Saskatoon travel agency warns people going to Europe to take caution amid Ukraine invasion

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is prompting words of caution from a Saskatoon travel agency for those planning trips to Europe in the coming days and months.

“It’s a lot of uneasy feelings right now. We’re finally clearing the hump with COVID and here we are now with this happening and it’s creating a lot of uncertainty,” said Michelle Loran, manager of Vacations Away Inc.

Loran said her travel agency is advising people to use caution when planning their trips and to make sure they are checking travel advisories on the Government of Canada’s website.

She also said people should register on the website so the government knows where Canadians are if something happens to them while they’re out of the country.

As of Friday, the website said people should avoid all travel to Ukraine and Belarus and to avoid all non-essential travel to Russia.

Those advisories come as Canada closed its airspace to all Russian-owned or operated aircraft on Sunday in retaliation to Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine.

Loran said she anticipates there will be many cancellations as people rethink their plans to travel to those regions.

“We do have some people booked on cruises that were supposed to be going up into that area, up into Russia and of course, the cruise lines are pulling out of there, they’re just not going to risk going into those areas,” she said.

“I kind of anticipate it’s going to be a slower year than normal for travel to Europe, although what’s normal anymore?” 

For those who still plan on going to Europe, having travel insurance is highly recommended, according to Goose Insurance Vice President of Products Pamela Kwiatkowski.

“Preparation is the key. One of the things, regardless of what’s going on in the world, is that every traveller should ensure that they have travel medical insurance because you never know when you can get sick and the cost of healthcare around the world is getting higher and higher,” she said.

Kwiatkowski also advises people to have a good travel cancellation policy that allows them to get their money back if they need to cancel a trip for medical, personal or safety reasons.

She also encourages people to be prepared for anything when they’re abroad.

“Making sure that you have clear access to the Canadian Embassy, you know where it is, you’re up to date on what if something happens, what’s your plan going to be?” Kwiatkowski said.

“It is a very difficult time. Things are changing very rapidly, so really think about your destination and perhaps if it is in a bordering country, you might want to wait before booking your trip and just perhaps choose an alternate destination just in the spirit of having more safety and security.”