Travel is enjoyable, enlightening, and a lovely experience. It is simple to become engrossed in exciting and enjoyable adventures. But when travelling, you shouldn’t disregard safety and security. Discover why it’s important to travel safely by reading more down below!

Travel Safety Tips:

Why Is Travel Safety Important?

The majority of us enjoy going on trips. It gives us the ability to visit unexplored parts of a country and introduces us to fascinating cultures and environments that are different from our own.

One of the most exciting parts of travelling is trying new cuisines because it gives you a better understanding of the local dishes and ingredients, as well as the natural products and ingredients available in that region.

But despite the thrills and fascinating cultures, we cannot ignore the travel safety rules. Therefore, you must exercise caution when you are out.

Other factors that make travel safety important include natural disasters, security, traveller’s health (both physical and mental), which has an impact on how well their business trip goes, and crime (including cyber and informational crime). Take a look at what Judy has said about their travels if you start to feel scared or anxious.

“I have not been robbed a single time since, at home or abroad. But that’s not all; when combined with the other safety measures I take, I am confident that even if I am robbed, I will have access to money, insurance to replace my belongings or pay for my medical bills, a network of people who are aware of my whereabouts at all times, and a way to access my money. Copies of the necessary legal documents to return home bring me incredible peace of mind so that I can actually enjoy my trip!”
Judy Hill

To travel safely, carefully follow these 8 travel safety tips!

Local Travel Safety Tips

Do Research

Research should not begin when you board the plane or even when you get to your destination. You begin your research before you even board the aircraft.

You need to get to know your destination in depth before you arrive.

Ensure you have done sufficient research on your destination: what are the common safety risks and what scams are prevalent in that country?

What neighbourhoods are known to be unsafe?

You should research the locations you will be visiting and the hostels you’ll be staying at. When travelling to a foreign country, doing research will make you feel more at ease and secure.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

No matter where you are, whether you are in a busy tourist area or are strolling down a deserted street, you should always be aware of your surroundings.

Never leave your personal items unattended, and exercise caution when approaching strangers.

The opportunities it provides to meet new people and discover their cultures are a big part of what makes travelling so enjoyable.

However, if someone close to you is behaving strangely or if you feel uneasy, leave the area right away.

Check-in With Family and Friends

It’s always a good idea to let friends or family back home know when you’re leaving, whether it’s for a quick overnight trip or a month-long international trip.

Make it a routine to check in with a close friend or relative at home each evening.

I am aware that this might seem like a hassle, but in the end, it is always preferable to be safe than sorry.

If someone knows where you were supposed to be that day, they will be able to help you more quickly if something terrible happens.

Ask Locals for Advice

Ask for advice on which neighbourhoods are safe and which are not so safe when you check in at a hotel or hostel, and mark those locations on your map that you should avoid.

In the event that you get lost or need directions, you can also ask the locals.

Be Smart About Your Money and Keep it Safe

Carrying large amounts of cash is not really a good idea, as any reliable source of travel safety advice will inform you. Instead, you could open an account with an international bank or credit card company so you can use local ATMs.

If an ATM machine seems to have eaten your card, feel for any protrusions by running your finger along the card slot.

The “Lebanese Loop” is a scam in which a thin plastic sleeve traps your card (preventing the machine from reading it) and, as soon as you walk away, a thief yanks it out and makes off with your card. Another overlooked factor is where other people are when you’re at the machine.

Can someone peer over your shoulder?

Are they close enough that they could grab the cash and run off? If so, use another ATM elsewhere.

It is always better to be safe than sorry! Also, never allow anyone to “assist” you with your transaction.

Never keep all of your money in one place.

Maintain two or three separate locations for your cash and credit cards, such as a compartment (in a belt pouch, hairbrush, or backpack), or behind a patch. This is to prevent you from going without anything if one of your stashes is stolen. Additionally, you should be careful how much cash you carry with you. Money theft is a possibility, which is not good.

