Executive Protection – Politics of Travel Advisories

Recently Israel’s Office on Counter Terrorism canceled the travel advisory for India under which Israelis were recommended to avoid popular tourist spots and not to congregate at Chabad houses. The travel advisory came after reports of terrorist groups were planning “spectacular violence” in Goa, which was a prime target due to the large presence of tourists from Israel and the United States.

Later the Israel’s Counter-terrorism Bureau issued another travel advisory regarding India, saying that the threat against Israelis was “concrete” and recommended that Israelis refrain from congregating in synagogues, Chabad centers and other popular tourist spots.

Now is the time not to let down your guard when visiting India on executive protection (EP) assignments. There is a well known term known as the politics of travel advisories. This means when a country issues a travel advisory another the other, the country that has the travel advisory against it, losses millions of dollars each month due to canceled hotel, convention, tourist and foreign business bookings. As a political gesture the country after a period of months retracts the advisory and business and terrorism go back as usual.

These steps provides straightforward methods to guard against terrorism. Watch for unusual surveillance of your EP team and your hotel. Keep aware of unattended vehicles suspiciously parked near your hotel or country headquarters. Look out for unauthorized persons loitering in or near your hotel or other suspicious activities. Observe and avoid all unsecure areas of the city. Report all suspicious or unusual activity to the local law enforcement authorities. Do not approach or challenge any person acting in a suspicious manner he may be a suicide bomber or other type of armed radical. Keep safe and God speed.

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