Travel Safety: Assessing Location Risks & Incentive Travel

We live in an unpredictable world where danger isn’t always synonymous with location. However, organizations don’t really have any wiggle room when it comes to the safety of their employees. And that is something that should be factored in when it comes to creating your short list for meeting and incentive travel locations. As well as business travel layovers, and really, travel of any sort.

With the years of experience that Carrousel brings the to the table, we have our finger on the pulse of the market in different ways. First, what destinations are hot and trending right now. And also on the other side of the coin - locations that might be too risky for an organization to travel to at the moment. Of course there are the obvious (Iraq, Afghanistan), but there are also some countries and locations that might cause fear, but are actually fairly safe.

While Carrousel can help make recommendations to your organization, it’s always helpful for you to understand the risks as well. The US Department of State’s travel website is a good starting place to understand the risks that are inherent in travel from different perspectives:

• Understand the risks
  There are 4 levels of security risk, and just about every place in the world has some level of risk associated with it (including the United States). However, the security level doesn’t always reflect the probability of an incident for tourists. In many cases, particularly for Mexico and most of the popular Caribbean destinations, they may have a high security risk. But the majority of safety incidents aren’t happening near resorts, or tourist areas; it’s more inland or rural parts of the country. If you have a destination in mind, but aren’t sure of the security risks, Carrousel can help provide more context.
• Travel smart
  Factors that can affect a security risk rating include political and social unrest as well as violent and petty crime rates. It can be helpful as a reminder to implement some factors in a travel policy to ensure all bases are covered. “Future resiliency” includes ensuring that employees understand general travel safety, including how to protect themselves from cybersecurity threats via RFID protected cases, for example. Other considerations include locations that are acceptable or accessible to LGBT travelers, disabled employees, and if there are specific guidelines for women, such as modest dress.

In our evolving world, things change rapidly. Security looks different now than it did a decade ago, but it’s our job at Carrousel to stay on top of changes as they occur. Whether the security concern is avoiding hurricane season, civil unrest or personal security concerns, Carrousel can help your organization choose a location that is safe, accepting and a great experience for your group. Learn more about our group travel team!