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.

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.

At Your Feet

If your hand luggage is at your feet, then there are a number of things you can do to make it less easy to get at. First, put your feet right against it so that no one can get to it without disturbing you. Second, turn the zip round so that no-one can get to it but you (this works if you have a window seat). If it’s a bag with a handle, consider placing the handle round your ankle if you are going to sleep. If someone tugs on the bag, you might feel it, unless you’re a very sound sleeper. If the bag is lockable, then lock it and put the key where no-one will find it.

Protecting Your Valuables

So what about your IPod, cell phone, wallet and all the other paraphernalia you have with you? If you are going to sleep lock it away. One option is to keep your cash, passport and travel documents in a waist pack which you can hide under your clothes and blankets. These days you can also get lots of cool travel vests and tops with concealed pockets for storing your stuff. If you’re going to catch some zzzs, then keep your stuff in an internal pocket. Whatever you do, don’t leave valuable items sticking out of the seat back pocket – that’s just asking for trouble.

Striking A Balance

The hard truth is that you are responsible for safeguarding your possessions in the air, so it’s up to you to take normal precautions.  That may mean striking the balance between being over cautious and taking due care. For example, if traveling alone you may not want to cart your hand luggage case to the bathroom every time you leave your seat, but taking your most important papers with you is a good idea.

What tips do you have for keeping safe in-flight?

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.

En Route

Security is also paramount when on your way to your destination. Make sure that you don’t have identifying information showing on your luggage and avoid telling strangers exactly where you’re coming from and where you’re going and for how long. If you happen to reveal these details to the wrong person, you give them a window of opportunity to burgle your home and be long gone before anyone notices.

At Your Destination

One of the key things when you arrive is to avoid looking like a stranger. That means avoiding asking for directions and making it obvious that you’re out of your depth. Unscrupulous people can take advantage of this. Do your own research to find out where you should go and where you should avoid. Keep maps and guidebooks out of sight and only consult them in public areas.

If you are travelling with other members of your family, divide up cash and credit cards among you, so if something happens to one person you don’t lose everything. When staying in a hotel, get a safe so that you can take with you only what you need.

General Travel Safety Tips

When on vacation people are generally more relaxed and let their guard down. It’s great to have a good time but this is a time to be more aware of who and what is around you. Avoid flashing costly electronic items, jewelry and cash as these attract attention from thieves. Keep wallets out of sight and purses close to the body.

One of my most useful items when travelling in many countries was a coat with several interior pockets. I was able to keep my passport and cash with me without drawing attention to them while keeping a small float in an outside pocket.

Following these tips doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time when on vacation. In fact, if you make these part of your travel routine you will have an even better time as it will reduce any worry.

(Photo: Jarosław Pocztarski)