Travel Safety Information News

A range of risks occur for travellers, the top three are generally from crime, road traffic accidents (RTA's), disease and illness. In most of the large South American and African countries, crime will be the main risk. In South East Asia, it would be road traffic accidents and more recently, urban pollution.

The best sources of global news are the BBC, Reuters, The Economist and The Guardian.  Currently the war in Ukraine and Israel/Gaza conflict is focusing world attention. Russia is increasing its global voice with a despotic informal alliance with N Korea and Iran at a time that the USA is racked by infernal divisions and distraction of the 2024 presidential election. China continue to asert it's global presence. Across the globe there are neasrly 60 country elections planned so potentially 2024 will be a year of even greater geo political flux.

Prior to travel to the Americas, it's vital to check the Covid entry requiements, the FCDO website is a good starting point. Most countries require proof of double vaccination and the completion of a health entry form.

The crime rates in many Latin American cities is higher than in Europe and since the covid pandemic, many countries continue to face economic unrest. Inflation is very high in Argentina and Brazil is in a state of political unrest following the November 2022 election. In early December 2022, the Peru President Castillo was impeached and outsted from office leading to widespread street protests. Ecuador remains unstable due to gang violence and political instability.

Current highlights:

• Brazil: Wild fires affect many parts
• Argentina: 48 hour union strikes
• Venezuela: Maduro declares election victory, protesters clash
• Ecuador: Power cuts due to lack of hydro
• Mexico: Claudia Sheinbaum elected president
• South America: Surge in cases of Dengue Fever
• Brazil: Extensive flooding in Rio Grand do Sur
• Ecudaor: Power cuts as drought affects hydro generation
• Argentina: Increased risk of Dengue fever
• Paraguay: Elevated Dengue Fever risk
• Brazil: Increase in cases of Dengue Fever.
• Ecuador: State of emergency continues in some areas
• El Salvador: Nayib Bukele re-elected as president
• Brazil: Significant increase in cases of Dengue Fever
• Panama: Low water level in panama canal
• Brazil: Amazon at low levels
• Colombia: Ceasefire declared with ELN
• Belize: WHO declares free of Malaria
• Argentina: Inflation hits 120% 
• Peru: Increased risk Dengue Fever in lowland areas
• Bolivia: Santa Cruz area - increased risk of dengue fever

View our April 2023 South America Briefing

Travel to the Indian sub-continent is relatively easy provided it is well planned. There are a multitude of different entry requirements and safety and security is an issue in a number of areas such as Kashmir and the tribal areas of Pakistan. Throughout the region, the risk greatest risks are from road traffic accidents and pollution in urban areas. Myanmar (Burma) continues under military rule with sporadic protests and Sri Lanka is beginning to stabilise both politically and economically following the ousting of the Rajapaska presidency. Pakistan is politically and economically unstable and also threatened by growing violence in the NW from the TTP (Tehreek - e - Taliban Pakistan) Islamist group. This group claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing in Peshawar on 30 January 2023 which killed over 100 security forces officers and associates.

Current Highlights:

• India: Pollution in many cities
• Pakistan: Smog  covers Lahore
• Sri Lanka: Elections pass off peacefully
• India: Cyclone Dana threatens Odisha & Bengal area
• India: Violence in Manipur
• Pakistan: Road side killings in Balochistan
• Nepal: 14 dead in bus crash
• Bangladesh: Some stability returns
• India: New Kashmir bridge opens
• India: Increased cases of Dengue Fever in Kamataka
• Pakistan: Former PM Imran Khan sentence to 10 & 14 years jail
• India: Water shortages in Banagalore
• Sri Lanka: Increased risk of Denge Fever
• Myanmar (Burma): FCDO advises against all but essential travel

Travel to the Chinese mainland for toursim and some busienesses opened up again on 15 March '23. The region is generally easy and safe for both the business and recreational traveller, apart from Myanmar which remains unstable following the military coup of Febrary 2021. The military have systematically crushed civil resistance and the FCDO is currently advising against all but essential to Myanmar except for Yangon. Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand remain relativley stable and present no significant issues to travellers. UK citizens can generally enter viasa free for short stays.  In recentweeks Tjailand has become less politically stabel as the military & courts try to disrupt the power of rthe civilain government. We asses that Thailand is heading for increased political turbulance  

Current highlights:

• Philippines: Typhoon hits
• China: 35 die in ram attack
• Indonesia: Volcanic eruption on Flores island
• Vietnam: Recovers from typhoon Yagi
• Vietnam: Increased risk of Dengue Fever in Hanoi
• Myanmar: Army loses major town to Karen rebles
• Taiwan: Elevated Dengue Fever threat
• Laos & Vietnam: Dengue Fever risk
• Cambodia: Water shortage in some cities
• Philippines: Increased terrorism threat in Mindanao Province

Written by James Gaslee.

