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Karen was an experienced business traveler who had traveled to Turkey several times without incident. Her organization had ad hoc travel security procedures in place, and her local contacts led her to believe this was enough to keep her safe. Karen skipped the predeparture briefing and didn’t register her itinerary before travel.
On her second night, Karen was pursued by a man while walking in a familiar part of Istanbul. He followed her back to her hotel but was stopped by security while trying to enter the lobby. What followed was confusion. Karen didn’t know whom to call to report the incident, she was unaware of how her company could assist her and did not know what to do next. The experience was deeply unnerving, made worse by a lack of travel risk management, duty of care and personal awareness.
Organizations have a legal and moral obligation to assess risks, brief travelers and provide tools that enable safe movement. Karen should have known what to expect from the organization before her travel and what the organization expected her to do before departure and during her travels. Effective duty of care protects not just the traveler, but the organization’s people, reputation and operations. Pre-Departure travel risk processes - travel alerts and advisories, security briefings and awareness training should be minimum security requirements to enable safe travel.
Awareness training isn’t a skill practiced only by the intelligence services or corporate security; it enables the traveler to act decisively and mitigate risk. Awareness isn’t about fear – it’s about having the focus to respond effectively when something doesn’t feel right.
A simple, reliable check in system would have allowed Karen to report the incident and enabled the organization to stay engaged and responsive. It is a confidence measure that ensures the traveler knows someone is tracking their welfare, and for the HQ it knows when to act if something changes or goes wrong. Employing a communication protocol enhances awareness and ensures a potential incident is managed before it becomes a crisis.
For Karen, confusion and delay likely caused more harm than the event itself. A well-defined plan outlines who the traveler should contact, how support is mobilised, and what steps are taken immediately after an incident.
Many female travelers may be surprised to learn that in some parts of the world, their personal safety—and even their lives—can be influenced by something as simple as the way they dress or the time of day they’re out. This is especially true in regions where gender inequality is deeply rooted in society. Having an awareness of local customs and conditions before you travel can go a long way in preventing unwanted attention, harassment, or potential conflict.
1. Research your destination: Understand the culture, customs and risks before travel.
2. Dress to blend in: Choose clothing that respects local norms and helps you stay low profile.
3. Stay aware: Trust your instincts and remain alert to your surroundings.
4. Share your plans: Share your itinerary and location updates.
5. Choose safe accommodation: book reputable places in secure areas and lock doors and windows.
6. Use reliable transport: Stick to official taxis or verified apps and ride-share services.
7. Stay connected: Keep your phone charged and have local emergency numbers saved.
8. Plan your routes: Know how to get from place to place safely, especially after dark.
9. Be smart on social media: Avoid posting your location in real-time or sharing travel plans publicly.
10. Trust your intuition: If something doesn’t feel right, leave immediately – always think safety first.
Stay safe and confident wherever you go. Explore Unity’s training programs designed to equip travelers with practical safety skills, cultural awareness, and strategies to manage risk abroad.
