Welcome to Installment 3 of our International Travel Security series.  As with each week, let’s take a moment to review what we’ve covered:

In Installment 1, we introduced the basics of Travel Security; why it is important, the concept of Duty of Care, and the role that the security practitioner should play in the preparation, planning and response of a holistic Travel Security program.

In Installment 2, we discussed the responsibilities of both the traveler and the practitioner performing the “CP” functions as it pertains to Pre-Travel tasks.  We discussed Travel Intelligence, the six categories of Pre-Trip Planning, and insurance issues.

In this installment, we are going to embark on our adventure together!  We want to discuss the specifics of international travel best practices, secure communications and OPSEC, anti-crime/anti-kidnapping measures, and the use of facilitators.  It’s a lot of material to cover, so we apologize in advance for any short attention spans!

International Travel Best Practices

There is a mountain of information that could/should go under this category.  Probably the best way to tackle this topic is to take it chronologically.  Admittedly, some of the tips/tricks will be rudimentary and familiar to anyone who has done any type of international travel.  We’re not trying to insult anyone’s intelligence.  Sometimes a reminder of the basics is just that…a good reminder.

International travel best practices start even before we walk out the front door.  It starts with the luggage you choose, the clothing you pack (and wear) and what’s in your pockets.

Luggage and Luggage Tags.  This is a controversial topic among the frequent flyers of the world.  Just look at the choices made by the “elite” passengers at any check-in terminal to see the vast differences in what people choose to travel with.  With a keen eye, you can definitely pick up on those travelers who have a security-focused mindset (or that have AT LEAST heeded the advice of a great security consultant!).

Whenever possible, avoid checking bags in the first place.  If you don’t check a bag, the chance of that bag getting lost by the airlines reduces to 0%.  With the delays that are common in international travel, checked bags have a hard time keeping up with us as we run to a connecting flight or get re-routed through Timbuktu.  In the spirit of complete honesty and transparency, 7Spears’ employees pack horribly!  We take the “two is one, and one is none” principle to the extreme and usually have a checked bag (or two) – even for a short trip.  We are always envious when we see a traveler show up for a month-long trip with nothing but a backpack and roller bag.  That’s not us, but we’re trying to get better.

If you are going to check a bag, then the issue becomes, “What type of bag and how should you mark it?”.  Here is where we will introduce the foundational concept that applies to all international travel best practices topics:  Blend In.  Avoid luggage that appears expensive, or stands out in color or design.  You can be the biggest “gear snob” in the world, but you need to try and avoid buying luggage that stands out as being expensive, ostentatious, high-quality, or a “symbol of American excess and imperialism”.  Here at 7Spears, we are on the never-ending quest to find that “perfect luggage” that is both durable, well made, efficient, but non-descript.  We avoid leather luggage and anything with designs or name brands.  We always look at luggage, clothing and jewelry from the perspective of the bad guy – “Would this highlight us to a criminal for robbery or kidnapping?”  Could it be making some sort of political statement to a non-US-friendly mindset that targets us for an attack?  We’ve found success in a few brands but honestly, we’ve had just as much success buying something cheaper at a local department store and replacing it when the wheels fall off or the zipper broke.

The conundrum comes when, as you studiously apply the principle of “blending in”, you try and claim your luggage at the destination or, God forbid, your luggage gets lost.  “Mine is the black Samsonite roller bag” does not help as a descriptor very often.  We use luggage straps of muted colors to identify our bags on the luggage carrousel.

When it comes to luggage tags, we try and use the generic, airline-provided tags.  We leave off the custom “frequent flyer” tags, or the leather ones that dangle (do any frequent traveling, and those will get ripped off soon enough anyway).  Yes, we end up replacing our cheap paper tags quite a bit, but they blend in and do not give the appearance that we are frequent travelers of any kind of status.  A lot of people we see use laminated business cards for tags. We’re strong proponents of avoiding this and, in fact, not giving away any unnecessary information.  Our luggage tags only include our name (no abbreviations or certifications) and our frequent flyer number.  This tag is then folded upon itself to not be visible to the casual observer.  The airline can then look us up and find out all the pertinent information that they need from our FFN.

On the inside of our bag (locked with a TSA-approved lock, of course), we will tape a copy of our itinerary, our cell phone number, and the address/phone of our final destination/hotel.  This helps with lost luggage issues.  Luggage is often inspected (I think I win the lottery on every trip), so we make sure this information is taped to the inside of the top flap so it doesn’t get buried or discarded as the inspector rummages through our belongings.

