Page 57 - INTERNATIONAL SOS PR REPORT JANUARY 2024

1/11/24, 1:29 PM Global travel soars amid evolving risk landscape: A Call for enhanced risk management
International SOS data revealed a 59% increase in international travel and 48.4% increase in

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domestic travel October 2023, compared to the beginning of the year. These findings align with a
recent report from The International Air Transport Association (IATA), emphasising the resurgence

of global travel. According to IATA, global air traffic reached 97.3% of pre-COVID levels at the end

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of 2023. With the holiday season quickly approaching, IATA anticipates that this trend will
continue into the New Year, despite economic and political uncertainties in parts of the world.

Michael Rogers, Chief Security Analyst at International SOS said “The resurgence in global travel

comes at a time in which the travel security landscape is increasingly complicated by geopolitical

events, natural disasters and other developments. More and more, organisations are finding

comprehensive risk mitigation strategies for their mobile workforce to be of upmost importance.

“Today, more than ever, travellers need to remain informed of prevailing risks and attendant

mitigation measures. Beyond geopolitical issues and natural disasters, emerging diseases, social

unrest and evolving crime dynamics require that travellers practice vigilance. Across a series of

concurrent and overlapping crises, International SOS observed a 16% increase in the volume of

security and medical alerts issued to clients throughout January to November this year compared to

same period in 2022. The considerable increase illustrates both the evolving global security

environment as well as value of timely and verified information and analysis as a key resource to

ensure workforce safety.”

The impact of climate change, including extreme weather events, natural disasters and

environmental changes also poses an additional layer of risk to global travel and are proving to be

increasingly disruptive. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated that within the next

two decades, temperatures are likely to rise by 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and we are likely to

see a multitude of unavoidable climate hazards globally. 3

Natural disaster-related reporting accounted for 20% of International SOS’ medical and security

alert volume in the months of July and August this year. This is a 5% increase compared to the same

period last year. These months fall within the peak of hurricane and tropical cyclone season,

highlighting the increased risk of natural disasters during this time.

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