Taking off Travel blog

In many parts of the world, there’s an increase in the numbers of holiday makers becoming victims of crime. As a result many people are becoming more and more security conscious when heading off on their holidays.

There are a number of preventive measures you can take to help reduce the chances of becoming a victim of crime while on holiday. This article will cover the most common and most effective methods of protecting yourself and your possessions whilst away on holiday.

Keep Yourself Secure on Holiday

If you want to give yourself a fighting chance against kidnappers, murderers, muggers and rapists, learn some form of self-defense. This may seem a little over the top, and you probably think this type of thing won’t happen to you, but it’s still a very real risk that should not be overlooked. Don’t go wandering off alone at night, especially if you’re in a quiet location that doesn’t have a busy nightlife. If you insist on going out for a midnight wander either take someone with you, or at the very least, let someone know exactly where you are going and what time they should expect you back and make sure you carry a fully charged mobile phone with you.

Self Defence Lesson Image Credit

If you’re out drinking and getting quite tipsy, especially if you’re alone at night and your accommodation is more than a few minutes away, get a taxi. A drunken person is a much easier target for a mugger than a sober person, especially if you are female. If you insist on making your own way back then stick to the main streets, where there are other people around; don’t risk taking a short cut through back streets. Do not attempt to walk back to your accommodation if you are drunk as a skunk, struggling to stay on your feet or cannot remember the way.

Cocktail Image Credit

Keep Your Possessions Secure on Holiday

When out and about, keeping your wallet or purse secure is very important. Professional pick pockets are very good at what they do. No matter how vigilant you are, they can still grab your wallet or purse if it isn’t stashed away securely. The best place to keep your wallet or purse is in an inside pocket on your jacket. This can be made even more secure if you keep that jacket zipped up.

Pick Pocketing Image Credit

If you think your wallet will be fine in your back pocket just because it fits nice and snug and you are convinced you would be able to feel if someone takes it, you’re wrong. Don’t under-estimate a professional pick pocket; they can, and will get it, regardless of how secure it feels. If possible, carry two wallets or purses with you; put the majority of your money and cards in one and a small amount of cash and some old, expired cards in the other. In the worst case scenario where you could be approached, threatened or even attacked and asked to hand over your money, give them your extra wallet or purse with the expired cards and small amount of cash in.

If your holiday accommodation is a cottage or villa then make sure you keep it secure, just as you would your own house. Be sure to lock doors and windows when you go out, especially at night. If you are out on an all-night bender consider leaving the TV and a light on with the curtains drawn to deter a potential burglar.

Locking Door Image Credit

This guest post on Staying Secure On Holiday was written on behalf of Hotel Club; helping you find beautiful hotels in Penang.

Forbes recently published a list of the Top 5 Hazards for Business Travelers. While some people worry about terrorism, the good news is that it’s not really likely to trouble you, says iJet research (not unless you’re the one in 12 million, that is). Instead, the business travel hazards are much more mundane. Here’s the list from Forbes, along with our solution to them.

1. Fire

Some hotels in far flung places may not have enough fire protection. In our article on Ten Tips for Hotel Safety we advise on where to stay in a hotel for the right balance of security and safety and the rest of the tips are useful too.

2. Pickpockets

You never know when thieves are going to strike, so it’s best to protect your belonging at all times, even in the air. Check out Taking Precautions against In-Flight Thieves for four tips on doing just that. While you’re at it, read our tips on how to Be Safe in the Airport Parking Lot.

3. Falls

You never know when you’re going to slip and fall – or when, as happened to me once, a piece of hotel furniture will give way under you. (No, I wasn’t that heavy; it turned out that the furniture was damaged). What you can’t predict, you can’t avoid, but you can make sure that if you fall you can get the right medical treatment. That’s Why I Always Buy Travel Insurance. More on this in Travel Insurance: Essential or Extraneous? and Do You Really Need Travel Insurance?

4. Location

If you know where violent crime takes place, then you can avoid it. The key to this is researching the country, city or accommodation that you plan to visit or stay in. Where can you find this info? Check out Nine Places to Plan Your Next Trip.

5. Diet

If you don’t want Delhi Belly or Montezuma’s Revenge, then it pays to watch what you eat. Of course, you may still want to sample local cuisine, so find out Where the Locals Eat. And you shouldn’t just look after your diet on the street either. Here are our tips on How to Eat Healthy in an Airport and How to Stick to Your Diet When You Travel.

Your Turn

What travel safety tips would you add for avoiding business travel hazards?

Whenever we board a plane, we tend to heave a sigh of relief and relax, but as a recent incident showed, it’s not the time to let your guard down. It seems that some business class passengers had more than $5,000 stolen from them while they slept on an overnight flight from Tokyo to Paris. Since it’s not practical to stay awake all night, how can you guard against this kind of theft?

Overhead Compartments

Let’s look at the overhead baggage first. We often want to keep this handy so that we can take stuff in and out without hassle, but that very ease could cost dearly. Instead of putting your case at the front of the cabin, push it well back so that others can put their stuff in front of it. That makes your hand luggage a less easy target for those looking to help themselves. If it’s lockable, then keep it locked; if not, use a simple tip to make it harder for people to get to your stuff. Turn the case around so that the zip and handle face the interior of the storage bin. That makes it harder for anyone to grip your case – and much harder to do it without someone noticing.

Read more »

I’ve never been mugged on vacation. That doesn’t mean that everywhere I’ve travelled to has been a walk in the park. Caracas is no picnic but I managed to spend a month in the city without getting into serious difficulty (unless you count the scary night I’ve already told you about). Staying out of trouble is often a matter of common sense. Here are some travel safety tips that will make your vacation more enjoyable.

Safety At Home

First of all, give yourself less to think about taking care of safety and security at home. Get someone you trust to look after your house keys and emergency information and to swing by your home every so often to make sure that everything is okay. Put delivery of mail and publications on hold and use timers to program your lights, TV and radio to give the illusion that your home is occupied. Let your neighbors know that you will be gone so that if they see someone in your home who shouldn’t be there they will alert the police. Read more »