Should I Travel or Not?

The statistics have shown that there is an increase in terrorist incidents, natural disasters, kidnappings and many other risks to travelers over the past 20 years. It seems as though there is an extreme weather incident somewhere every day. I am often asked whether it is safe to travel to Europe, to Israel or even to some cities in the US. My answer is usually, yes, as long as you have a plan in case of an emergency.

Risk ratings and other pre-trip information are very helpful when deciding whether to travel, but sometimes the trip is necessary for business or other reasons. Pre-trip planning can go a long way to having more confidence while traveling. Having a crisis assistance service is critical. If your company does not have a formal program, you should look at getting one for yourself. These programs typically provide you with pre-trip information and alerts of incidents before and during your trip. Most importantly, they can offer 24-hour assistance if an emergency occurs.

Nobody can predict whether you might fall victim to a crime, suffer a medical emergency or be in an area when an earthquake occurs. These types of things happen every day around the world. While having information before your trip is helpful, the peace of mind that comes from knowing you can call one number for advice and assistance, and that on-the-ground help is available, is worth it.

You can pretty much travel anywhere safely, but depending on ‘it will never happen to me’ is an enormous risk.