Travel Risk Management programs across the globe kicked into action last month in response to two major security incidents in the Asia Pacific region. Terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, targeting international travelers at business hotels, and political protests at two major international airports in Bangkok, Thailand, frightened and stranded thousands of business travelers, who were turned to their corporate travel managers for help.

In an NBTA survey conducted within a week of the incidents, 15 percent of the 193 international travel managers surveyed had travelers or local employees directly affected in Mumbai, and more than 50 percent had travelers that were indirectly impacted by a change in travel plans, cancellations or delays, or  other inconveniences.

While airport closures in Bangkok affected fewer travelers than the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, primarily because of India’s rapidly growing economy, 32 percent of travel management professionals polled indicated that they had travelers flying to, from or connecting in Bangkok at the time of the disruptions.

More than 85 percent of travel managers immediately activated their traveler tracking systems in both incidents. One respondent from Australia contacted a traveler in Mumbai immediately after learning of the attacks to assess her status and needs. “I changed her flights, emailed her confirmation, and told her to get to the airport ASAP,” the survey respondent said.

Travel managers praised their traveler tracking systems, and credited the technologies with helping to secure their travelers. “This incident reinforced to us how important our traveler tracking system is, and how important it is for our employees to book through preferred agencies so that the traveler tracking system has data,” said one travel manager. Another encouraged “those companies that do not have a tracking system to get one.”

While most travel mangers were satisfied with their travel risk management programs overall and able to demonstrate the importance and value of managed travel, many corporations plan to make some of the following changes in response to these incidents:

·         Book fewer international branded hotels or luxury properties in favor of more boutique or lower rated hotels in India

·         Place greater emphasis on the importance of a well-managed travel program that is proactive and respected by travelers and upper management

·         Implement additional safety training and communications

·         Increase value, importance and funding of a robust travel risk management program

·         Develop a closer working relationship between travel managers and other risk management professionals within a company

·         Increase focus on hotel security and safety during the sourcing process

With the help of their travel mangers, travelers affected by these incidents were most importantly safe. “It is very important that all travelers are aware of to whom they should turn when an incident occurs,” said one respondent. “When everyone knows what is expected of them, it is comforting to all concerned and works effectively and efficiently.”