It’s vacation time. Travel time is a pleasure, but a pleasure that does not have to be carefree. The ongoing armed conflicts on multiple fronts, the threats of terrorism, the risks of natural disasters, epidemics, extreme climatic events (from anomalous heat waves to disastrous floods) require caution.
Promoting a culture of prevention and responsibility when traveling abroad, raising citizens’ awareness to plan their trips consciously through the tools made available by the Farnesina is the aim of the summer campaign “Viaggiare Sicuri” presented on 19 June by the Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani at the Operations Room of the Crisis Unit.
“Travel safety is a responsibility that must be shared and which depends first of all on those who travel. Traveling well is important in safe conditions thanks to precautions, we add our services in cases of major emergency. And this assistance works better when the traveler is prepared and has shared data to be able to intervene in case of need”, he summarizes Nicola Minasileading the Crisis Unit since October 2021. Romano, 52 years old, Minasi has been in the diplomatic service since 1999, has had assignments in the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Brussels and was ambassador to Bosnia Herzegovina from 2017 to 2021.
To be aware travellers, you can use various tools made available by the Farnesina. The portal travelanesicuri.it was created to provide Italian citizens with a broad and diversified overview of information on all the countries of the world. With over 8 million views in 2025 and more than 5 million from the beginning of 2026, the “Viaggiare Sicuri” portal confirms itself as the main point of reference for compatriots who wish to find updated and reliable information on destination countries.
The new version of the “Viaggiare Sicuri” website makes it even easier to consult information relating to the countries of interest, view travel warnings and identify useful contacts based on the specific needs of users. At the same time, the “Viaggiare Sicuri” app was also renewed, updated on the basis of the experience gained in managing the recent Gulf crisis, to ensure a more effective connection between citizens and the Crisis Unit. Through a few simple steps, users will be able to access travel information, share their location with the Crisis Unit and receive notifications directly on their smartphone in the event of an emergency.
“The great advantage of the ‘Safe Travel’ application is that if the user shares his location we can identify people close to a crisis area even if they have not registered the trip and therefore we can send personalized messages. For example, during the days of the recent conflict in the Gulf, it was useful to follow and send messages to those moving from the United Arab Emirates to Oman, with instructions for flight bookings”, underlines Minasi.
“Where we are in the world” is the portal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that allows you to record movements and itinerary, allowing the Farnesina Crisis Unit to locate and contact the traveler promptly in the event of emergencies, disasters or crises in the country in which they are located.
“This portal”, explains Minasi, “also allows you to make group registrations, which are very useful for businesses, NGOs and schools. This is very precious for us because, if a contact person is indicated, it gives us the possibility of calling interlocutors in case of need”.
Where we are in the world was created after the tsunami tragedy in South East Asia in 2004. “There were thousands of compatriots around”, recalls Minasi, “and there was no way to find out who was where. The enormous importance of offering a sort of single post office box where everyone could record the details of their journey to be found directly or to indicate a trusted person to contact in case of need was understood”.
“The challenge”, adds the director of the Crisis Unit, “is to always keep these tools updated. With the recent Gulf crisis we have also opened WhatsApp channels for all Italians who want to receive notifications from the Farnesina via the crisis unit. Even without downloading the app you can see the notifications on the WhatsApp number”.
Is the awareness of using these tools increasing among Italians who travel for pleasure or for work? “There is an ever-increasing demand for prompt response from the public administration but sometimes there is no awareness of the means offered,” replies Minasi. “The real challenge”, he adds, “is to make these possibilities known and we are doing it in a new way, as well as with a television commercial with Alberto Angela broadcast by Rai, also with social campaigns to reach younger travelers for the first time”.
A piece of advice from the Crisis Unit is to take out health insurance policies before travelling. “There are often unexpected health expenses and without health insurance the costs of repayment can be very high,” warns Minasi.
After almost five years on the front line on the fifth floor of the Farnesina, where today he coordinates a team of 34 people operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Minasi confides: “I have never seen a crisis the same as another”. “Whether it is a natural disaster or a conflict”, he explains, “each time there are different dynamics. The last war in the Gulf was the most difficult experience ever because we found ourselves with seven fronts open at the same time: all the Gulf countries, the Italians in Iran, Israel, Lebanon, the Maldives, in South-East Asia and in addition all the others scattered in the area with special needs. There were challenging and contemporary parallel situations to manage. Italy was the first country to organize facilitated flights and charters. We finished the facilitated departure of the 25 thousand Italians and we finished when the other countries started. It was a source of great satisfaction.”