Lastly, we’ll take a picture of our luggage, all packed, banded, and labeled just prior to leaving the house.  We’ll put it in a word document with our contact information, brand and dimensions of the luggage, and our itinerary.  We’ll email this to ourselves (I usually save a picture of the entire document on my phone).  That way, if our luggage is lost, we can provide a good description of the missing bag to the agent, even if we don’t speak the language.

Clothing and Jewelry.  Again, blending in is the key.  Whenever possible, we avoid traveling internationally with logos/designs/prints that are flashy, showcase that we’re Americans, or that even have our company logo.  Don’t get us wrong…we’re as big a fan of Ranger-Up apparel as the next guy/gal, and our logo ROCKS!, but we leave that wear to our own country code.  When it comes to jewelry, the same principle applies.  Unless you’re going to a client pitch or a conference, the flashy watch, necklace, cufflinks, tie pin, etc. should be left at home.  If you are going to a place where you must “dress to impress”, we recommend you keep those clothes/items in your luggage and not travel in them.

This does not mean you should travel in pajamas and flip-flops (why do we have to say this?).  Dressing down too much attracts just as much attention internationally as your tuxedo.  Clothing needs to be neat, professional, comfortable, and non-descript, but still be able to conduct movements and activities that support international travel or contingencies.

Wallet and Pocket Litter.  Often overlooked, you should pay extra attention to what you are carrying with you.  We sterilize all of our wallets, bags and clothing to ensure we are only bringing along what is absolutely necessary.  Do we really need to have our CCW permit with us on this trip?  Our home debit card?  Our COSTCO membership card?  Our receipt from the lunch we had last Tuesday? Do I need that western novel, that bible, that latest issue of Guns & Ammo?  Sterilize what you are taking with you by using the perspective of what information could be gleaned or used against you – should you find yourself across an interrogation table or tied up with a bag over your head.  The one counter-intuitive point to this concept is that you should bring along pictures of family and friends (even if you’re single).  As long as they are appropriate and do not give off an affluent or potentially insulting image, these could garner sympathy from a criminal or terrorist.  During a hostage situation, these pictures could give you something to talk about that may produce “common ground”.

Arriving at the Airport.  Get to know the travel and efficiency patterns of your local airport.  For us, we have a pretty good idea of how early we need to arrive.  It all depends on the season, whether we’re checking bags, the weather, etc.  Follow your airport on social media or look up their website to get updated information.

There are a lot of discussions on what class of passenger offers you the most safety/security when traveling internationally.  Trust me, we’ve been in “the back of the bus” on many 12-hour flights in foreign flag carriers and repeated the “Never Again!” mantra in our head.  As security professionals, we are forever being guided by the budget and do not want to appear ostentatious or extravagant to our client.  But there are several GREAT security reasons why you should travel above economy class: 

1) Business-class travelers usually get to board the aircraft before others, getting them out of the waiting area sooner and into a more “controlled” environment.

2) Business-class passengers are sometimes processed differently from “the masses” during customs/immigration.  It has also been our experience that higher-class ticketed passengers are sometimes not screened as thoroughly (although this is a gap in security, we try and take advantage of it when we can).

3) In many international terminals, a business-class ticket allows access to private areas/lounges which add a layer of security to the waiting passengers.

4) Being able to skip the long processing lines for check-in and security help get you out of the public domain quicker.

5) Business-class passengers are less-likely to get “bumped” in an oversold or re-routing situation.  Airlines tend to cater to this class of passenger in a more accommodating way.  This can be instrumental when flights get canceled, delayed, re-routed, etc.

We make these points in discussions with our clients and advise them that the extra money spent in upgrading a ticket is far outweighed by the added security and safety benefits afforded their travelers.  In the end, however, 7Spears has adopted the policy that we will travel in the same class/status as that of our client in most instances.

Before we leave this topic, we’ll repeat that airport lounges should not be discounted.  Not only are they a great place to grab a refreshment (in some cases even a nap and a shower), hop on a “secure” internet connection, etc., they also give you an added layer of security and separate you from the masses.  We will put a plug in here for Priority Pass Select.  We get a membership to this through our corporate card account, but you can also buy an annual membership.  Priority Pass (Select level) provides you (and up to 2 of your guests at no additional charge) access to 1,000+ airport lounges worldwide.  Their customer and app support is top-notch.  Simply open the app, enter in the 3-letter code of the airport you are in, and it will direct you to the nearest lounge.

