BUSINESS TRAVELLERS HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS ABOUT TRAVELLING TO PARIS DURING THE OLYMPICS
– Security Expert Kate Fitzpatrick Outlines Top 12 Safety Tips to Ensure a Safe and Enjoyable Experience
With one in two (51%) business travellers expressing concerns about travelling to Paris during the Olympics, due to safety and security risks, taking steps to minimise risk is crucial.
An Opinium* survey of UK-based business travellers, commissioned by World Travel Protection, a leading global travel risk management organisation, reveals significant unease about visiting Paris during the Olympics, from 26 July to 11 August.
Kate Fitzpatrick, Security Director for EMEA at World Travel Protection, explains that the global attention on the Olympics often makes it a prime target for protests, terrorist acts, and general unrest, such as strikes. “At the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, we observed less disruption due to Covid-19 restrictions, yet there were still anti-Olympic protests and some unrest. Similarly, in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, there were significant security incidents, including robberies against athletes, shootouts between police and gunmen and terrorism arrests,” says Fitzpatrick.
She adds: “Paris has some specific challenges. For instance, for the first time, the Opening Ceremony will take place on the River Seine, instead of the main stadium, necessitating heightened security measures. Detailed crowd control measures will be in place days before the 26 July Ceremony making it essential to familiarise yourself with the regulations governing these restricted areas.”
Despite the high security risks in Paris, taking proactive steps can significantly minimise exposure and preparation is key to ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience.
Top 12 Safety Tips for Paris Olympics
Kate Fitzpatrick, who works closely with organisations to identify potential travel risks and provide expert security advice and support for travelling teams, provides these top safety tips:
- Go Old School – Think about how you would manage without modern technology and prepare accordingly. Phone signals are often blocked or overloaded in security situations, and phone batteries can lose power. Have hard copies of important documents, maps, and useful information (e.g., important telephone numbers, passport copy, and insurance details). Ensure all members of your party have hard copies of each other’s contact details as well as the address and phone number of your hotel or accommodation.
- Geography – Know your surroundings: Get your bearings and research in advance the best routes to arrive and leave. Have a hard copy of an up-to-date map and mark your hotel, the airport and train station on it, as well as routes to and from the events. Also download an offline map on your smartphone.
- Remain Alert: Always remain vigilant and be aware of your surroundings, so you are more likely to notice if something doesn’t look or feel safe. Keep your valuables close. In crowded situations, there will always be opportunistic thieves and con artists, so leave expensive watches and jewellery at home to avoid being a target. The end of events when people are relaxed is a vulnerable time. Maintain awareness and don’t get complacent in large crowds.
- Stay Informed: Keep up-to-date on the latest security news, speak to your hotel reception and check for any unrest, protests, etc. on reputable websites, including government ones. Download the emergency app of your travel assistance provider or set up news alerts to be the first informed. Remember social media is not a reliable source of information.
- Phone Essentials: Carry around a power pack to provide instant charge and consider getting a back-up local SIM card. The more options you have to be able to communicate in an emergency, the better. Dual SIM gives you access to different networks, when data services are unreliable or, due to a crisis or disaster, unavailable.
- Think About Your Personal Situation: Are you at particular risk, for instance are you diabetic and need regular medication? What can you do to mitigate the risks if, for example, you cannot return to your hotel due to a large-scale protest?
- React Quickly and Find a Place of Safety: Do not wait for a situation to get out of control. If there are red flags that your safety might be comprised, then it’s important to remove yourself from the situation as soon as possible. If you feel in danger because of protests or unrest, find somewhere you can shelter temporarily, like a café or restaurant, until the authorities say it’s safe.
- Designate an Emergency Meeting Place and Keep Track of Your Group: With large crowds, it can be easy to get separated so have an agreed safe meeting place to head towards. Consider sharing phone locations with the people in your group. For those travelling with school or business, your organisation might have a Traveller Tracking app you can use.
- Emergency Numbers & Providers: Know the country code for emergencies. For France and the European Union, it is 112. Also, know where the nearest hospitals are and mark them on your hard copy map.
- Transport: A local taxi firm can be a good option as they know the local area and will be abreast of the latest news. Pick up a card for a local company on arriving in Paris. In the unlikely event of a serious incident where you need to leave the city, it’s important to know where your main transport exits are located. Write down the directions from the hotel or stadium to the airport, and train stations. If the airport is over-congested, it might be worth taking a train to an alternative airport for a flight home.
- Basic First Aid kit – An off-the-shelf camping or pharmacy stocked basic first aid kit should suffice. If in doubt, ask a pharmacist or your travel assistance provider for suggestions.
- Credit or Pre-Paid Debit Card and Cash – Try to ensure you could cover at least three days of expenses if needed. Ideally, enough money to secure a flight or transport to the nearest safe airport in a wide-scale crisis or emergency event.
Kate Fitzpatrick concludes, “The Paris Olympics is sure to be a wonderful experience, and experts have been planning for years to ensure it runs as smoothly and safely as possible. But there is lots you can do as an individual to make sure that you are prepared, and know what you do, if you do get caught up in any disruption.”
*Opinium online survey conducted with 500 people, who travel for business at least once a year in the UK, from 1 – 8 February 2024.
