Eighty-six percent of Americans are concerned about terrorist attacks occurring while on vacation in various regions of the world, prompting many to make major changes to their travel plans.
The most important factors business travelers and travel buyers consider when choosing ground transportation is traveler and vehicle safety, followed by availability for a timely pick-up and convenience of payment methods, according to The2015 Ground Transportation Study, sponsored by Dav El/Boston Coach Chauffeured Transportation Network and Empire CLS Worldwide Chauffeured Services.
In the wake of disasters like Nepal’s earthquake, proactive efforts provide a significant return on investment when reacting to the extraordinary challenges of response and recovery; they reduce the demand for reactive resources in environments rife with life safety constraints and limitations.
It will come as no surprise that international travel poses a rapidly expanding number of risks for travelers. For women, the risks are magnified, especially in certain regions of the world. High-profile attacks on women in a number of countries reflect a general state of danger for female travelers.
Three U.S. naturalized citizens of Somali descent undertook suicide bombings in Somali on behalf of the Somali terror group al Shabaab. The concern is that U.S.-based individuals would fight in Syria, return to the United States, and participate in a terror attack on U.S. soil.
Travel risk mitigation plans should protect all employees, including travelers, expatriates and emerging market employees, and there should be a focus on Duty of Care. The plans should include clear and comprehensive policies governing business travel as well as the ability to locate and communicate with travelers within minutes of a significant event.
The most important step is to understand the level and type of kidnap risk in countries or regions where your organization operates or where employees are expected to travel for business reasons.
If your organization is operating in an area where the risk of kidnap is deemed high, you should consider the Special Risk options available through the insurance market. Carried by many leading underwriters, Kidnap/Ransom and Extortion (KRE) coverage reimburses the losses associated with a kidnap.