Concerned about security, travelers consider options, make plans

by Chris Owen on

Be it the effects of an earthquake or tsunami, political unrest or criminal activity at a planned destination, travelers are concerned about security and being safe both when traveling and upon arrival. What was once a part of travel taken for granted with few precautions necessary has become a matter of primary importance and one shaping travel decisions for many. Should current world affairs keep us from traveling? Experts say no but urge caution.
“Most business and pleasure travelers don’t have a security plan” says Travel security expert Chris E McGoey who recommends meeting with business supervisors and family members “to discuss what if situations.”

What if your passport is lost or stolen in a foreign country? What if you are attacked, robbed or otherwise the victim of a crime?

The U.S Department of State’s Smart Traveler program is a step in the right direction. By enrolling in the program, travelers enable the Department of State to get in contact with them in an emergency. Bringing along contact information for the U.S. embassy in countries you will visit is important too.


Knowing the local customs of a country before visiting has always been good advice. Now, knowing more specifics on what to do in case of an emergency is more important than ever. But “what to prepare for?” has become a big question as travel disruptions from weather events to revolutions continue to occur world wide.

Security expert Christopher Falkenberg suggests travelers “take and all hazards approach. Think of the broadest range of problems-flood, fire, earthquake, terrorist attack, etc. Essentially, they will all need the same thing: effective communication, clean water, physical safety, flashlight, medical supplies, N95 mask, etc. Instead of a separate checklist for every possible crisis, think in terms of the common elements of what you’ll need in any emergency and how you can prepare for it. It helps when thinking about the “result” of an emergency versus the actual event itself.”

Security is a matter now given serious attention regardless of the method of travel. By foot, car, plane, ship or rail travelers are concerned that their method of transportation may be a target for terrorists and are apprehensive about what they will find at their destinations.

It has been suggested that travel via cruise ship may offer added protection to travelers. If for no other reason, the closed and secure environment a cruise ship offers if as nothing more than a mode of transportation is worthy of consideration.

As a potential terrorist target, strict maritime security laws are in place to protect passengers. and cruise ships. Back in 2004 the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) introduced a comprehensive ship and port security code. According to the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL) “these regulations established international security regulations that require all ships, port facilities and governments to have formal security plans, screening measures, access control, waterside security and communications between ships and ports.”

Cruise lines place a great deal of effort in maintaining a secure environment for travelers both on and off the ships too. Recently ships have been diverted away from trouble spots like Mazatlan, Mexico where criminal activity is a concern and Japan where a damaged infrastructure might harbor unsafe conditions.

Airlines, cruise lines and other modes of transportation are operating at a high level of security that offer travelers some peace of mind in troubled times. Still, a customized security plan , considering the potential dangers in traveling to your destinations, should be at the top of every traveler’s packing list.

Flickr photo by followtheseinstructions

Related Stories


Surviving a revolution, tips from those who have been there

by Chris Owen on

Fox News has an excellent story on surviving a revolution from the front lines. During the best of times, travel is a game of chance. You trust that your airline will get you there, you trust that your hotel will have your reservation and you really trust that you will have some Internet access. Wherever you may travel, all those things we take for granted and have planned for are off the table if a revolution occurs. Here’s what you need to know.

Engineer Scott Wallace recently landed about 75 miles south of Benghazi in eastern Libya. Very quickly the situation turned into a “day of rage” protesting Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi and his regime and revolution-mode was the order of the day.

“The whole regime was very effective in shutting down cell phone access, Internet coverage, and data services,” Wallace told Fox News, noting that he has been in many overseas destinations “where connectivity was limited, but when you have a government that is actively trying to block you,” as the Gaddafi regime was doing from Tripoli, “sending a message becomes a cat and mouse game.”

Wallace found texting was the key to having any kind of communication with the outside world noting there was “always enough of a breakdown in the [regime’s] spam filters,” and while the text “might be delayed by six to twelve hours, it still got through.”

Electronic methods of communication may be the best bet but if everything is cut off, other strategies can work too.

Mike Bowers, senior director of health and safety at People to People Ambassador Programs, urges parents with kids overseas to “make sure you have online access to bank and credit card accounts they’ll be using. Not only can you monitor their spending and budget, but this will give you some clues as to their whereabouts and activities.”

Registering with the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) can help too. Travel security expert Philip Farina suggests registering “could make the difference between your having to stay [in a dangerous situation] and your getting out”

A lot of surviving a revolution is hinged on being prepared too. Keeping your eyes open, being aware of your surroundings, staying off public transportation (big terrorist target) and having cash in case ATM’s and banks lock up without the Internet connection to process transactions is important too.

“I don’t go on a trip anywhere without a flashlight,” adding that it doesn’t have to be a huge one. “If there’s no electricity in your hotel or city you may need a flashlight desperately.”

