May was a busy month for officials at the U.S. State Department, which issued more than two dozen updated travel advisories for destinations around the world.
From sun-kissed Caribbean islands to culturally rich Middle Eastern locales, the past month has seen a wide range of new guidance.
Here are some of the most consequential travel advisory updates announced in May.
Widespread Caribbean Updates
The State Department issued a handful of updates for popular Caribbean island destinations over the past month, extending Level 1 advisories for Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and Dominica over three days from May 20-22.
Travelers are encouraged to exercise normal precautions while visiting the aforementioned countries and territories this summer.
Tripoli, Lebanon. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Leonid Andronov)
Threats Persist in the Middle East
The ongoing Iran war continues to hamper travel to the region and several prominent destinations received updated May travel advisories as a result.
As of May 4, travelers are advised to reconsider visiting Jordan (Level 3) due to terrorism and armed conflict, while nearby Lebanon (Level 4) is off limits due to the "risk of crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, landmines and armed conflict."
Iceland Maintains Stellar Safety Mark
Iceland maintains its reputation as one of if not the world's safest destination heading into summer, with the State Department reissuing its Level 1 travel advisory for the European island nation on May 5.
Blooming lupine flowers on the Stokksnes headland, Iceland. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Andrew Mayovskyy)
Officials also published updates for Croatia (Level 1) and Sweden (Level 2 due to terrorism) on May 18.
Health Threats in Africa and South America
The State Department issued Level 4 travel advisories (Do Not Travel) for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak in the two African countries a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17.
The outbreak has since prompted travel restrictions, making it even harder to visit this region of Africa.
A recent virus scare has also impacted travel to South America. On May 20, Chile received an updated Level 2 travel advisory after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a Level 1 Travelers' Health Notice for Andes virus (Hantavirus) in the region.
"The risk for most travelers is extremely low; the United States is working with international partners to investigate and prevent further viral spread," states the advisory, which asks Americans to exercise increased caution in Chile due to crime and civil unrest.
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