Being adequately prepared and suitably risk aware is vital to the success of any business trip, so consider the following factors when planning your trip:


• Where are you going? • What is the nature of your trip? • Have you checked your documentation?


• Have you arranged adequate insurance and funds?


• What valuable information and items are you taking?


• How are you travelling and where are you staying?


Each of these questions is considered below and covered in more detail throughout this guide.


Where are you going?


Prepare as much as possible by researching the location to which you are going. Do your homework on the country, region and cities you will be


visiting, and talk to colleagues who have first hand experience to share. Get up to date with the political situation so that you know what to expect on arrival.


Before travelling, you should check the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) web site for the latest travel advice, especially if the country to be visited is politically volatile or if there is a known risk of terrorist activity: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.


What is the nature of your trip?


It is important to understand how your visit might attract unwanted attention. Consider whether your contact will be with local businesses, government or your competitors and how this might impact your risks.


You can mitigate this danger by preparing in advance and taking extra precautions, particularly if you are travelling to volatile locations. Consider the precautions in the later sections on Hostile Environments and Avoiding Kidnap.


Have you checked your documentation?


Points such as ensuring that passports are up to date and visas are in order are obvious prerequisites, as are completing courses of pre-trip medical immunisations.


Remember that certain countries require passports to be valid for six months following the date of travel and that all new passport applicants must attend an interview to verify their identity. It can take up to six weeks to get a first passport.


If you will be driving while overseas, double check that your driving licence is current and valid for the country in question.


The FCO website offers country-specific advice to drivers.


04


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24