Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Safety Tips for Global Travel Vacations

By Chris Robertson

If you're planning a trip abroad, you're probably concerned about travel safety. Global travel and vacations do pose a risk whether you're traveling alone or with your family. Here are some simple travel safety tips you can follow without adding a lot of stress during your trip.

Resort or Hotel Safety

Be sure the area where you plan to stay is not a high-crime area. Check with several hotels in the area and ask what the crime level is in the neighborhood. When staying at a remote luxury resort, be sure you know how to phone the local medical dispatchers or police in case of an emergency. You might be 20 miles out of town and a desk clerk might not be available to assist you when needed, so prepare in advance just in case.

When exiting your hotel room or the hotel lobby into the parking lot, check your surroundings for suspicious persons. Keep your money, credit cards and traveler checks hidden away in a safe place. Avoid carrying a purse or handbag openly. If the hotel provides a safe in your room, use it for valuables and money as well.

If traveling with children, never leave them alone or allow them to wander around the hotel. Predators look for children who are alone and can easily capture them and drag them into a room without your knowledge.

Make Copies

It's important to make copies of all important documents before leaving. In global travel and vacations, there are usually many papers to keep up with such as licenses, passports, birth certificates, and insurance documents. You should even copy your credit cards (front and back). Leave these copies with someone you trust.

Health Safety

When traveling to Europe, Asia, Africa, India, or any other country, there may be health issues you should know about in advance. Some countries require vaccination shots before crossing the border. Check with your local health department as well as the country's regulations to find out what (if any) health risks exist.

It's also a good idea to take out a travel insurance policy in case you need hospital or doctor treatment while away.

Understand the Laws

When traveling to another country, it's good to understand the local laws before you arrive. Ignorance is no excuse. If you plan to rent a vehicle while away, learn the road laws and what the signs mean so you'll be prepared to drive.

Create an Itinerary

Before you leave, create an itinerary of your travel plans and give a copy to a loved one so someone will know your travel schedule in case of emergencies.

Avoid Travel Scams

If seeking travel information online, beware of scams. If you're new to travel booking, you can sign on with an experienced travel company that knows the ins and outs of travel. These companies can often get better rates for you on luxury beach resorts, golf resorts and hotels, holiday cruises, and so forth. Whether you're skiing in the Swiss Alps or visiting the sandy beaches of Greece, you'll save time and money. Some companies will even allow you to sell their services and earn an extra income. If you love global travel and vacations, it can be an exciting "work at home" business!

Plan ahead for safety, but don't forget to have fun on your vacation!

5 comments:

Opra said...

About keeping your money and credit cards hidden away in a safe place... It's quite to the point. When I was in Italy I got my credit card stolen, and though i was wisw enough to cancel it, htere srill were a number of unauthorised purchases for which i am still paying. And be sure, if your credit card number is stolen and you do not know of that yet, companies do not hurry to inform you...

Anonymous said...

You might also want to be aware of road safety when you travel. The Make Roads Safe recently released a report of US State Dept data showing that road crashes are the leading cause of death for American travelers. These deaths are just a symptom of the global crash epidemic that claims 1.2 million lives every year. For the complete report and more information, visit www.makeroadssafe.org/us Thanks! Bella Dinh-Zarr, PhD, MPH (Director, North America, Make Roads Safe)

Anonymous said...

The Center for Disease Control has great health advice for travelers.

Also, take a look at www.allsafetravels.com. It's got advice from all kinds of different sources for pretty much every country in the world.

Omar Cruz said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Hey,

Your blog is lovely! Thanks for sharing. I feel everyone eagerly looks forward to their vacation. But all your excitement and planning can go astray if something unexpected happens during your vacation.By following your safety tips one can be enjoy their vacation.