Some countries and regions are becoming unsafe for citizens, to say nothing of tourists and other foreign nationals. In this article on Daily Migrant, we will walk you through how to keep your family and properties safe while on a trip by providing several travel security tips.
It would be best if you did adequate research before traveling anywhere you have never been to, especially a foreign country.
With the tips in this article, you will learn several safety tips for business travel and vacations.
Let’s get down to business!
Why is Travel Safety and Security Important?
Travel safety and security are essential and would give you peace of mind throughout your stay abroad. It also lets you know all potential threats in the destination country.
Besides, you will learn what to do in various emergencies.
What are the Safety and Security Risks when Travelling?
Travelers are usually victims of various crimes in a foreign country because they are conspicuous and unaware of their surroundings.
Such crimes are as follows:
- Theft: Foreigners often become victims of theft overseas. One thing you should know is that it usually occurs at night or in secluded places.
- Physical assault: There are also chances of foreigners being involved in an act that could cause bodily harm overseas.
- Terrorism: Countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia have high levels of terrorism. Therefore, have a second thought before your visit.
- Kidnap: Some foreigners are kidnapped for ransom during their trip to a foreign country.
- Pickpocket: If you like to visit crowded places, be cautious of items in your pockets and backpack to prevent pickpockets.
- Rape: Women are usually victims of forced sexual activities when in a foreign country, especially when walking alone at night.
- Carjacking: Whether renting a car or driving a friend’s car during your trip, avoid driving at night or on lonely roads.
- Armed robbery
- Burglary
- Roadside banditry
- Fraud
Here’s a list of other things that could pose risks to a foreigner:
- Xenophobia
- Racism
Let’s now explore some international and domestic travel safety tips to keep your family and properties safe!
10 Ways To Keep Your Family and Properties Safe During Travel
The following are ten (10) essential travel safety tips.
Make sure you check the country’s travel advisory
Before traveling to a foreign country, we advise you to check its travel advisory so you can know its unsafe areas and other things to avoid. Travel advisories are normally issued by government agencies, especially their ministries of Foreign Affairs.
You can keep your family and properties safe during travel by checking the chances and levels of criminal activities in the destination country. These include pickpocketing, armed robbery, burglary, carjacking, kidnapping, roadside banditry, fraud, assault, and rape.
If you want to travel to a country with any of these issues, consider taking the following measures:
- Avoid walking or driving at night. If you need to be, ensure adequate caution.
- Be mindful of your surroundings
- Stay away from large political gatherings
- Always hold your passport, travel document, or a valid ID card when on an outing
- Maintain a low profile
- Be extra cautious when you visit banks or ATMs
- Endeavor not to resist any robbery attempt if you’re ever attacked
- Avoid connecting your phones, tablets, iPads, and laptops to public Wi-Fi
Install tracking apps on all devices
As you seek international travel safety tips to keep your family and properties safe during travel, you might never have considered installing tracking apps on your mobile devices. We advise you to install at least one Android or iOS app to let you track your and your family member’s location anywhere.
It goes a long way if any of you becomes a victim of kidnap, rape, or theft. Some free tracking apps to install include Life360, Glympse, FamiSafe, and AirDroid. These apps are downloadable free of charge and are also among the best international business travel safety tips.
Set passwords on your phones and computers
Your phone is likely logged in to your emails and has your credit card information. If an unauthorized person has access to either of these, you might lose a lot, including all the money in your bank accounts. So consider enabling passwords on your mobile devices and PC to prevent authorized access to your accounts and confidential files.
Even if someone steals your phone, they will be unable to unlock your apps, to say nothing of knowing your identity. Your photos, videos, documents, and other media will also be safe due to the password restriction.
Thus, the thief will have no option but to wipe your phone’s data or dispose of it since it would be useless.