Arriving at Your Destination.  About an hour-or-so out from your destination, you’ll be given immigration and customs forms to fill out.  Here again, we are strong proponents of not giving away any unnecessary information.  We usually list our hotel that we’re staying and an occupation of “consultant” on our forms.  Now is not the time for ego.  If your client is the VP of Operations, advise him that he may want to list “manager” on his form.  If it asks for a home address, we’ll use our work address (if we can get away with it on the form blocks, we’ll just list city/state/USA).  When applicable, we list our reason for the visit as “attending a conference” (not specified).  If that is not applicable, we will find some other generic term, such as “business meetings”.  We are not saying to be deceitful or too vague on these forms.  That could land you in hot water, or at least “extra screening”.  But we don’t disclose anything that we don’t have to.  The same holds true for checking into your hotel or any other place where it is mandatory to disclose information.

We usually try and have an airport pick-up; either from the hotel, a business associate, or a facilitator.  In every event, we request a picture of the driver to be emailed to us prior to travel.  If that is not possible, a name & cell phone number is requested.  In certain areas where kidnapping is prevalent, we’ll also set up a “code word” between us and the pick-up agency that we will ask for when we meet the driver.

If we are driving, we ensure that we have a photocopy of our International Driver’s License and passport ready to provide to the rental car agency.  We’ve only been bit on this once (in Algiers), but we were required to leave an original form of identification with the rental car agency (to be returned when the car was brought back).  The take-away here is to ensure that you call ahead to the actual car place and find out exactly what you need prior to arrival (just because it says Hertz on the signage, doesn’t mean they follow Hertz’ rules and requirements).

If we haven’t done it prior to travel, at the airport we’ll usually exchange a minimum amount of dollars into the local quackles – the exchange rate will be atrocious, so we exchange just enough to get us through to a time where we can exchange more money at a (reputable) place offering a better (legal) rate.

We’ll also try and find a shop (either in the airport or on the way to the hotel), where we can buy a local SIM chip and a cheap cellular phone.  Be aware that there are usually requirements to give a copy of your passport/visa and fill out some more forms for this.  Doing this serves a few purposes; 1) it gives you an alternate, local form of communication for your PACE commo plan (we’ll get into that later). 2) Local contacts really appreciate not having to make an international call to speak with you while you are in their country.   3) It gives you a phone number to use when you are filling out forms where you don’t want your stateside number exposed.

Your Hotel.  Hotel security is a topic in-and-of itself, but in general you want to do your homework and stay at a hotel that has a reputation for good security.  We request to never stay on the ground floor and we request a room that is away from the front entrance/main streets, has no adjoining room/balcony, and is away from elevators or stairs.  The flip side to this is that you now have the responsibility of knowing how to get to the right set of stairs in case of a fire or other emergency.  When you get to your room, check the deadbolt on the door, the balcony, and (if applicable) the windows.  If you are traveling with valuables (not recommended), use the front desk safe, not your room safe.  There are a lot of door alarms, intrusion detection strips, and ways you can “booby trap” your room to let you know if someone has been snooping around while you’re gone.  If you decide to take advantage of any of these things, great…but we usually leave those things to the James Bonds of the world.

Your First 24 Hours.  We’ll get more into this in Installment 5, on Emergency Action Planning(EAP).  But here we want to highlight that we try and get to our destination at least 24 hours prior to any actual itinerary requirements.  During that time, we visually verify the locations of every site we’ve annotated in our EAP; all of our Emergency Rally Points, hospitals, police stations, and embassies.  We make sure to put eyes-on the venue and registration location or any other site on our itinerary.  Where possible, we try and pre-coordinate a short (30 minute-ish) meeting with the Regional Security Officer (RSO) or his deputy.  As the senior US security official in country, we found that they appreciate the professional courtesy and are treasure troves of valuable information and local knowledge.  We pre-coordinate a meeting with the chief of hotel security for many of the same reasons.  If supporting a follow-on team, we will pre-schedule a meeting with the head of security at the airport and go back to coordinate details/issues.  Setting this time aside also gives the traveler/security practitioner some valuable area familiarization, or “street time” – time to begin to become familiar with the sights, sounds, smells, traffic patterns, etc. of your new environment.  Almost just as importantly, getting up early and heading out with a to-do list helps get your body adjusted to the time change quicker and helps with jet lag.

