Travel Risk
Assessment
Every Trip Has Unique Risks
No two trips have the same risks – even if you’re a seasoned traveller or have been to the destination before.
A travel risk assessment provides a framework for organisations to identify potential risks associated with each trip. It can be used to assess the risks of travelling to a new location, as well as the risks of returning to a familiar one.
At World Travel Protection, we support clients in implementing a simple yet comprehensive risk assessment:
Traveller
Each person has a unique risk profile that affects their safety, such as age, gender, sexuality, religion, and ethnicity.
Destination
The location plays a key factor in determining potential threats to the traveller from petty crime and local protests to natural disasters.
Activity
What the traveller will be doing during their stay – and local sentiment – can influence their safety and risk of being targeted.
This step is a precursor to the ‘Educate’ component of our Travel Risk Management framework.
Educate
Locate
Communicate
Country Intelligence Reports
Country intelligence reports are essential tools for businesses who operate in global markets. These reports provide a detailed analysis of a country’s economic, political and social stability, as well as its business environment.
They can offer insights into a range of factors that could impact your business travel. Some destinations may be more risky than others due to political instability, civil unrest, crime rates, or natural disasters.
At World Travel Protection, our clients can access country intelligence reports via the Travel Assist Portal or App. There, our travellers and their risk managers can review current, in-depth information about countries where travellers are currently located or plan on travelling. Should the status of a country change, we alert our clients to these changing security risks.
These reports are tediously crafted by our team of experienced analysts, security experts and partners on the ground so you can make an informed travel risk assessment before executing your corporate travel plans.
Assessing Your Travel Risk
By assessing the risks associated with corporate and scholastic travel to a particular destination, organisations and schools can make informed decisions and ensure they are fulfilling their duty of care obligations.
Once the risks have been assessed, a plan must be set out to mitigate them. This may involve choosing a different destination, mode of transportation, or accommodation. As well as partnering with a travel risk management company who has experience solving complex issues and handling emergencies abroad.
Once travellers have arrived at their destination, risk managers and travellers must stay informed about the safety situation on the ground. This can be done by monitoring the location of travellers or by checking World Travel Protection country intelligence reports and checking travel plans in real time updates via the integrated itineraries.
If a medical or security issue arises during the travellers’ trip, they can click the ‘Emergency Assistance’ button within our app. This immediately triggers their location and provides the option to call our 24-hour Command Centre.
Risk Assessment Matrix
A risk assessment matrix is a tool commonly used by businesses to evaluate the potential risks associated with a new project or travel venture. We assess various factors such as the likelihood of a security event occurring and the potential damage that could result, meaning businesses can more easily assess the risks involved in different activities.
This type of analysis is used in conjunction with detailed country intelligence and risk assessment reports. It can be extremely helpful in making decisions about which projects to pursue and which to avoid. However, it is important to remember that no risk assessment matrix is perfect, and there is always the potential for unforeseen events to occur. As such, businesses should always ensure they have access to medical and security assistance with 24/7 capabilities to support travellers.
Emergency Communications Plan
Whenever you travel for business, it’s important to have an emergency communications plan in place. That way, if something happens, your organisations and loved ones will know how to get in touch with you.
World Travel Protection streamlines your emergency communications plan. All of your travel information is imported into the app and should an emergency occur your emergency contacts will be alerted. Both our World Travel Protection team and our organisation’s staff will be able to communicate with you directly via the portal to determine if you are safe or in need of help.
You also benefit from integrated itineraries. Travel management companies are integrated with our Travel Assist Portal, automatically feeding all itinerary bookings and changes directly into our portal so organisations and risk managers can see their travellers’ plans in one place.
Preparing Your Team
There are a number of travel-related risks that can impact your health and safety, from minor illnesses such as gastroenteritis to more significant hazards including a stroke, political unrest, or natural disaster. It’s important to do your research and perform risk assessments before you travel, so you can be as prepared as possible. This includes familiarising yourself with the local laws and customs, so that you can avoid any legal trouble. As well as having the number of local law enforcement authorities should you become a victim of crime.
We offer a range of travel insights from World Travel Protection medical, travel and security assistance specialists, to help prepare business travellers for their upcoming trips.
World Travel Protection also offers additional security training solutions to ensure travellers and their risk managers are well-prepared for a wide range of travel risks that they may encounter while away from home. These include the following:
- Active Shooter Safety Training
- Female Traveller Safety Training
- LGBTQ+ Travel Awareness Training
- Global Road Safety Training
In these courses, you’ll learn how to spot safety hazards, what to do in a potential emergency abroad, and how to protect yourself from crime or security risks.
Travel Risk Management
In the event of an emergency, the World Travel Protection team is on hand 24/7 to provide support and assistance. Our team of crisis managers are experienced in dealing with a wide range of emergencies, from medical emergencies and natural disasters to political unrest and civil disturbance. We provide regular check-ins, traveller location sharing, and bespoke security plans for organisations travelling to high-risk destinations. And, in the event of an emergency, we find the appropriate care based on your circumstances, and get you to a safe location, utilising our GlobalCare Provider Network.
Discover how we can help you and your team by scheduling a demonstration of our World Travel Protection Travel Risk Management Solutions. Simply fill out the form below and we will be in touch soon.