Workshop: Traveller security
At ITIC Global 2019, panel members from Healix International, beTravelwise and WorldAware discussed how both individuals and companies are managing the risks of corporate travel
Warning is foreknowledge of terrorism
Bruce McIndoe, President and Founder of WorldAware, took to the podium to describe the environment in which his organisation is currently operating, in terms of conflict and travel risks.
He highlighted existing areas of conflict in the world, explicitly referencing the prominent regions of Europe and Asia. He explained that areas in which active kinetic conflict is happening on a global scale are those that pose a high risk to travellers, and touched upon the territorial disputes in the South China sea, affecting areas such as Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan.
Reflecting upon the risks of global terrorism, Bruce presented an insightful yet alarming view of projected security threats coming up in the next few weeks based on current world affairs, predicting a terrorist response to the actions of the US in Syria. “Warning is foreknowledge of terrorism,” he said.
What can and should be done? Bruce advised that organisations protect their operations and clients through the use of a continuous risk management programme and continuous monitoring of potential risks such as protests and strikes. Determining which assets may be impacted – including people and locations – certainly helps, as does determining who is responsible and if you can act on the intelligence, he said. Finally, Bruce cautioned, be sure to learn from previous instances; an improvement plan in place that evaluates policies and procedures, and includes training, is paramount to success. “If you’re not evaluating the outcomes … then you are not improving,” he warned.
Offering a view of pre-travel risk briefings, Juan Peña Núñez, Business Development Director for Healix International, looked at the provision of medical assistance in challenging environments from a corporate business travel perspective – fitting for the ITIC setting.
He analysed what businesses can do to help staff prepare for safer travel. He noted that, although many companies purchase a corporate business policy, not all employees necessarily know how to access them, or are trained on how to use them.
Juan insisted that, in difficult travel environments, the biggest challenge faced by an assistance company is setting and meeting client expectations.
Although many companies purchase a corporate business policy, not all employees necessarily know how to access them
Especially when troubling situations arise, Juan noted that for Healix International, not being able to pre-plan how to respond can be frustrating, and so the company will provide a reactive service, gathering information and providing support as the situation unfolds. He explained that how well prepared a company is can play a major role in the support that Healix can provide, but if a company has not briefed the employee in advance, this task can become much harder.
When it comes to the provision of medical assistance in challenging environments, even the most thorough plans can go awry said Juan.
Director of beTravelwise Saul Shanagher discussed global risks for solo travellers. He highlighted that, as a corporate manager might not necessarily know each employee’s lifestyle choices, it is integral that companies do not make assumptions about certain individuals, but instead ensure all travel information is available to every individual corporate traveller. For LGBTQ+ employees particularly, Saul noted, this technique can enable them to make a risk assessment of their own based upon information that they may choose not to share with their employer.
Saul went on to present a series of ‘risk maps’ from different providers, including International SOS, AIG Travel and Falck Global Assistance, as well as identifying some of the more common risks solo travellers faced such as traveller’s diarrhoea, petty crime and road traffic incidents. Saul also detailed the countries that have imposed rigid anti-homosexual laws and highlighted the risks faced by LGBTQ+ travellers in these regions. He ended his presentation by exploring the ways in which technology could be used to help mitigate risks.
When opened to the floor, the discussion centred around the potential risks associated with LGBTQ+ travellers. Delegates highlighted that as programmes mature, these risk mitigations improve, and that technology has proven to be an invaluable resource in helping manage and prepare for these travel risks.
The panel covered the rules and regulations of different countries and the fact that travellers are often unaware of these
Bruce reasoned that although the LGBTQ+ demographic has increased as a risk profile, it still only makes up a minority of incidents for WorldAware. And Juan expounded this view, detailing that in his 20 years of operations he has only come across two homophobic cases (although this is arguably two too many).
The discussion then shifted to a focus on motor accidents as one of the highest risks for travellers. The panel covered the rules and regulations of different countries and the fact that travellers are often unaware of these. Overall, the panel concluded that businesses should do all that they can to provide employees with the resources required to stay safe, but, ultimately, the onus is on the individual traveller to practise safe and responsible travel.