General Practices.  It goes without saying that you should maintain good situational awareness, be conscious if you’ve inadvertently ventured off into a “NO-GO area”, and not become so inebriated that you become a soft target.  But there are additional items that you should keep in mind.  We like to keep the local news station on the hotel TV, even when we don’t understand the language.  That is often our first indicator if an issue is brewing.  We try and avoid public transportation and only use a vetted car service, security driver or facilitator, or have the hotel call us a cab.  While we don’t go “local” in our clothing and appearance, we do try to dress-down when we’re out on the street and blend in as much as possible.  Other than that, we stick to general, “common sense” procedures – the same that we would apply anywhere.

Secure Communication & OPSEC

Again, this is a vast topic that could fill volumes.  But when it comes to secure communications and OPSEC, there are a few general guidelines that you should keep in mind:

• Never, EVER, use a “free” or non-password
  protected wi-fi hotspot on its own. If you are using this as the gateway to the internet, incorporate some sort of Virtual Private Network(VPN) software into your connection process.  In fact, VPN software should be used during any internet communication, whether the connection requires a password or not.
• Be cognizant of polite chit-chat or conversation with fellow travelers. Be aware of your discussions with co-workers in public areas like airport terminals or even on the aircraft.
• Invest in some sort of soft-phone or encrypted phone program. There are tons of them out there, so find one you like (that will work on foreign networks) and ensure that you use that for everything but the most generic voice calls or texts.
• Lose the social media addiction. Unless necessary for business or marketing purposes, leave the FB, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram etc., at home. You can post all the pics of your exotic food once you return.
• Work off of an encrypted thumb drive. There are many vendors of both hardware and software out there to choose from.  Find a high capacity thumb drive and (where possible) work off of it.  Do not store anything on our laptop that you would not feel comfortable showing to a stranger.  When emailing, include all sensitive information in an encrypted attachment that you transfer to/from your thumb drive before opening.  When work is complete, remove the thumb drive, shred (not just delete) any files you were using on your laptop, and reboot your computer.
• “Loose lips sink ships”.  In many countries, secure communication protocols like VPNs or IP Phones are prohibited. Apps like WhatsApp and Signal will not work.  In many countries, you do not have the expectation of privacy.  In these situations, don’t try talking around things to get your point across.  Either find a way to talk about restricted/proprietary information securely, or don’t talk about it.  This holds true in your hotel and car as well.  Whether it’s true or not, you should operate as if your room and car are bugged, at least with audio.  If you have to have business meetings and do not have access to TSCM services, use a public area like a restaurant, lobby, or a meeting room at your host company’s office spaces.  Still, you can never be too careful, so only discuss those topics that are necessary to perform the work and keep specific details or trade secrets to a minimum.
• At 7Spears, our SOP is to send a daily SITREP back home. The SITREP is simple in format:  Activities done over the last 24 hours, Planned activities for the next 24-48 hours, Changes to the itinerary or schedule, and any support/logistical requirements.  We try and send this SITREP (and any other report criteria) encrypted back to home station.  If that is not possible, we still send the SITREP, we just try and keep our comments as generic as possible.  But again, we make it a policy not to try and “talk around” sensitive issues.  If an issue involves client information or proprietary data, then we will either find a way to send it encrypted or we don’t send it.  It’s been our experience, however, that if you have done your pre-travel preparations properly, it is rare that you have an issue arise that you cannot speak about generically and have the point get across to home station.

Anti-Crime / Anti-Kidnapping

The single greatest preventative factor against kidnapping and crime is situational awareness.  In the modern era, it is a rare thing to see someone who’s face isn’t buried in a screen, ears that aren’t stuffed with headphones, etc.  You can’t afford to do this EVER, much less in a foreign environment.

Additionally, “Fore-warned is Fore-armed”.  Having knowledge of the areas prone to criminal activity and the common acts/scams perpetrated can be immensely helpful.  This is where your pre-travel intelligence gathering comes into play, as well as your liaison activities with the RSO or local security contacts.  Get to know the front desk and concierge staff and solicit their opinions of where to go (and not go) and local news updates.

Avoid those areas that are, for now and forever, hot spots of criminal activity.  Stay out of the brothels, the nightclub districts, etc.  Understand where the NO-GO areas are in your new location.  If you have to go through them (because you just have to get the best deal for that local trinket at the downtown bazar), then heighten your security posture and implement additional preventative measures.

