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How to Stay Safe when Traveling to Dangerous Destinations

 

We’ve all heard the term, “high risk, high reward”; but where some people draw the line of “worth it” differs greatly from others. As business travelers, our jobs sometimes take us to places a little dicier than Cleveland or Tulsa, and that is just something that comes with the territory. Many people quickly write off these high risk areas, and would never think to travel there. However, just because a place has a certain stigma, or has dangerous aspects to it, doesn’t mean that it is off limits. With a few tips and the right mindset, any location is a place for you to conduct business safely.

1. Blend In, Fear is never helpful

The manner in which you dress, navigate a city, and generally carry yourself can have a big impact on whether or not you would be targeted for a crime or attack. Pickpockets tend to target tourists, so wearing a sweatshirt from your University in a place like Burma might tip off would be attackers. It is important to blend in as much as possible and know your surroundings well. One common mistake for many travelers is using a map when navigating a city. It helps to do plenty of research before your trip, or from the safety of your hotel room so that you are not targeted while you’re out and about.

2. Prepare yourself

If you find yourself going into an area with severely violent conditions, and the issues you will face aren’t as easily avoided as pickpockets are it is wise to consider preparing yourself a little more indepthly. Your and your company should search for relevant training programs for people working in your desired region of travel. There are programs meant for consultants, NGOs, journalists and others. While some programs have a more military security focused program, others focus more on how to avoid things like sexual assault and keeping your digital information safe.

3. Have an exit strategy

Now these may go without saying for some, but having a plan and being thorough are paramount to your safe duration of your stay, as well as your return. First, make sure your embassy is aware of your expected arrival and departure dates. They will be very important if something should happen during your stay. Another helpful tip is to make color copies of your passport; if your original should get lost or stolen it will be very difficult to get back home. Exchanging copies with a coworker or travel partner so that if your copies are stolen, there is a back up plan. Creating a plan for worst case scenario situations is extremely important as well. Discuss with your travel partners what would happen should something happen to one of you. Most importantly, always have your coworkers’ and travel partners’ phone numbers on hand, as well as your embassy’s number in case of emergency.

4. Get the facts

Generalizing the conditions in any area is something that you are going to want to avoid. It is sometimes difficult to gauge the level of danger in an area if you’re not linked to it directly, or viewing it yourself. So instead of getting your information solely from headlines or any one source, use many. Ask questions to people who have lived, or are currently living in the area. Also use your resources online, your country and company should both have resources available for you to let you know what kind of situation you will be dealing with once you arrive.

5. Risk Mitigation

The last tip I have for you when traveling to a dangerous destination is to be cautious, and be smart. While it is important not to let perceptions or potential risk keep you from conducting business anywhere in the world, it is also important to be aware of these risks and weigh them against the type of reward at stake. Some countries are extremely violent and wars are taking place, if your life is in very real danger, it’s important to take these conditions into consideration and maybe rethink the business that would need to take place there. Anywhere you go, taking with you the confidence, preparation, and resources available will help make your stay a productive, and safe one.

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