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s plans for business travel resume, how do you keep safe, particularly from the threat of espionage?
Since the advent of globalisation, international business travel has been considered a necessity when conducting business across country borders. When tools such as video conferencing became more widely available during the 1990s, many believed international business travel would decline, but instead, until coronavirus hit globally in early 2020, the sector had continued to grow year on year to a peak of business tourism spending of $1.29 trillion in 2019.
Now, 18 months into a global pandemic, many are looking at plans for resuming business travel as more countries see reductions in their case numbers, more people become vaccinated and confidence grows in travel sector safety procedures. However, as well as the health and safety considerations of recommencing business travel, what are the important things to consider from a security viewpoint, and particularly from an espionage threat perspective?
International business travel: still necessary or desirable?
Within the travel sector, there has been considerable debate about the recovery of business traveller volumes and spend. For the airline industry, business travellers have historically accounted for 12% of the volume but up to 75% of profits, so the industry is keen to encourage the return of business travel to pre-pandemic levels.
However, for many organisations who have been permitted to travel under essential worker status, the complexity of international travel has posed significant challenges. Even as countries are now opening up their borders, the advice and requirements in place are complex, immensely varied and quick- changing. The rules around vaccination requirements, quarantine and self-isolation have already limited, and will continue to limit, business travel for some time to come until we emerge from this pandemic globally.
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Alongside the practical considerations, many organisations are re-evaluating their business travel volumes from both environmental and Corporate Social Responsibility standpoints. Pre-2020, many companies, including PwC, Microsoft and Lloyds Banking Group, had committed to reducing or limiting their business travel emissions with the recognition that air travel contributed the most to carbon emissions. A study by O2 Business in June 2020 also showed that 48% of UK workers were concerned about the negative environmental impact of business travel , while investors are increasingly applying ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) criteria to company investment decisions. Certainly, all of these factors point to a continued downward trend in international business travel. But what is the desire to return to international business travel among the
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Staying secure when travelling internationally
From a security perspective, international business travel has always presented risks. The
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workforce? Changes in working practices since early 2020 including greater levels of remote working, accepted flexible working policies helping to accommodate operating across time zones, and improved dependability and functionality of video conferencing software have all helped to facilitate more effective international communication and collaboration. But many miss face-to-face interaction, and it is widely accepted that meeting with colleagues, business partners, suppliers and clients in person serves to strengthen relationships. There are also many occasions when travelling to a country is still essential; some services simply cannot be delivered remotely.
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© CITY SECURITY MAGAZINE – AUTUMN 2021
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