Farina cautions travelers to remember the revolution is “not about you being a tourist, it is about something else. In some cases tourists can be harmed, in others not, [but] it stands to reason you may need to buy yourself through checkpoints, through neighborhoods, or through a particular zone.”

Related Stories

Flickr photo by B.R.Q.


Oil prices and unrest in Egypt: Will they affect travel?

by Chris Owen on

Airlines and Cruise lines have been watching the price of oil for quite some time. Fuel surcharges are unpopular fees and neither wants to add them on again if they can possibly avoid it. Some say fuel surcharges are inevitable and quite possibly the least of our worries.

Cruise lines, almost universally, have a ceiling of between $70 and $90 a barrel for oil. If the price reaches that point, they can add on a fuel surcharge. Prices have actually exceeded that threshold recently and cruise lines still did not add on the extra fee, fearful that the fee combined with the recovering economy could drive buyers away.

American Airlines added fuel surcharges of as much as $5 each way on many routes with United Continental Holdings Inc. adding a $3 each-way surcharge. Just Friday, British Airways said they would increase the fuel surcharge they already have in place.

“British Airways will increase its fuel surcharge on long haul services from Tuesday, February 8,” it said in a statement but not on short haul services.

How it will all play out is up for grabs right now but US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is concerned about additional factors that could affect travel far greater than a fuel surcharge.

Flickr photo by ayman_ay17

Saying the Middle East “”is being battered by a perfect storm of powerful trends,” Clinton is concerned about unrest in the region.

“Leaders in the region may be able to hold back the tide for a little while, but not for long,” she said. “This is what has driven demonstrators into the streets of Tunis, Cairo and cities throughout the region. The status quo is simply not sustainable.”

If danger presents itself, travel warnings issued by the US Department of State could be extended to neighboring regions as well. If that happens, tour operators, airlines and cruise lines would probably react similarly to how the have this week, canceling service to Egypt.

On the other hand, tour operators in Spain can see an up side to the whole issue, as alternative ports of call and destinations found for booked travelers. This week, the German divisions of Thomas Cook and TUI Travel said they were seeing a trend for customers to switch Egypt holidays for ones to Spain or Turkey.

While a safe alternative is a good idea, it will hardly fulfill the lifelong dreams some have had for visiting Egypt, a trip that probably won’t happen any time soon.

The Travel Channel offers these tips for traveling overseas:

3 no-brainer cruise safety tips

by Chris Owen on

There are a lot of great features on your upcoming cruise vacation. Good times with friends and/or family, seeing new and exotic ports of call or visiting ones you’ve already seen again and lots of stuff to do on board the ship are just a few.

You’ll be encouraged to get into the whole experience and that’s good advice. You can unwind, relax and come away a new, renewed person. Throughout your voyage you’ll have the opportunity to do or not do some things that can impact your experience. Here are three cruise safety tips that focus on some things you don’t want to do.

  1. Don’t blindly trust the youth counselors– We want to believe the best of everyone and we really want to believe that the people we trust with our kids are good people. Take a few minutes from time to time throughout the voyage to make eye contact with and talk to the youth counselors that will have direct contact with your kid. If you see something odd in those eyes, don’t be afraid to walk right out of there with your kid. Trust your instincts as a parent; they are as good at sea as they are on land.
  2. Don’t visit crew areas of the ship– This sounds like a no-brainer, crossing over into the world marked “crew-only”, but here’s one good reason for it: While you are visiting with your new crew friend, you are surely not in your cabin and that would be a great time for some other crew member to get in and take your stuff. If you or someone you know is entering the crew-only world that’s a big red flag that something is wrong. Maybe that person is drinking too much and having an alcohol-induced crush on that handsome bartender with the charming accent.
  3. Don’t blindly go ashore- Bad stuff can happen when traveling anyplace by any method of travel. There are bad parts of most all towns whether on a Caribbean island or in the middle of some continent. Going ashore, from a native point of view, there are two kinds of people; those going on an organized shore excursion and those going it on their own. The later are the easy marks and the ones crooks most commonly target. Yes, there are rare stories of groups on excursions being held up too but a couple or small group walking around town for shopping are easy prey.

Guatemala travel alert: road to Lake Atitlan closed until year’s end due to mudslides

by Laurel Miller on

The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City is asking that travelers defer visiting Lake Atitlan until January for safety reasons, due to an increase of crime during the holiday season, and closure of the main road due to mudslides. The stunning volcanic lake in Guatemala’s Highlands is a popular destination for travelers in search of a low-key, off-the-beaten-path holiday.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the road from the Department of Solola to the lakeside town of Panajachel will be closed until the end of the year, and that “alternate routes to Panajachel by road or boat involve risk.”

For updates, go the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs website.

[Photo credit: Flickr user alq666]