TravelWise trivia
The Department of Foreign Affairs provides travel advice to the public. Travel advice is information and advice to prepare citizens before travelling abroad, and gives an assessment of the risks they could face. Travel advice is available in two different formats: (i) country-specific and (ii) thematic.
Teacher instruction: The activity is a simple trivia quiz to gauge students’ knowledge and assumptions about the Department of Foreign Affairs’ work and international travel advice.
The statements and response have been designed to be given orally but can also be given on printouts (downloadable below) if preferred.
How well do students know the Department of Foreign Affairs’ travel advice? Without any prior research, students can work in pairs or groups or as a whole to answer the following questions.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. How many passports does the Department of Foreign Affairs produce every year? | Approximately 900,000 passports are produced each year, which is around 25,000 per week. This includes applications from Irish people all over the world, and not just in Ireland. |
| 2. The Department’s TravelWise website gets over one million visitors every year. What do you think were the most visited country advice pages in 2023? |
1. United States (87,431 hits) 2. Philippines (43,781 hits) 3. Spain (38,679 hits) 4. Indonesia (37,937 hits) 5. Morocco (23,326 hits) |
| 3. True or False: It is illegal to chew gum in Singapore. |
True. It is also illegal to bring chewing gum into the country. On-the-spot fines are common, and can be given for a wide range of behaviours which are tolerated in Ireland. Visitors will be fined for smoking in any public place or indoor restaurants, or littering. |
| 4. Is the European Health Insurance Card is an alternative form of travel insurance? |
No! This card entitles you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as nationals of the EU country you are visiting. The EHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance and doesn’t cover medical repatriation, ongoing medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature. |
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5. Do Irish passport holders require at least six months validity on their passports if travelling within the EU? |
No! While it is always recommended to have ample validity on travel documents, Irish passport holders visiting other EU member states only require their passport to be valid until the day they depart to travel home. |
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6. True or False: In certain areas in Italy, eating and sitting on steps or monuments is forbidden. |
True. This is particularly the case near churches and in some piazzas. When travelling abroad you should always be aware of local laws and customs, especially regarding historic and religious sites. [Optional] Advice on local laws and customs features in all of the Department’s country travel advisories. Check out the advice Ireland’s Embassy in Bangkok has for Irish citizens travelling to Thailand in the short video below this table. |
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7. How long before departing on a trip is enough time to check with you doctor whether vaccinations are required for your destination: A. 2 days B. 2 weeks C. 2 months |
C! It is recommended to check at least eight weeks in advance with your doctor or a travel health clinic regarding vaccinations. |
| 8. Does Ireland have an Embassy on the island of Mallorca? |
No! Ireland does not have an embassy or consulate in Mallorca; the Embassy of Ireland to Spain in Madrid takes care of all official work between Ireland and Spain. However, Ireland is represented in Mallorca by its Honorary Consul based in Palma. There are almost 90 Honorary Consuls located around the world where Ireland does not have a diplomatic mission, or where there is a need for more geographic coverage. |
| 9. True or False: Europe does not experience earthquakes. |
False. Many fault lines run through Europe though most are minor compared to other regions in the world. For example, Italy and Greece are located in an active seismic zone and tremors are common, although serious earthquakes are not so frequent. It is important to read travel advice about the country you’re travelling to in order to learn about potential risks you may not have been aware of. |
| 10. Can littering in forests be dangerous when abroad? |
Yes. This is because rubbish in forests can ignite and cause a wildfire, which affects countries including Portugal, Spain, and Greece every year. It is also recommended not to use open-air barbeques in wooded/dry areas for the same reason. |
| 11. How many countries does the Department of Foreign Affairs provide travel advice for? | The Department provides travel advice for 211 countries and territories. |
| 12. True or False: Public displays of affection are frowned upon in Dubai. | True. Remember, the local laws apply to you as a visitor and it is your responsibility to follow them. Be sensitive to local customs, traditions and practices as your behaviour may be seen as improper, hostile or even illegal. |
Download the SPHE Lesson printouts:
Watch: Irish Ambassador Pat Bourne and travel blogger Richard Barrow
Activity Extension - Want to learn more?
The lesson can be further extended here with an additional activity.
In question 2 above, it was revealed that Irish citizens visited the travel advice pages for the US, Philippines, Spain, Indonesia and Morocco the most out of all countries in 2023.
The class can be divided into five groups with each tasked with researching each of the five countries with the greatest number of web visits, and present their findings on what the greatest risks in each are according to the Department’s travel advice.
What do students think the biggest tourist attractions in each country are? Would they like to visit these countries, or have they visited before?