Major Cultural, Religious, or Sports Events

Traveling to destination that is hosting at the time major cultural, religious, or sporting events can pose unique challenges and risks. This report provides relevant advice on how to prepare for your trip and stay safe. 

Important UTD guidelines for travel abroad  

• Obtain Travel Authorization: Obtain authorization prior to departure. 
• Know Your Insurance: Review your coverage benefits. 
• Enroll in the U.S. Department of State’s STEP program to get alerts for your destination. 
• Register Your Trip: Register your trip prior to departure. 
• Save the On Call contact to your phone. Call 24/7 for travel and emergency assistance. 

Types of Major Events 

• Cultural Events include events like Lunar New Year, Oktoberfest. 
• Religious Events examples are Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Hajj, Ramadan, Eid ul-Fitr. 
• Sporting Events include the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Rugby world cup, Football (soccer) world cup, Cricket world cup. 

Before Your Trip 

• Assess destination risks:  Carefully review official sources to understand risks and recommendations on risk mitigation measures. 
• Create an emergency communications plan to help you manage emergencies while abroad.  
• Book Early, as flights and accommodations can be booked out well in advance. 
• Visit your doctor 6-8 weeks before departure to get necessary vaccinations and health advice. 

During Your Trip 

• Stay Alert:
  • If you will attend or be nearby any of the events, be aware of your surroundings and know where the exit points are.  
  • If a place is becoming overcrowded, move towards the edges to access exit points.  
  • Large gatherings can be focal points for demonstrations or criminal activities.  
  • Stay vigilant and follow local authorities’ advice. 
  • Learn more at: Protests, civil unrest, and terrorism, and Crowds and Mass Gatherings. 
• Keep your passport and other valuables secure and out of sight. 
• Be cautious of online scammers targeting tourists. Practice good digital security. 
• Drink responsibly or not-at-all, alcohol raises your vulnerability and your risk to theft and assault. 
• Be prepared for challenges in accessing health care due to the influx of tourists. 
• UTD travelers can call On Call International 24/7: +1 (978) 651-9722 for assistance while abroad on a UTD authorized activity. 

After Your Trip 

• Monitor your health for any signs of illness, especially if you were in an area with overcrowded sanitation systems, or were exposed to crowds in enclosed spaces for long periods of time. 
• Schedule a follow-up appointment with your doctors to address any health issues that came up during or after your trip. 

Resources 

1. CDC Traveller’s Health – CDC.gov – U.S. guidance on health risks, vaccination recommendations, and preventive measures for travelers.  
2. Learn About Your Destination – travel.state.gov – U.S. travel advisories. Take the time to learn more about your destination. 
3. Protecting yourself from scams – travel.state.gov – You can become the victim of a scam at home or abroad. There are many different types of scams, but they all share a common goal: taking your money. 
4. International Risk and Safety website. 
5. Traveler Toolkit. 
6. Special Reports. 

Informative pages from other governments. Please note that not all the advice in these pages will apply to U.S. travelers. 

• Major sporting events – smartraveller.gov.au 
• Going overseas for a major event – smartraveller.gov.au – If you’re travelling overseas for (or during) a major cultural, sporting or religious event, you may need to take extra precautions. 
• Major cultural events – smartraveller.gov.au 
• Major religious events – smartraveller.gov.au 

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