Travel Safety Tips
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Summer is here again, and many of us are planning trips abroad. While there is increased risk, there are steps that we can take to keep ourselves and our families safe when we travel. Here are a few that I recommend…
Do not Advertise your Nationality
If you are traveling abroad, or even in your own country, advertising that you are from out of town increases your chances of being a victim of crime or terrorism. Opportunistic criminals and terrorists look for foreigners, especially Americans, whom they perceive as wealthy. Leave the corporate logos, Blackberries, iPods, and expensive jewelry at home or at the hotel. If you typically wear shorts, brightly colored shirts, sandals and the like when you travel you will stand out. We recommend something like business casual attire, especially in cities. You look less like a tourist and it’s easier to blend into a crowd if you are dressed a bit more conservatively.
Trust your Instincts
Your instincts are often right. If a situation does not feel right then leave. If you don’t feel safe in a hotel, then move. If a taxi looks suspicious, wait for another. It is better to feel a bit silly and paranoid than to be the victim of crime or terrorism, or as the old adage goes, “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”
Locate Your Country’s Embassy or Consulate
No matter how brief your stay in a foreign country, always locate your country’s embassy or consulate and let them know that you are there. You can even pre-register before you leave. They can be an enormous help in the event of an emergency.
Copy Important Documents
You should leave copies of your passport, visa, driver’s license, and health insurance, bank and credit cards in a hotel safe as well as with a friend or family member back home. Better yet, scan copies into an emailable format. Should you become the victim of theft or kidnapping, this could prove to be invaluable.
Rent or Buy a Cell Phone with International Roaming
Rent or buy a cell phone with international roaming that will function at your destination. Most U. S. mobile phone providers offer a global rental service.
Never Take the First Taxi in Line in Developing/Volatile Countries
If a group is out to kidnap you, they may have a taxi waiting outside your hotel for your departure or a compatriot in the hotel who will signal them when you are about to leave. For this reason it is better to hail a taxi on the street or have your hotel recommend a reputable taxi or limousine service. Also beware of unmarked taxis.
Don’t Exchange Currency at the Airport
Criminals often target foreign visitors exchanging large sums at airport banks and foreign exchange kiosks.
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June 30th, 2007 at 8:57 am
[…] I the wake of the attempted mass murder by car-bomb in London yesterday, I thought I could drop a timely reminder that one of our clients is the international security expert (and author) Juval Aviv. Juval has been writing up some of his security tips for Summer Travel. […]
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