Over the years I've probably have given more speeches on Latin American travel than anyone, and always from somewhere in the back of the room the inevitable, unavoidable, hard questions would arise.

     "Yes, but is it safe?"

     Usually it was specific.

      "What about street crime in Rio?"

      "What's the drug scene?"

      "Kidnappings in Colombia?"

      As a speaker there's never been an easy way around these questions, nor should there be. Personal safety is paramount in the collective mind of one's audience.

      Unlike a page on this website or magazine travel article a speaker is face to face with the audience. Anyone unprepared to deal with safety quickly and rightly loses credibility for whatever was said before. More than ever today's potential traveler expects confident, credible, knowledgeable answers and advice on personal safety.

      I fully realize that over the years Latin America has been a shadowy destination to the traveling public, and even to many in the travel trade. Just the name Latin America is often interpreted as representing narcotics.

      Add to that most North Americans have heard of turbulent times in Cuba, Guatemala, El Salvador, Chile, Nicaragua, the U.S. invasion of Panama, etc., etc. Crisis headlines continue today with Argentina's bewildering financial disaster, uprisings in Chiapas, and Venezuela's tumultuous government.

      To many Latin America continues as an uneasy, unstable, restless region. At LatinTravel.com we fully understand this. In past speeches (and articles) I've found it best to address personal safety up front with remarks and visuals built within the main speech. For years I'd begin by recommending potential agents and travelers check the U.S. State Department travel advisories for official advice on the web at http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html.

      Back in those "old days," I'd usually go on to describe the difference between travelers and tourists, explaining smart travelers are those who put themselves in trusted hands of established tour and ground operators, are met upon arrival by well-known business contacts and personal friends, etc.

      I'd also add advice like: "Travelers aren't conspicuous, they don't wear expensive jewelry, don't wander into "bad sections" of mega-cities, avoid heated political and religious discussions, etc., etc." I'd usually add a traveler is one who learns at least a few words in the local language, and is familiar with the culture and geography.

      Then I'd define a tourist as someone who was understandably less prepared for overseas travel. Escorted tours, for example, are designed for tourists. I'd recommend first-timers join an escorted group visiting "safe" countries on a tour operated by a reliable operator. With a particularly concerned or hostile audience I'd go on to advise some of Latin America was a destination only for the experienced traveler - not the beginner.

      But all that was then.

      In the past few months I've come to realize much of what I advised over the years was for a time when anxiety was caused by the destination.

      But that's no longer the case.

      No travel editor or speaker today can fail to realize that tragic 9-11 images lie deeply etched within every mind in one's audience. Add to that destination uncertainty, and selling travel today becomes more challenging.

      Simply telling potential travelers to call the State Department for the latest travel advisories, or don't wear an expensive watch doesn't work anymore. The new reality is here, and those of us who work in international travel soon come face to face with the new concerns.

      To try and devise a new strategy I've learned much from studying techniques used in existing "fear of flying" seminars. We have learned fear of flying is emotional rather than rational. Potential air travelers can be disabled by fear of what might happen. The main strategy to overcome this is information to treat the symptoms of anxiety. We have built this site to contain information. "Facts over Fears" is the theme of Northwest Airlines successful program.

      But back to the underlying question. I've found what I'm being asked today isn't the old "Is it safe?" Now the often unspoken question has changed to "Okay - What's the risk?"

      In this day of anthrax and Middle East suicide bombers there's appalling risk everywhere - everywhere! For many the wake-up call began with the Oklahoma Federal Building disaster, and culminated September ll.

      Today we live in a new reality. I saw it last week in faces at a convention where most delegates had just passed through rigid en route security checks; then reached their hotel only to be greeted by what in any other time would have seemed an innocent banner stating "Thank you for traveling."

      So what can one say and write to persuade?

      How does one convince the dubious to fly away?

      How best can one tap into the growing, pent-up demand the public has to travel?

      Just asking these questions makes one realize the travel industry must adopt new, reassuring strategies. For me President Bush has pointed the way. In his heartfelt remarks concerning the killing of kidnapped Wall Street Journal newsman Daniel Pearl the President talked of daily risks many Americans accept "in their jobs, and in their travels."

      As a former U.S. Marine I understand risk, and I've recently learned most audiences do also. In speaking around the country I've found a new, stronger admiration for airline crews, postal workers, firefighters, the military, and police. Audiences admire those who accept risk.

      As a travel professional I was heartened by an unexpected, improbable group of risk takers who last month toured Egypt and Israel. They were retired Americans who journeyed there with Grand Circle Tours (AARP's former travel firm).

      The Grand Circle group was inspiring. Quotes from this group of seniors included: "We're following our dreams. We won't let anyone stop us from what we want to do. We're willing to accept risk."

      Those are words of travelers, and words I now repeat in travel presentations. But back to the new question. "Is there risk in international travel?

      Yes, of course, and there's risk in leaving one's home. Even picking one's mail out of the box was risky last month in Nebraska. Driving a car is 26 times riskier than flying in an aircraft. What it all adds up to is that the new reality is risk.

      Recently, and surprisingly, I found myself extemporaneously challenging an audience to accept risk. That's something I'd never dreamed of doing in a travel speech.

      I quoted former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft: "We can not retreat into a fortress as our enemies would like. We must work with our allies to help the world develop in a healthier way."

      He's right!

      If one responds to political terrorism with fear, then the terrorist's goal is achieved. Terrorism seeks to spread fear, and those who succumb, in a strange psychological way, unwittingly become terrorists themselves; for within their own community they spread fear.

      I already see change in others and myself.

      I no longer send potential travelers to the State Department advisories I direct them to a new site: http://asigroup.com/intel-HS.asp and advise them to subscribe to the site's free e-mail reports which identify and describe the "riskiest" destinations worldwide.

      In the most recent issue were three warnings for Latin America: Argentina (political demonstrations), Colombia (terrorism), and Mexico (volcanic eruption). Europe had five hot spots, and I need not chronicle the Middle East, Africa, etc. USA Today's front page reported Vice President Cheney has advised the question for us all concerning an attack within the U.S.A. is not "if" but "when."

      I for one refuse to be intimidated by retreating into any fortress. Today, to conclude a speech (and this article), instead of turning to travel advisories, hot spots, and timeworn advice I've started quoting Mark Twain. For my way of thinking he had it right a century ago:

      "Twenty years from now you'll be disappointed by the things you didn't do rather than the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, fly away from the safe harbor. Catch the tradewinds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover!"

      He was right then.

      He's right today.

      Mark Twain boarded the great, ocean-going Clipper ships with more statistical risk than we'll ever encounter. Were he still with us today I'm sure he'd be among the first to "fly away from the safe harbor" - now aboard a glistening wide-bodied jet with a U.S. flag emblazoned on it's fuselage.

      How wonderful to travel with people like him!

      His words bear repeating: "Fly away from the safe harbor. Explore, Dream, Discover!"

      For me there's nowhere more rewarding to explore and discover than Latin America today. When you check how we stand up against the rest of the world I think you might agree.

      Hope we might meet soon aboard a jet heading south!

      Thanks again for visiting LatinTravel.com - you're always welcome to tell us how to make this site better.