Travel Trend Alert: Corporate VolunTOURism

Volunteering to help people in need combined with traveling to faraway places is gaining in popularity. In fact, with more than 1.6 million people spending over $2 billion a year, “voluntourism” (aka social impact tourism) is claiming its spot as one of the fastest-growing travel trends today.  This trend also helps corporations, employees and volunteer… Read more »

Do This, Not That: 8 (Avoidable) Mistakes Travelers Make Overseas

Are you fairly new to the world of travel…but don’t want to blow your cover? Or, maybe you’ve put in some serious frequent flier miles, but you still find yourself repeating the same mistakes over (and over) again? No one is a perfect traveler, but with a little extra preparation we can all get a… Read more »

On Call Watch Officers Help Answer the Question, “Is it Safe to Travel?”

Has the question, ‘is it safe to travel?’ been keeping you up at night? If you’re like most risk professionals we know you understand first-hand how unpredictable global travel has become…and how it’s changed the way most organizations think about—and approach—travel risk management. According to On Call security analyst and Watch Officer, Scott Battey, “It’s… Read more »

The Games in Rio: Travel Health & Safety Advice

With the Games in Rio just weeks away, our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Wheeler, and our Chief Security Officer, Jim Hutton, are sharing the following information with your travelers for a safer and healthier trip. Mosquito-Borne Illnesses: Pregnant women are advised to postpone travel to Rio due to the Zika virus, which can be transferred from… Read more »

Summer Study Abroad: Health & Safety Considerations for Your Students

The statistics revealed in the Institute of International Education’s latest Open Doors Report says the number of study abroad students more than tripled over the last few decades and one in ten U.S. undergraduates will study abroad before graduating. Whether they’re taking classes or getting hands-on experience outside the classroom, there’s no doubt your students are anticipating the cultural… Read more »

Crisis Communications in Our New World: Guidelines for Colleges & Universities

In the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels, colleges and universities are seeing the value in aligning their communications protocols with their travel risk management initiatives now more than ever. But are you confident your students know how to tell you they’re safe—and reach out for help—during a crisis abroad?  Here are… Read more »

The Consummate Host: How Institutions Can Protect Inbound Student Safety

The statistics revealed in the 2015 Open Doors Report demonstrate just how internationalized U.S. higher education has become: not only has the number of study abroad students more than tripled over the last few decades, but the number of international students at U.S. colleges and universities experienced the highest rate of growth in thirty-five years. In fact a record… Read more »

4 Things NOT to Take Home from a Trip

It’s hard enough remembering to re-pack all the essentials when your trip is over. But did you know that bringing back the wrong things could actually spell BIG trouble? Unfortunately, many travelers are unaware they may be packing items that could lead to major issues—not just when they get back to the U.S, but also… Read more »

Personal Safety: 5 Common Sense Tips for Travelers

Whether you’re away on business, studying abroad or even vacationing with your family, personal safety should always be top of mind. And with a little common-sense, vigilance and preparation, you can dramatically reduce your exposure to safety issues during your trip. Check out our five tips for staying safe, no matter where your travels take… Read more »

What Makes a Well Prepared Study Abroad Candidate?

We recently hosted a webinar, Mitigating Travel Risks with University Policies and Procedures, in conjunction with URMIA, as part of their Risky Business Week. In this webinar our Chief Security Officer, Jim Hutton, discussed the characteristics of a well-prepared study abroad candidate and what universities can do to help mitigate risks when students travel abroad…. Read more »