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According to a recent survey, the greatest concerns among global travelers are civil disorder and acts of terrorism, marking a noticeable change in attitude since last year.
Global Rescue, a American company which provides medical, security, travel risk and crisis management services, surveyed over 1,500 current and former members about their primary concerns while travelling abroad.
Over 36% of travelers cited civil unrest and terrorism as their top travel concerns, which was more than 10 percentage points higher than accidents and illness.
In the January 2024 survey, only 25% of participants expressed that their biggest worry was experiencing an accident or falling ill while traveling. This is a significant decrease from the Spring 2023 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey, where 50% of respondents shared the same fear.
Global Rescue reported that there has been a shift in traveler attitude, according to CEO Dan Richards. He acknowledged the increase in traveler anxiety globally, but noted that people still choose to travel despite the growing risks of political upheaval, armed conflict, and acts of terror.
Between seven to nine percent of survey participants were most worried about trip cancellations, robberies, and theft. Fewer travelers, around five percent, expressed the most anxiety about testing positive for Covid, natural disasters, and nuclear disasters.
More than 33% of the respondents stated that the ongoing war in Ukraine and the conflict between Hamas and Israel have caused them to enhance their travel insurance coverage. This includes buying additional protection for security advisories and conflict extraction.
According to Richards, when travelers are uncertain, they tend to have a higher demand for emergency medical and security services.
He added: “Last year, traveller purchases of security and extraction services increased by 36 per cent, and we expect that will continue in 2024. We’ve seen this traveller behaviour since the war in Ukraine, and we’re seeing it continue following the attacks on Israel.”
Source: independent.co.uk
