In recent times there has been a growth in the issue of travel advisories by various governments and institutions alerting citizens and travellers in general about the likely consequences of travel to certain destinations and countries. This paper examines in particular the travel advisories of five English-speaking countries, namely the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. In addition the paper examines the impact of these travel advisories on the tourism industry of the less developed countries particularly those in Asia. Some comments on the role of the media are also presented.