DENVER (KDVR) — Passengers at Denver International Airport say they are on high alert after the U.S. Department of State issued a worldwide travel advisory because of increased tensions overseas.  

This comes as thousands have been killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict. 

“I still have 9/11 in the back of my mind, and I still remember it like it was yesterday, and that scares me,” traveler Kim Brown told FOX31.

The State Department has said it’s concerned about potential violence against Americans, advising U.S. citizens to take extra caution if traveling out of the country.

“I think the biggest thing is just always being aware of your surroundings, making sure you understand where you’re going before you’re actually going there and just keeping an eye out for each other,” traveler Marcus Little said.

‘Be extraordinarily cautious’ when traveling

Clint Henderson is a travel expert with The Points Guy. He said these advisories aren’t uncommon but should be taken seriously. 

“The U.S. government is saying, ‘Look, there’s a lot of threats to Americans right now. There’s a lot of people that want to do bad things to us, so you should just be extraordinarily cautious if you’re traveling overseas, no matter where you are,’” Henderson said. 

The State Department is encouraging passengers to sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive alerts and enroll the trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. 

“I would advise tourists that are headed to places like Jordan, Egypt and Israel to just be really extraordinarily cautious, maybe more cautious than they would have been in the recent past, but that doesn’t mean you should not go to places. … It just means you should take some precautions,” Henderson said.

With so many unknowns, Henderson said the advisory could last through the holidays. 

“Consumers have to be their own best advocates these days. Whether it comes to terrorism or natural disasters like we saw in Hawaii or just airline meltdowns, you really need to have a backup plan when you’re traveling,” Henderson said. 

It’s also recommended to have hard copies of your passport and other important documents when traveling out of the country in case of an emergency.