Tourists told to be on guard in Turkey

The July 9 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul caused some Turkey-bound travelers to question whether the nation is safe for visitors.

The State Department posted a message on its Web site, advising Americans in Turkey to maintain a low profile and avoid "facilities where Americans and Westerners are known to live or congregate, especially hotels, restaurants, housing compounds, places of worship, and resort areas." The rationale: Terrorists might seek out "soft" targets now that security at diplomatic sites has been tightened.

So, does that put, say, the Blue Mosque off-limits? What about seaside resorts?

We talked to Ed Daly, of iJet Intelligent Risk Systems, which advises corporations on travel and asset risks. He recommended that tourists avoid visiting Western chain restaurants (mentioning McDonald's and Burger King as examples). But as for lodging, he says, "I wouldn't tell anyone to avoid hotels. Most of them operate in what we call 'the red zone,'" with heightened security measures. That's especially true of the big luxury chains, he says, adding that "the smaller ones, the Best Westerns (for example), are low-profile already."

With regard to the three German hikers who were kidnapped on Mount Ararat on July 8, Daly said, "the British and the U.S. government ... recommend against going to Mount Ararat (and other) areas where the PKK (Kurdish separatist group) is active," which also include other parts of the eastern and southeastern regions of Turkey.

In general, "a good level of indication is how worried the Turks look," Daly said. In other words, if you see gun-toting security guards somewhere, then the Turks have decided there's a reason to worry, and you should, too. We believe that this rule -- be worried if the locals are worried -- can be extended to travel anywhere. And we never quibble with advice against eating at American chain restaurants while on vacation.

Fewer foreign travelers

With the dollar so weak against the euro, the British pound and other foreign currencies, you'd think that tourists from around the globe would be flocking to the United States.

But according to statistics recently released by the Travel Industry Association, 2 million fewer overseas visitors came here in 2007 than in 2000, and the cumulative long-term drop-off has caused an estimated $137 billion loss to the U.S. economy.

The association, whose members include major cruise and hotel companies, wants to reverse that trend with passage of the Travel Promotion Act, a $200-million-a-year marketing campaign aimed at foreign visitors. But the airline industry isn't convinced: The Air Transport Association says the act's funding plan, which involves assessing a $10-per-airline-ticket fee on foreigners who visit the United States without a visa, unfairly targets its passengers.

As the bill is being debated, the association and the Department of Commerce have jointly launched a Web site, www.discoveramerica.com, whose purpose is to "give international visitors a practical, one-stop source of official and authentic info on the U.S."

Kids ride rails free

Kids ride free on Canada's VIA Rail this summer. Through Sept. 15, children ages 11 and younger go free in Comfort Class (economy) when accompanied by someone 18 or older. Adult ticket prices vary by route. For example, a round-trip train ticket from Toronto to Montreal starts at $162 for an adult and is free for a child. Tickets must be purchased together, and passengers must travel together. For more information, call 888-842-7245 or visit www.viarail.ca.