, but with some extra measures, as well as others that are far more heightened than usual. These include;
- Keeping the people who know about your trip to as few people as possible.
- Avoiding places where international people congregate
- Keeping a low profile when in a public area
- Avoiding as much as possible, government and embassy buildings.
- For our higher risk destinations such as Yemen Mainland and further afield to Afghanistan, we maintain a no ’live posting’ policy.
Is it currently more dangerous to travel to the Middle-East?
The current tensions within the region mean that yes, it is currently more risky to travel to some areas in the Middle-East, but the reality is that away from the current flashpoints of Palestine, Israel and the Golan Heights, the actual danger level has not increased all that much.
Generally speaking, we feel that so long as you follow the heightened security protocol then there really is not a huge amount more risk than at “normal” times.
We are excited to recommence our Syria tours after Bashar Al-Assad was overthrown in December 2024. Our decision to resume tours was made after consultations with relevant stakeholders, including our local team and local authorities.
With anything like this we also suggest seeking 3rd party advice such as from the UKFCO.
Are YPT planning on cancelling any trips to the Middle-East?
While we have (obviously) suspended trips to, or from Palestine, we also suspended tours to Iran, Lebanon and Syria in the latter half of 2024 for security reasons. We try our hardest to avoid cancelling tours, however we follow diligently the advice from our local team and authorities within the country and follow their expert opinions. Since then, however, we have resumed tours to both destinations and have multiple trips per year active again.
We are keeping an eye on the situation in the region, including potential ’spill over’ into neighbouring countries which could be potential flashpoints.
As always though safety always comes first and we will always publish regular travel advisories.
Our Middle-East Tours can be viewed here.
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