As with most things of importance, this began at Ascot when I mentioned to Charlie McGrath that if he needed someone to help him with one of his Ukraine trips then I would be keen. Now this may have happened towards the end of lunch; oh Pol Roger, how many of my decisions have you been responsible for! A few weeks later, Charlie got in touch and said we were on, he had identified a suitable freezer van and was already collecting medical and rehabilitation equipment to fill it. The next stage was to raise the money and thank you to all those who donated.

The Ukrainian charity being supported is called Mercy and Health Foundation which is run by an extraordinary Ukrainian doctor, Olexsandr Yatsyna, who is supporting numerous projects from the mental and physical rehabilitation of Ukrainian servicemen to the provision of water through drilling boreholes. 

The FCDO is currently advising against all travel to Syria, Yemen, Iran and much of isreal and also has area travel warnings for many countries in the region. Whilst many parts such as the UAE, Egypt and Jordan are generally stable and prosperous, this is not the case other areas. On 7th October 2023 Hamas launched a major ground attack against israel settlements and launched hundreds of rockets.  Whilst the Lebanon remains in a state of political paralysis and is struggling to recover from the August 2020 port explosion. In Iran the situation has settled down following the 2022 mass demonstrations but in the long term the grip of the Mullahs seems to have been weakened. President Raisi died in a helpicopter crash in May 2024 and in June Masoud Pezeshkian was elected. He is viewed as being a more moderate but probably doesn't hold much influence. Iran remains a major influence in the whole middle east Israel/ Hezbollah/ Hamas power play

At least 34,000 people were killed in the February 2023 earthquake on the Turkish/Syrian border.

Current highlights:

• Iran: Israel conducts retaliation strikes on multiple targets
• Lebanon: IDF launcnes limited ground invasion
• Gaza: Hamas leader killed
• Afghanistan: Girls banned from Universities
• Yemen: Conflict continues
• Iran: Post election restrictions 

Travellers to the USA and Canada must ensure they have the correct entry permissions/documents. For the USA, most visitors will be able to enter on an ESTA, however, those who have travelled to USA restricted countries such as Yemen, Iraq and Iran must obtain a visa.

The USA is certainly a more challenging country than Canada due to the ever-increasing political divide and the racial and religious tensions and threat of gun violence including mass shootings which can occur in schools, cinemas and shopping areas.

Current Highlights:

• USA: Severe weather in many areas
• USA; Republicans control both houses
• USA: Control of House in the balance

Travel to Africa should be well prepared as there are huge variation in the overall safety situation. At a high level, the risk from disease, especaily malaria in West Africa and parts of Southern Africa should be researched and road traffic accidents remain a constant thrreat.

The Sahel is highly unstable, particulary Mali, Chad, Burkina Fasa, Niger, Northern Nigeria. Parts of Somalia and Ethiopia are also in a flux of conflict. In mid April 23 Sudan descended into open civil war between the government/Army and the Rapid Suppoert Forces (RSF).  A coup in early August 23 disposed the elected goverment in Niger but the region into further crisis.  The risk from terrorism is significant in Kenya, parts of Egypt (Sinai).However, many parts of West Africa and Southern Africa are stable - The key is research. Check out the FCDO and also major global risk management companies such as Sibylline, ISOS/CRG, Salamanca & Worldaware.

South Africa will continue to have extensive power cuts for months if not years to come as the energy supply sector is broken. The state of the Zimbabwean economy is desperate with inflation running at about 250%, daily power cuts and mass unemployment, An election is due and Zanu-PF will do what is necessary, including violent repression to stay in power.  The football African Cup of Nation is being held in Ivory Coast from 13 Jan to 11 Feb 24.  

Current highlights:

• M Pox: spreads to DRC, Kenya, Uganda, 14,000 cases
• Rwanda: Outbreak of Marburg disease
• Nigeria: increase in cases of Chlorea
• Zimbabwe: Accute drought conditions
• Sudan: Fighting intensifies
• Sierra Leone: Night time curfew
• Kenya & Ethiopia: Severe flooding
• Niger: France to pulls out troops
• Gabon: Military Coup
• Zimbabwe: Opposition protests likely
• Malawi: Fuel shortages
• Ethiopia: Increased levels of Cholera
• Mali: UN peacekeepers ordered to leave
• Mozambique: Elevated malaria risk
• Ethiopia: Violence in Ahmara region
• Zambia: Power cuts anticipated
• Kenya: Continued risk from terrorism
• South Africa: Power cuts continue

The region of Austalasia covers Australia, New Zealand and some of the neighbouring Pacific islands. From a security perspective, both Australia and New Zealand are generally safe in comparison to other parts of the World. Environmental dangers are a concern.

