Safety matters, Part 1

When a travel writer recently went missing while on a press trip in Jamaica, it hit close to home for reporter Felicity Long. Her report on travel safety follows:

The recent disappearance of a travel writer in Jamaica -- who at press time was not yet accounted for -- sent ripples down my spine and those of my colleagues in the business.

For the fact is, no matter how savvy we think we are, different countries have different rules, and when we don't know those rules, our personal safety can be in jeopardy.

As a journalist who writes frequently about family travel, I not only expose myself to the exigencies of travel but often my young children as well.

Hearing about the disappearance of Claudia Kirschhoch, an editor for Frommer's Travel Guides, reminded me of a situation that occurred while on a Mediterranean cruise a little more than a year ago during the Kosovo conflict.

Our cruise itinerary encompassed stops in Greece and Turkey, and because of the war and because of widely published threats against tourists by Kurdish rebel groups, I remember feeling qualms before setting forth.

When we arrived in Turkey, the then-acknowledged hot spot on the itinerary, several of the other journalists opted to stay on board rather than join the shore excursion to Ephesus.

I took the excursion, and it turned out to be a highlight of the voyage. And, because of visible security everywhere, I never once felt ill at ease.

But how do you know ahead of time when you are taking an acceptable risk, or, more to the point, when you are putting clients in harm's way?

"Every travel agent needs to be continually updated about every country they are sending people to," said Malcom Nance, chief consultant for Real World Rescue.

The San Diego-based company offers information on everything, from which destinations are hot spots to tips on how to evacuate a country that has suddenly become hostile.

Although originally created to assist government agencies in hostage situations, the association, Nance said, has expanded its net to include business and leisure travelers, journalists and -- most recently -- travel agents.

The evolution of his mission statement began in 1997, when Nance was involved in the evacuation of noncombatant civilians in Africa.

While airlifting people out of a beleaguered village, an incredulous Nance ran into two backpackers in the mountains.

"I asked them, 'What are you doing here?' and it turns out they were two people intent on backpacking from one end of Africa to the other, not knowing anything [about the countries they were hiking through]," Nance said.

The backpackers were taken by helicopter to safety, he said, which probably saved their lives.

The incident prompted Nance to become a consultant for such venues as Lonely Planet travel guides, offering advice to would-be adventurers.

Along the way, he noticed that although high-powered executives were still at risk for kidnapping in some Third World locations, the victim du jour increasingly was becoming the hapless tourist.

Nance warned that it is not enough to assume that because a leading tour operator sells a particular country that it's always safe to send clients there.

He cited the Bwindi National Park massacre in Uganda that took place in March 1999, during which participants on an upscale tour operator package were killed.

"The entire history of that country should have been in discussion [before the tour was created]," he said, adding that a mass genocide in Rwanda was occurring less than 20 miles south of where the incident took place.

Nance added, however, that the area now is "almost in lockdown" with increased security so that tourists are safer there now than before.

But when one hot spot quiets down, another heats up, Nance said, urging agents to keep themselves updated on the latest advisories and warnings about the destinations they sell.

"It's a big, bad world out there, and safety should be a hallmark of what travel agents are offering clients," he said.

Tips for safe traveling will appear in the next issue.

Q:We're having a cash-flow problem at my agency. Any advice on how to break a lease?

A: The nature of a lease is an agreement to rent a space for a required amount of time, whether you occupy the space or not.

If you move out, you're still liable for rent. However, by checking the provisions of your lease agreement, there might be an escape hatch.

First, talk to your landlord, who might not be too persnickety about you honoring the lease. Your landlord might have someone else wanting your space or might welcome the opportunity to raise the rent for the next tenant.

If the landlord isn't helpful, then turn to your lease for options. Perhaps you can sublet the space.

Another option is an escape clause with a penalty. You might even consider making a buyout offer.

The next time you sign a lease, negotiate a one-year agreement with an extension option. You might have to pay a little more in rent, but it might be worth it, especially if you're not sure you'll want to stay in that area of town.

Ask for an escape clause that enables you to give notice and pay a lump-sum penalty if you decide you can no longer occupy the space.

Have someone who is familiar with rents and leasing review your contract before signing -- even if you have to pay an attorney or real estate broker fee.

Former agency owner Dan McManus is the publisher of the newsletter the Successful Worldspan Agent. Contact him at [email protected].