Know the Phone Number for the Emergency Number

Even before you arrive, be sure to look up the emergency contact information for your destination.

Additionally, before you travel, it’s a good idea to look up the local embassy’s phone number.

You can quickly access them in an emergency if you write them down or save them on your phone.

Be aware of travel scams

Wherever you go in the world, you’ll always find people ready to trick you out of your hard-earned cash. Hopefully, they will be fairly obvious.

It is simple to assume that we are intelligent enough to avoid falling victim to travel scams. Even the best of us experience it occasionally!

Take the Cuban milk scam, for instance. Or the infamous Parisian ring scam.

Click here to find out more about scams!

There are unique scams in every nation that you should be aware of!

First, avoid keeping all of your crucial papers, cards, and/or your passport in one location.
Second, never put your front or back jeans pockets—or anything else of value—in your wallet.
When someone bumps into you on a bus, subway, or in the street, pay close attention.

Always Keep an Eye Out for your Belongings

When you stroll through the scenery, begin to shop, or even when you’re at home, make sure all of your belongings are with you. Most importantly, if you run into someone, make sure they haven’t stolen anything that belongs to you.

This is all the advice on how to travel safely.

What happens, though, when you’re at the airport?

What should you be aware of?

We do, however, have four suggestions for airport safety that may be of use.

Airport Travel Safety Tips

Prepare for Security Checkpoints

A general guideline is to remove electronics, cameras, and mobile devices before getting in line for security and to be prepared to put them in a separate bin.

Some checkpoint requirements are country-specific laws. For instance, some international flights prohibit passengers from checking laptops as carry-on luggage.

In other airports, metal objects, including belts and shoes, are to be removed. Knowing the security requirements for the destinations you are travelling to and from will allow you to concentrate more on what is going on around you.

Keeping Healthy

Many airports receive literally thousands of travellers each day, which means there could be a wide variety of germs present.

If you want to stay healthy, do the following: Always wear shoes, wash your hands after using the restrooms, and if any of your possessions, like your phone, are placed in security bins, make sure to wipe them down when you retrieve them.

Additionally, it’s a good idea to carry hand sanitiser so that you can use it in the event that you can’t wash your hands.

Belongings

As in any crowded place, you need to keep a close eye on your luggage at all times in case something happens to it. Read more about your belongings and see how you can be safe.

Keep your bags with you at all times.
Use luggage tags but avoid writing your address on them, as this suggests that your house might be vacant. Instead, write down your mobile phone number or email address on the label so that if your bags are lost, someone can easily contact you. Additionally, include your contact information inside your luggage in case the labels on the outside come off.
Don’t carry around a lot of cash; airports are a favourite hangout for thieves. The same goes for valuables, although if you do have these with you, it’s often a good idea to keep them in your hand luggage rather than in any luggage you plan to put in the aircraft hold.
If you want to travel with both hands free, think about a backpack rather than a suitcase. This can be useful if you have young children with you or are concerned about thieves.
Make a list of everything you pack in any luggage going into the aeroplane’s hold. By doing this, you will have a list of the contents of your bags that you can give to the police or your travel insurance company in the event that they are stolen or lost.

Get Travel Insurance

Planning your trip takes a lot of time and effort. You might not have considered how important travel insurance is.

Despite the fact that insurance cannot stop accidents from happening, it can make up for them in some circumstances, including:

Loss or theft of your travel documents, passport, luggage, or traveller’s checks.
The replacement and fraud of credit cards.
Cancellation fees and lost deposits for pre-paid travel arrangements.
Accommodation and food costs weren’t anticipated because of a flight delay of more than six hours.
Overseas emergency medical assistance.
Accidental death or permanent harm.

This is how you stay safe when visiting other places! Hopefully, the next time you go on vacation, you will remember one of these tips.

For more tips, guides, and advice, make sure to visit our latest travel blogs. And check out our ATOL Protection scheme!