Don’t share your location or agenda on social media
Another way to keep your family and properties safe during travel is to hide your location on photos and videos you upload on social media. Don’t show places that can provide clues to people about where you took your pictures on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
The easiest way to hide your location is to disable geotagging on camera pictures and turn off your device’s GPS location. Doing all of these keeps you, your family, and your properties less vulnerable to several crimes, especially kidnap.
Don’t go out with what you don’t need
We also recommend keeping items and devices you don’t need on an outing in your hotel room or anywhere else safe. Endeavor to lock them up and hide them where no one can easily find them, hence, making this one of the best hotel safety tips for business travelers.
You may leave your education credentials, property documents, and Social Security cards in your home country, as you’ll likely not need them while on a trip.
Items such as your passport, credit & debit cards, business proposals, and laptop should always be kept indoors, as they require more cautiousness. So it would be best not to take them out whenever you want to sightsee or visit an attraction.
Safeguard your hotel room
Research the hotel you intend to stay overseas before making a reservation. This gives you insights into the harassment and crimes involving guests in the hotel. The best way to know more about the hotel is to search for its name on Google Maps to see its rating and customer reviews.
The reviews will also enable you to know about what guests often experience during their stay and whether the hotel is safe for them. You won’t find someone to tell you all these elsewhere, making it a good travel security tip.
When you eventually check in to the hotel, note the following measures before anything else.
- Know all emergency exits
- Check the room for hidden cameras and CCTVs. (Tip: Turn off the lights and shut the windows to maintain darkness. Then go to your phone’s camera and explore everywhere in the room. A hidden camera will show a red light on your screen.)
- Close the window curtains
- Always lock the hotel room’s door from behind
- Keep your belongings with you when the hotel staff arrives for housekeeping.
Buy a portable door lock for travel
Whether you plan to stay in a hotel, AirBnB, or a rented apartment, you need a portable door lock, such as the Addalock Original Portable Door Lock. A sturdy door lock helps to secure your room, regardless of if you’re indoors or going out to sightsee.
They typically have a compact size, which makes them a great option when thinking of how to keep your family and properties safe during travel. A door lock can be used on most hinged and swing doors. Besides, they are easy to install and would take only a minute.
Watch a YouTube Video on Travel Security Tips To Keep Your Family and Properties Safe.
Make photocopies of your documents
Instead of traveling with the original copies of your documents, consider making copies of them to take on your trip. If you need the original documents during your travel, please drop their photocopies in your home country just in case.
Moreover, only take one identification document or ID card on a trip and keep others safe in your home. When out for activities, always go with your documents and don’t leave them where you are staying. You may wear a neck wallet or money belt under your clothes to keep them hidden.
Wear a money belt or neck wallet
You can buy a neck wallet or money belt for as low as $7 to secure your properties. It allows you to keep your valuables hidden from potential thieves and pickpockets. A travel money belt is a safe way to protect your personal items against theft while on a trip. So endeavor to order one online before your intended trip.
Wearing a neck wallet is also a way to secure your items, and could be worn under clothing. However, only pack a few light items to keep it less suspicious from thieves.
Secure your home while away
Most importantly, find a way to keep your home away from burglars who might want to break into your home while you’re on a trip. Keep money safe while traveling and consider all other safety tips while on vacation.
Here are some measures to take, as researched by Daily Migrant:
- Inform your neighbors that you’re going on a trip
- Turn off your home lights and electric appliances. However, you may set programmable light timers outdoors or install motion sensor lights.
- Keep valuables out of sight and far from reach, including your windows.
- Ensure you lock your doors, windows, and garage.
- Stop your mail delivery so thieves and burglars won’t find it easy to know you are not home. It also keeps your important documents away from authorized access.
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Conclusion
Our travel experts at Daily Migrant curate these travel security tips to keep your family and properties safe. They will guarantee your safe trip and give you peace of mind, no matter the country you’re visiting. Make sure you take cognizance of them at all times and share this post with other travelers.
Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts below, as they may also be helpful to others looking for vacation and corporate travel safety tips.
