Germany has, for decades, been one of the most popular countries in the world for American tourists to visit. Attracted by everything from the country’s culture of beer festivals to tracing their heritage, over 1.9 million visitors from the U.S. came to Germany in 2022 while 12% of those planning an international vacation named it as a country they intend to visit.
Without counting nearby North American nations such as Mexico and Canada, Germany was according to one estimate behind only Italy, France and Spain as the most popular countries for Americans to tourist.
Related: Popular Vacation Spot for American Travelers Gets Hit With Travel Advisory Warning
Despite the fact that Germany is generally viewed as a completely “safe” country to visit, the U.S. State Department recently issued a warning around one aspect of traveling around the country. Raising its travel advisory rating from one to two (four is the highest level and reserved for active war zones and countries with authoritarian government), the U.S. government is telling travelers to “exercise increased caution” because “terrorist groups keep planning attacks in Germany.”
U.S. government warns: ‘Terrorists may attack with little or no warning’
“Terrorists may attack with little or no warning. They target tourist locations and transportation hubs,” the State Department writes in the advisory. “They also target markets/shopping malls and local government facilities. They target hotels, clubs, and restaurants. They also attack places of worship, parks, and major sporting and cultural events.”
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The Canadian government issued a similar advisory telling its citizens to “exercise a high degree of caution in Germany due to the threat of terrorism” a month prior.
There is a reason so many other countries are cautious about Germany
At the end of 2023, German domestic intelligence agencies told international allies that such threats against both Germany and “the West as a whole” are “higher than it has been for a long time” after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that left almost 2,000 Israelis deaths and prompted the country’s military response in Gaza. A few weeks ago, German authorities arrested four teenagers on suspicion of planning Molotov cocktail and knife attacks against several local synagogues in the name of the Islamic State. In December 2023, seven people including four suspected Hamas members were also arrested across Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands on suspicion of planning similar attacks.
None of this means that one should not travel to Germany (other countries that have a Level Two travel advisory include such commonly-visited countries as France (for similar reasons around risk of terrorist attacks), Thailand and Mexico.
For those who do travel, the advisory is meant as an advisory around what to look out for and steps to take if finding oneself in a difficult situation.
Tips provided by the State Department include being “aware of your surroundings when traveling to tourist locations and crowded public venues” and “monitor[ing] local media for breaking events and adjust your plans based on new information.”
“Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations,” the governmental agency writes further. The State Department also has a Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for those who want to be on the government’s records as being out of the country if they cannot be located.