New Zealand is an active seismic area with up to twenty earthquakes a day, however, most are small and are not felt. In recent years Australia has swung from extreme drought and devasting wild fires to torrential rains in the east and west coast in 2023.

As Nick Milne and I approach the Budomeriz crossing point from Poland to Ukraine, luck seems to be on our side - there is only one vehicle ahead of us and very soon the traffic light goes green beckoning us to the Polish checkpoint. However, there is an air of nervousness, will we have the right paperwork for the mountain of cargo we have in our ancient Mercedes Sprinter freezer van?

It’s been over 2000km and 3 days since we left Oxfordshire, and the van is filled to the gunnels. When I say filled, I mean completely crammed with boxes of medical coveralls, mattresses, 40 sets of crutches, 10 wheelchairs, 200kg of dog and cat food, boxes of old laptops & phones and a warehouse trolley. A twenty-something Customs Officer approaches the van, and we learn quickly that her looks conceal a steely interior as she explores the inside of the van & gasps: “ah too much stuff”.  She pauses and points to boxes almost completely hidden under a mountain of crutches and barks: “boxes – open.” She then turns to Nick - “unload those” - and points to a forest of wheelchairs with three bags of Skinners’ dog food piled on top.  I make of point of blocking the road as I unload some boxes and crutches. It does the trick, as Lt ‘Poe Face’ decides she has made her point and now the Brits are just being annoying, so she orders us to pack up and move 20m forward to the Ukraine border & customs post.   

Courses are also available for Journalists, Media Professionals, NGO's, Businesses, SME's and Large Corporations, Leisure and Adventure Expeditions and also Gap Year Travellers.

Objective Travel Safety trained Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman before both the 'Long Way Round' and 'Long Way Down' motorbike expeditions.

It’s been a slow return and business travel is now certainly picking up.  Whilst growth of virtual communications has been terrific news for stretched travel budgets and it will help reduce global emissions, there is also a read need for physical travel too. Factories need to be visited, crops inspected, and key conferences attended.  So here are a few tips and tricks from the Objective Travel Safety team which may help anyone planning an upcoming business trip. 

Paul Parsons and I turn off the main road and are faced with what seems to be a no entry or restricted access road sign.  Do we proceed or not? We are leading eight other vehicles and ahead is five km of snowy tracks through the snow deadened Polish forests. We are close to the Ukraine border, having passed a heavily camouflaged military field radar site.  ‘Engage four wheel drive’; the Hilux grins, this is more like it after too long on the German & Polish motorways! We gently trundle through the birch forest, ever fearful of finding a locked barrier. All is well and we emerge out of the forest and past small farms with tin roofs and fences demarking their boundaries. Thirty minutes later, we are trying to find the Hilux’s chassis number (for those interested, on back seat door frame) at the border crossing point into Ukraine without which the Poles would not allow us to cross the border.  

Importance of a Crisis Management Strategy for Businesses

For the international traveller planning to visit South America, they need to be aware of some relatively significant issues facing any visitor. On a positive note, with the exception of Chile, the continent is generally free of any significant covid entry restriction. However, other challenges remain. 

The first quarter of the year has been turbulent with political unrest a constant feature in Peru and Brazil and in most countries, there has been a significant increase in crime rates and gang related violence. Below is a quick round up, by country, of some of the issues any visitor needs to be aware of. 

At Objective Travel Safety, we have now adapted our acclaimed Business Travel Safety Awareness training programme and are delighted to offer our course online via Skype, Zoom, Webex, Teams. 

Business Travel Safety Awareness Courses provide confidence, knowledge and essential skills needed to stay safe when abroad, as well as delivering duty of care obligations for companies. 

We understand that it takes extensive planning for such a fantastic, inspiring and memorable adventure and that it is not about having a smooth, uncomplicated ride. 

This article was written before the 2019 Military coup. The FCDO currently advises against all but essential travel to Myanmar. 

I have just returned from a short trip to Kenya and Tanzania. The former was returning to Nairobi and visiting the highland area around Nanyuki whilst in Tanzania it was a familiarisation trip to Zanzibar.

I visited Iran for the first time in May 2017.  What an amazing experience and the country lived up to all the hype I had heard, I can honestly say its one of the very best trip I have ever done.