HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS


Occasionally, companies or organisations will require staff to travel to a potentially hostile environment on their behalf. This could be a country on the brink of revolution or civil war or a part of a country prone to lawlessness. Such threats are exacerbated by the ever- growing social and economic disparity of wealth between countries. Add radicalisation and terrorism to the mix and the dangers become all too clear.


Know your destination


As mentioned previously, it is important to prepare as much as possible by researching the location to which you are going. In addition to your general research, when travelling to hostile locations ascertain:


• The locations of police stations and other safe areas


• The locations of hospitals and other medical services.


What to take


The style of luggage you use will say a lot about you, your job and your potential wealth. Think carefully about this and if possible use very nondescript, plain but secure luggage.


Be discreet: avoid wearing jewellery and dress down as much as possible. Travel light if you can. You can then move more quickly without the encumbrance of heavy luggage.


Fake wallet


Carry a fake wallet with you containing out of date credit cards and left over money, with just a few Euros or US dollars. If you become the victim of a street mugging or hold up, you can give up the wallet without a fight and offer the least resistance.


Displayed personal information


In hostile environments, it is even more important to keep all displayed information, such as that on name tags, to the bare minimum.


Avoid careless talk


Do not discuss your business or travel plans in public areas where you could be overheard. Limit discussing your travel plans and movements to people you trust.


Finally, remember that you can be at risk in parts of any city or country across the world. The less obvious or more ambiguous the threat, the greater the danger may be. Any business or individual travelling to a potentially hazardous location should consult www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.


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