In light of concerns about international travel, a travel expert offers advice

Jonesboro, Arkansas – After two occurrences in Mexico, travelers may be hesitant to travel internationally.

Two Americans were killed in one kidnapping in the state of Tamaulipas, while three ladies who were rumored to be traveling to the state of Nuevo León had gone missing for almost two weeks.

Emma Agnew, a travel expert, claims that the two instances are related because both groups traveled to Mexico by car.

“There are 32 states in Mexico and there are only six that are on the do not travel list Tamaulipas, where the kidnapping incident happened, is one of the states that is actually on the ‘do not travel’ list,” she said.

Six of those have been added to the “do not travel” list by the US Department of State; they are Colima, Guerrero, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas.

The list does not include well-known vacation spots like Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, or Cozumel.

“Cruise ships and tour companies are not going to stop in ports where tourists are in danger. They want you to feel comfortable where you go,” she said.

In case there are any second thoughts, Agnew advised taking safeguards even before entering the airport.

“People should consider taking travel insurance when you are traveling abroad and particularly if you are not 100% comfortable,” she said.

Airline tickets frequently include a partial or complete no-refund policy.

There are a number of considerations for travelers to have in mind while they are overseas, no matter where they are.

“Don’t wander around at night in places you aren’t familiar with, don’t be waving large sums of money around, be careful with how you handle your money, just common-sense things like that,” she said.