Since we talked to security specialists and travel experts last year about how to decide whether a destination was safe enough to visit, a number of hot spots have gone from the "Go but take precautions" category to "Stay away for the time being." Obviously, you wouldn't plan a vacation in Iraq or Afghanistan right now. But how risky is it to be an American traveler today in the Middle East and in the North African countries we'd been visiting before the war on terrorism? The consensus among our experts is that Algeria, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, and Yemen should not be on Americans' itineraries this year without a compelling reason. Likewise Zimbabwe, where the power struggle surrounding the March elections was bloody. In the Philippines, the Muslim separatist group Abu Sayyaf, which has been responsible for kidnapping foreign tourists - including 20 people from a resort on Palawan Island last May - remains active. The increased presence of the U.S. military since January, to help combat Abu Sayyaf and other terrorist groups, has led to tension, and many believe that there may be new attacks against Americans by formerly dormant groups. In Colombia, the February breakdown of peace talks between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) led to stepped-up violence, including the murder of a Colombian senator on her way to negotiate with the group for the release of hostages.

But don't be discouraged. According to our panel of experts?security consultants, travel company executives, a travel lawyer, and the U.S. ambassador to Guatemala (who was the ambassador to Kenya during the 1998 American embassy bombing in Nairobi) - there are still plenty of hot spots that are ready to safely accommodate American travelers who are well prepared and take proper precautions. Some of these countries are mentioned on this and the following pages, along with political situations to be aware of within each and specific areas that visitors should avoid.

The panel also shared general advice on how to decide whether a destination is safe to visit, staying out of trouble while you're there, and finding a haven if problems do arise.

The Panel

• Prudence Bushnell?U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala (posted in Nairobi during the 1998 embassy bombing)

• Tom Dickerson?Author of the legal reference guide Travel Law

• Geoffrey Kent?Chairman and CEO of luxury tour operator Abercrombie & Kent

• Armando Lara?Director of operations for North America for the security firm Control Risks Group, LLC

• Nadia Lebon?Director of operations for adventure tour company Mountain Travel?Sobek

• Malcolm Nance?Chief consultant for the security firm Real World Rescue?High Risk Travel

• Matthew Upchurch?President of Virtuoso, a consortium of high-end travel agents

CNT: Considering the current political climate, do Americans need to be more cautious whenever they leave the country?

BUSHNELL: Yes. Our military actions in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks raise the potential for retaliatory moves against citizens and interests of the United States.

LARA: Travelers do need to be more cautious. I don?t recommend spending much time at American embassies, since they will continue to be prime targets.

LEBON: A heightened level of awareness in crowded places such as airports is more important these days for citizens of any country.

NANCE: The climate is actually safer than ever. The levels of terrorism globally are among the lowest in 30 years. Still, all travelers should be alert for out-of-the-ordinary behavior in every location.

CNT: What are the best sources for reliable information about safety at a destination?

BUSHNELL: Go to the U.S. Department of State?s Web site (travel.state.gov) or call its toll-free number (888-407-4747) to receive detailed information about safety and security conditions around the world. The Consular Information Sheet published for each country [by the State Department] will also give useful data, including the telephone number of the U.S. embassy, where citizens can seek help if they run into trouble or need additional information.

LARA: The State Department?s travel advisories often have a political spin. Local contacts who have an up-close understanding and perspective are useful, but their opinions must be measured against other sources because over time, locals often acclimate to higher and higher levels of violence.

LEBON: It is useful to check the U.K. and Australian foreign service Web sites, since they occasionally have a different perspective on events?especially in countries where they have an economic interest.

NANCE: The State Department's public announcements are more reliable than its travel advisories.

UPCHURCH: The local perspective can be quite helpful, and many foreign newspapers are now accessible on the Internet. Our [Virtuoso's] clients are kept in touch with our network of ground operators around the world. These are super sources of up-to-the-minute insider information and advice. I also highly recommend ijet.com for destination information. And if a visitor to a foreign country plans on traveling outside a major city, he or she should contact the U.S. embassy or consulate for any information or suggestions regarding the intended destination.

CNT: What factors do you consider when deciding if a place is safe enough for travelers to visit?

BUSHNELL: We ask a number of questions: Are there real threats to Americans visiting a country? How able are the local authorities to counter those threats? How great is the U.S. government?s ability to protect its citizens and interests? In countries with which we have no diplomatic relations or resident embassies - e.g., Libya or Iraq?it is very hard to provide services to Americans.

LARA: What's important is the traveler's level of security awareness, the nature of their business activity or vacation, whether or not they know whom to contact for immediate assistance in an emergency, whether they have educated themselves to the possible risks, whether they speak the language, and if they have good common sense and understand how to mitigate threats.

LEBON: When a company such as ours [Mountain Travel Sobek] is planning to operate a commercial trip, the liability factor plays heavily into our choice of safe destinations. We check with our ground outfitters and trip leaders to ensure that the destination is safe enough for us to operate a trip there.