Next, do yourself a favor and learn how to conduct proper surveillance detection.  Wouldn’t it be nice to know if you are being targeted for a future crime or kidnapping?  It’s not that farfetched an idea if you understand and practice key surveillance detection principles and methodologies.

Finally, make yourself a hard target.  Walk with a purpose.  Appear alert and aware.  Vary your routes and schedule.  Don’t flash expensive clothing, jewelry or money.  Use (and continue to update) your protective intelligence to respond to existing threats and anticipate new ones.  In short, be such a pain-in-the-you-know-what that the bad guys move on to an easier prize.

The Use of Facilitators

The last topic we’ll cover for today’s marathon blog is the use of facilitators in international travel security.  This is a topic of great debate “in the business”.  The brutal truth of the matter is that – whether you agree that we should rely on local/host-nation enablers or not – we all do.  From the maid that cleans our room, to the front desk staff, to the receptionist, the door man, the waitress…in some way we all use the local population to assist us as we eat, drink, play and work in a foreign environment.  The trick is to take control of the process and use it to your advantage more efficiently.  At 7Spears, we are strong proponents of local partnering and the use of facilitators.  We work hard on developing a vetting process for the people we trust in our “inner circle” during an overseas trip.  This process is well-rooted in our networks and associations that have a global presence.  Now is probably a good time to plug international security organizations, such as ASIS and OSAC.  If you’re involved with security operations on an international scale, membership with these organizations provides you critical access to local practitioners who are vetted and trustworthy.

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At 7Spears, we are strong proponents of local partnering and the use of facilitators.  We work hard on developing a vetting process for the people we trust in our “inner circle” during an overseas trip.

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We use facilitators for several key functions:

First and foremost, there are very few people we’ve met who are natural linguists.  Although trained as linguists in our younger military years, as we get older we find that we can barely converse in intelligible English!  So while it is polite and useful to memorize some key phrases (hello, good bye, please, thank you, help, water, food, police, etc), we rely heavily on translator support – especially when conducting our security functions.  It is the hallmark of American arrogance to go to someone’s home country and expect them to speak English with you.  Bringing along a linguist not only allows you to not miss a critical nuance or conversational item, it shows that – as a foreigner – you are respectful of your own language inadequacies.

We also rely on facilitator support for driving.  Usually, our driver and interpreter are one-and-the-same, but not always.  We prefer to have a trained security driver, but that is not always possible.  Regardless, we require our drivers to have intimate knowledge of the area (don’t need maps), and understand the local “mood on the street”.  Preferably, they were born/raised in the area where they work.  Often, it is my driver who alerts me before anyone else that “something isn’t right” with a vibe in a given area.  They know when something is out of place, a checkpoint is erected where there shouldn’t be one, when our presence is starting to attract attention, etc.  I also lean heavily on my driver for questions concerning customs/culture, and getting a better grasp on local history, politics, and “touristy stuff”.

We’ve mentioned it before, but we rely on facilitators a lot when it comes to a trusted local security company.  Having a company that knows security concepts, has the connection with local police and government officials, understands the process, customs, and courtesies, and understands your mission is invaluable.  Local security facilitators also have access to protective intelligence assets that are impossible to replicate.  We rely on that heavily for real-world, up-to-date, reliable intelligence.

The CP Perspective

The trip clock starts even before the traveler leaves the front door (home or office).  Airline apps/social media pages and websites are continuously checked to make sure flights are leaving on time (or not), in order to be prepared to make arrangements/changes to the itinerary.  This is checked for the entire length of the trip.  Weather is also checked for changes/updates in case flights could potentially be re-routed or delayed.  If we are able to foresee issues, we are able to plan for them and be proactive rather than reactive.  Updates are always given to our traveler.  Also, once the traveler leaves their home or office, the comms log begins.  Our log contains the date, time, method of comms, location of traveler, notes/comments and initials of who has received the communciation.  Every single time the traveler makes comms, it gets logged; be it from a text, email, beacon check-in – whatever.  The more info we can document, the better.  Anything said by the traveler gets documented.  Comms logs are kept right up until the traveler steps foot back at home base.

