It seems simpler than ever to book a high-quality room when traveling overseas on business. When a corporate conference happens in Germany, an executive has several choices for getting the best room and rate on-line. They could choose from the hotels a conference package provides, for example. If nothing looks appealing, there are hundreds of websites promising the best hotel at an amazing price.
Getting a good deal just doesn’t seem to be a problem anymore! Finding a good deal in a safe part of town may be another story. The best employee travel security requires more than a safe hotel, however.
It’s no secret that some of the worst parts of a city can be blocks away from conference centers and tourist destinations. You wouldn’t be able to tell that, however, by the brochures and websites. The bad part of town may be conveniently photo shopped out. If a VIP is managing their own employee travel security, they may not realize how close they are to a risky area. If they don’t, a VIP might think walking a few blocks to a recommended restaurant is fine. In tourist destinations, pickpockets and thieves know which spots are the easiest areas to commit a crime.
In the old days (think the 1980s), people relied on travel agents to book travel – not just for the best deals but also because a sophisticated travel agent brought insights into the local area. He or she would know not only the best hotels, but also the safest ones. For high profile executives, safety as part of the mix in selecting a hotel. With the advent of the Internet, however, people have become used to ‘self service’ yet websites have become increasingly sophisticated at ‘faking’ their look and feel. This isn’t a big deal with respect to a hotel, but it can be a VERY big deal when it comes to executive or employee travel security.
The bottom line is that for vulnerable executives and VIPs who travel abroad, you may need a ‘travel security agent.’ Enter IMG. We can help with travel planning with any eye not just to costs and locations, but to security as well. This can be as simple as helping you with executive itinerary and employee itinerary tracking or as complex as doing a full security audit for an overseas corporate conference or event. Thinking ‘security’ needs to be part of your travel planning!
When it’s Not What It Seems, IMG Employee Travel Security Tells the Truth
On-line bookings are easy, but don’t take into account individual situations. That’s why expert travel agents still bring an important value-add to clients. A travel agent knows the difference between what a brochure portrays and what a place is really like. Choosing someone to help clear up misinformation about a particular destination can help a traveler make better choices. The same goes for employee travel security. IMG consultants understand the security realities of a specific city. The photos of a boutique hotel near a convention center in Brazil may entice the VIP to book it without understanding nearby dangers. IMG employee travel security experts map out the area and accesses real threats. Sometimes walking to a restaurant for the best Brazilian churrasco (barbecue) may be fine. If not, IMG can recommend the safest way to get there. That, in partnership with our FONETRAC® application and GLOBALSECUR employee / executive overseas assistance packages make a total solution for your employee security needs.
Even friendly residents can lead a visiting executive astray. A well-meaning local can suggest buying authentic Brazilian flip flops at the havaiana shop down the road. Great idea, right? What if the route to the market means walking through seedy territory? And what if the VIP doesn’t realize it until they are smack in the middle of danger? IMG teamed with GlobalSecur helps a VIP know what’s safe. If one part of the city doesn’t look as good as they thought? FoneTrac is there to help get them out. The best Employee travel security “agent” takes personal care of globe-trekking executives wherever they roam.
If this sounds interesting, reach out to us for a consultation today. We can be your ’employee travel security’ agent and ease your mind over foreign employee travel security.