NANCE: I consider, in this order: crime levels (including abduction risk), accident rates, overall political stability, local opinion on U.S. government decisions, and whether or not terrorist organizations are active there.

CNT: What tips would you give to travelers visiting potentially dangerous places?

BUSHNELL: Keep a list of important local contact telephone numbers with you, including the number of the nearest U.S. embassy. If there isn't one in the country you?re visiting, find out how to get in touch with the local representative of whatever country safeguards U.S. interests and protects U.S. citizens there. Be sure you know how to contact the police, and learn enough phrases to communicate your needs.

LARA: Carry an international cell phone, minimize activities that keep you out in the evening, stay informed about current events, and have basic language skills. Know your safe havens in the area?these can vary from hotel lobbies to hospitals to police stations. But be aware of the reputation of law enforcement in the country you're visiting: A local police station in Mexico City would probably be the last place I would go. Travelers in a complex environment need to identify safe locations in their immediate area shortly after arrival so that if there is a security-related problem, they are able to immediately proceed to one of those. It's also a good idea to befriend various locals - such as your bellhop, driver, and so on - but you also need to rely on your sixth sense before placing a level of confidence in those persons. Travelers must learn to trust their gut-level reactions, those inner vibes, upon making contact with strangers.

LEBON: Learn as much as you can about the place you are about to visit before you leave home. Once you've arrived at the destination, talk to local people, hotel managers, and tour companies to find out which places are safe to visit, which districts of the city are not safe either day or night, and so on.

KENT: Choose a reputable tour operator who leads trips made up of small groups, travels in well-maintained vehicles, and stays in radio communication with other drivers as well as with the local office. Inquire about the operator's emergency procedures and crisis communication plans.

UPCHURCH: Beyond the typical "don't look American" tips, I recommend that travelers use a passport cover, hire local guides whenever possible, and avoid traveling in large groups. Carry a list of emergency contact telephone numbers and e-mail addresses for your travel consultant, who - if you have the right one - can pull strings from afar. Consider using a satellite mobile phone, but don't flash it in a crowd. Some services even allow you to subscribe to news alerts, which are sent directly to your phone and could certainly be helpful if some sort of crisis occurs. In general, keep abreast of events while you?re on the road, through both local news media and international newspapers and television.

CNT: If a traveler feels unsafe at a destination, what resources are immediately available?

BUSHNELL: U.S. embassies are open around the clock to assist American travelers in distress. In the event of a crime, the police would be your first call. For health emergencies, either dial the local equivalent of 911 or contact the police.

DICKERSON: Travelers who feel unsafe should not expect tour oper-ators, cruise lines, or airlines to be responsible for rushing them home. Generally, these travel companies have disclaimers somewhere in their contracts which say that they are not liable for force majeure situations?storms, acts of God, terrorism, etc. Those disclaimers are usually enforceable. In the event of a terrorist attack in the country the traveler is visiting, a company might fly its customers home and take a loss for the sake of marketing, but it?s really under no obligation to do so. It might be possible to argue about that in court, but I don't recall any cases which specifically address that point. The only situation that I'm aware of where a travel company is obligated to help a consumer in a sticky situation applies to an air carrier that has been chartered by another company. The airline is subject to a Department of Transportation regulation which says that if the tour operator goes bankrupt, the carrier is required to transport stranded passengers home from abroad - even though it isn't getting paid to do so.

LARA: If you feel unsafe, get in touch with the U.S. embassy or consulate, your local contacts, or a service such as CR 24 [the Control Risk Group's 24-hour communications center for clients who need immediate assistance]. When we bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, many Westerners were calling to determine if travelers should immediately depart Beijing. We recommended that they remain at their hotel for a day or two, stay away from the U.S. embassy, where demonstrations were being held, contact trusted local friends, and determine what areas were safe?but that there was no need to depart the country since normalcy would quickly return. And it did.

KENT: Consult your tour escort, driver, or hotel concierge for advice. People who live and work in an area and depend on tourism for their livelihood can suggest the safest way to travel.

NANCE: Go straight to the hotel reception desk - the people there are usually unflappable and know where the risks are.

Indonesia, Malaysia & The Philippines

Matthew Upchurch and Malcolm Nance agree that the Indonesian island of Bali remains a safe destination for travelers, since the areas surrounding it have been stable in recent years. The island of Lombok has not had an outbreak of violence since an anti-Christian riot in January 2000. Nance says that visitors to Jakarta should be aware of the general unrest there and would be well advised to steer clear of all demonstrations. He adds that some areas of the country should be avoided entirely, including the islands in Aceh province. The U.S. State Department says that Americans in the Kalimantan or North Sulawesi regions could be in danger from the Philippine Muslim separatist group Abu Sayyaf. "Tourists have increasingly become targets here over the last two years," says Nance. The Philippine coastal resort towns and the Malaysian islands off the east coast of Sabah should be avoided as long as Abu Sayyaf remains a threat.