It’s important to start glancing at credit cards and bank accounts.  Most likely, a credit card
has been used to make reservations for all of the accommodations/facilitators/drivers, etc.  As soon as those credit cards are used for travel, we are on top of checking those accounts daily (if not several times a day).  As stated in a previous installment, the traveler is given an agenda which includes amounts that were quoted by each vendor so that they are aware of what to expect in their billing statement/receipt, in case anyone is trying to add something “questionable” to a bill (which happens more often than not).  Sometimes it’s easier to “correct” a vendor discrepancy in person before the bill becomes an issue.  However, we’ve found that sometimes it may be easier to deal with the discrepancy with the credit card company once the traveler is “back to home base”.  We use our own judgement in determining how to best handle these types of issues.  It can be problematic to alert credit card companies with perceived fraudulent activities too soon…as now we are dealing with cancelling cards/accounts when the traveler needs access to these cards in order to function.  At the very least, we log all activities and note dates/times/activity that appears to be questionable.  Sometimes these charges are legit.  The CP needs to balance patience with diligence when scrubbing financial accounts for activity.

In addition to keeping travel logs and checking bank accounts, our “go to” news agencies, websites and social media pages are checked several times a day in order to look for anything “out of the ordinary” or imperative to the trip.  Updates are sent to the traveler as often as necessary.  Weather is checked to see if anything unforeseen is in our future.  Often, the traveler doesn’t have great access to internet, at least not the abundance that we have back at the home office.  They rely on what we are able to observe, analyze and report.  Sometimes they have one shot (sketchy access) to receive our report and we like to make sure they get the very best, and most useful info available.

If and when any SITREP is received, our office has a method of processing and handling/storing  data.  We remember and practice good OPSEC in this office…so we don’t put anything on blast.  We continue to monitor for duress, status updates, equipment updates and location updates and any confirmation of changes to the itinerary. 

While we don’t plan for activities outside the office while our traveler is overseas, sometimes errands need to be run.  If we happen to leave the office, we bring our trip folder, comms logs, phones (with extra battery/charger) and sometimes our laptop with us and log anything and everything.  That’s how important we view our role as CP.  Better to be prepared than to be caught unaware or clueless to world events and traveler updates.

The role of the CP is essential to any trip.  Be prepared.  Try and have the best plans in place for anything and everything.  Have your folders ready with your important phone numbers, photo copies, agendas and itineraries so that time isn’t wasted when looking for what is needed.  We are so engaged in this role, and take it so seriously, that we’d love to hear if you have any additional tips and tricks that you use outside of what is listed here.  If you have or do something that we are missing, please let us know!   We strive to always improve, always collaborate, always stay up to date in our industry and our role.  Thank you, in advance, for anything you’d like to suggest or offer!

Summary

With nearly 30 years of international travel under our belt, it is hard to put into one blog post all of the things that you should be mindful of when traveling abroad.  In the end, it is up to you as the expert practitioner to educate yourself using a myriad of recourses.  We hope this blog is one of those resources and that you got something of value.  There is a lot that goes into international travel when done with a comprehensive security perspective.  This is just the tip of the iceberg.  Understanding how to blend in with your environment, how to communicate securely, how to prevent yourself from becoming a victim, and how to use local resources to assist you is essential in building a foundation for success.  As a trip lengthens, or is repeated over the course of time, this foundation continues to be strengthened and the foreign becomes familiar.   Experience is often the best teacher, and there is no other way to gain that than by getting out there!

Useful Resources

• Business Travel Success: How to Reduce Stress, Be More Productive & Travel with Confidence. This is available in both soft-back and digital editions.  You can find it on Amazon or a lot of other places (just use your search engine).  A lot of travel hacks and “Ah-Ha” moments that can help make traveling easier.
• The Terrorism Survival Guide: 201 Travel Tips on How NOT to Become a Victim. This is available in both soft-back and digital editions.  You can find it on Amazon or a lot of other places (just use your search engine).  Use this in conjunction with the above resource.  Some “simple” travel solutions aren’t so great of an idea when you evaluate them through a security lens.
• Terrorism: Avoidance and Survival. Another great resource (only available in print version, as far as I have been able to find) with useful tips and strategies.
• Counterterrorism Strategies for Corporations: The Ackerman Principles. Another great resource (only available in print version, as far as I have been able to find) with useful tips and strategies specifically catered to business travelers.

“Life is a journey – Let’s travel it safely!

-7Spears

P.S.  We love collaboration!  Please leave a comment, disagreement, or point of discussion in the comments below.  If you liked this article, please feel free to share it on social media! If you need more detailed assistance on challenges specific to your family, group, or company, please contact us via the “Contact Us” link or email info@7SpearsSecurity.com. And don’t forget to subscribe to our blog to continue the collaborations process (just fill out the form on the right)!