The Experienced Traveler

When speaking about travel security and travel risk management, invariably some folks are quick to say, ‘I travel all the time and nothing has ever happened to me’, or ‘our company has thousands of travelers, and we’ve never had a problem’. The trouble is bad things do happen, crisis situations do occur, and given the way the world is trending, someone in your company will at some point need some help. The possibility of a medical emergency, the increase in terrorist attacks, the unpredictability of political unrest and the potential for natural disasters all add up to the fact that odds are, you or maybe someone you work with will need some travel assistance in the future.

The idea that ‘it will never happen to me or us’ is not enough. Companies have duty of care responsibilities for their employees. They need to inform them of risks before they travel and provide them with assistance if a crisis occurs. Leisure travelers should consider an assistance product as well. Nothing ruins a vacation like a medical or security related emergency. Having an assistance product that covers you during the trip gives yourself and your family some peace of mind.

Experienced travelers can sometimes be at greater risk than a first-time traveler. As they often travel to the same places, stay at the same hotels, etc., they become complacent and not situationally aware. This is why a robust duty of care program is so important. The first step of providing pre-trip threat/risk information is critical and reminds travelers of the security situation at the location they are visiting. Equally important is notifications of alerts or incidents while on a trip. These alerts serve to inform and remind the traveler to take caution and be aware of their surroundings.

The experienced business or leisure traveler can be a great asset to any travel risk management program as their on the ground experience can benefit others, but only if they take precautions and remain situationally aware when they are away from home.