While noting that local European governments are stepping up their counter-terrorism operations, the U.S. State Department issued a Travel Alert on Monday to all U.S. citizens planning on traveling to Europe this summer.

Travel alert for the U.K., France, Russia and Sweden

The U.S. State Department cited a continued threat of terror attacks, citing the recent attacks in France, ahead of their presidential polls. The Department also noted the various attacks that have occurred in the U.K., Russia, and Sweden, stressing that extremists usually focus on popular tourist spots.

In the alert, the Department said that while the various local governments continue to increase their counter-terrorism operations, officials are still concerned about potential future terror attacks. The statement told U.S. citizens to always be on the alert for the possibility of an attack by self-radicalized extremists or terrorist sympathizers, which can happen with little or no prior warning. The new travel alert is set to expire September 1.

Previous travel alert for the European winter season

According to a Reuters report, the U.S.

State department had issued a previous travel alert for travelers to Europe prior to the winter holiday season, but that alert expired in February. While the Department said the new alert has not been prompted by a specific threat, with the summer holidays about to begin, travelers must always be aware of the risk.

CNN said in a report that a U.S.

official told them in February that the European terror threat was at that time as high as it has ever been. The official said recent estimate from the U.S. and Europe show that as many as 1,900 foreign extremist fighters are back in Europe after spending time in Syria and Iraq. He added that while some of these fighters returned disenchanted, others do remain committed to terror groups, including ISIS.

Spain may benefit from terror threats to other European countries

However, while the U.K., France, Sweden and Russia are on the Department’s terror list, it seems Spain’s tourism industry is on the rise. 2016 was reportedly a record year for the country’s tourism sector and according to figures in 2017 so far, this year will be even better.

El Pais reports that while terrorism is bad for some countries, it appears the threat of terror in other popular tourist destinations – as well as improvements in Spain’s economy – has changed people’s travel plans.

However, this isn’t always good news for visitors, as the trend is leading to improved hotels and higher tariffs, with the tourism industry aiming at veering away from budget-conscious vacations to a more high-end experience. According to a study run by the National Institute of Statistics, hotels are likely to put prices up by around 10 percent on last years’ figures.
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