Albertan cancels Europe trip after terrorist attacks

A travel agent says one of her clients recently cancelled a trip to Europe after the terrorist attacks in France, but experts say the decision should be based on fact rather than fear.

Another attack at the Istanbul airport on Tuesday took the lives of 44 people including 19 foreigners.

Lesley Keyter, known by many in Calgary as the Travel Lady, said travel involving Turkey's largest city has cooled off.

"[There are] not a lot of people going to Istanbul because of previous attacks," she said.

"Many cruise lines have cancelled the city out of their itineraries."

Keyter said one of her clients even cancelled a trip to Europe because of the uncertainty.

"They just said, 'You know what, we don't feel comfortable going right now,'" Keyter tells CBC News.

"It's very scary to see that place where you're getting on a plane and people running and screaming and bombs going off, so there's a very deep-seated emotional reaction to that," she said.

"So very often those decisions to cancel are made on an emotional basis."

But University of Calgary terrorism expert Michael Zekulin says that's all it is, emotion and fear.

"You're still more likely to be killed in an airplane on the way over or in a car accident on the way to the airport, than you are to be killed in a terrorist attack."

Zekulin said it's important to keep things in perspective.

"In the sense of travelling to Europe, it's still highly, highly unlikely, but unfortunately it remains a possibility."

Vigilance needed

Zekulin says if you are travelling, just be more vigilant while in public places.

"Understand where you are, know where exits are, you can be on the lookout for what may be considered suspicious things," he said.

Keyter said it's a good time to be 'on the lookout' for travel deals, because travel to Europe is down a little right now and that means there are a lot more deals for consumers.

"I think there's never been a better time to go to Europe," she said.

"You have to look at the whole thing in a balanced way and then make a decision that's comfortable for you."

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