I’m sure the last thing on your mind when you’re caught up in the excitement of an ensuing holiday is your safety or security. That is of course unless you’re traveling to a war zone; let’s hope for your sake that this doesn’t turn out to be the case.
Of course whatever your destination you should always review the level of security needed. This doesn’t just include finding resort and/or country information but involves many other factors such as; political status, risk of natural disaster, and social and economic variances.
We are becoming increasingly aware of the need for travel insurance whilst taking our holidays, but we still have a long way to go when it comes to our travel security arrangements. Many of us are aware that we should check the current climate in both a meteorological and political sense, finding this information however can be a daunting task.
You may find even when traveling to the most tourist-friendly resort that factors beyond your control can change, such as in the event of an earthquake or a military coup. You need only cast your mind back to September of last year to be reminded of the military coup in Thailand which resulted in the formation of a new government. Should this be the case in your circumstances, you may find yourself needing to either cancel your holiday or make provision to return home early.
You should ensure you have any emergency numbers necessary before you travel, including those of the British embassy and your travel insurance emergency line. Giving relatives a contact number for the accommodation you will be staying at is also a good idea. It is worth noting that some internet travel security websites offer 24-hour emergency contact giving you access to practical assistance should you lose your passport, suffer a natural disaster or fall foul of any other emergency.
Usually, this type of service can offer you help and advice on many aspects of safety abroad and provide you with fully researched destination reports including much relevant and crucial information. With the increase in terrorist attacks and with this being more commonly seen in tourist resorts than ever before can you afford not to take some precautions?