Page 65 - INTERNATIONAL SOS PR REPORT JANUARY 2024

1/10/24, 4:50 PM Global Travel Soars Amid Evolving Risk Landscape: A Call for Enhanced Risk Management | Web Release
a promising trajectory for 2024. Additionally, the industry forecasts indicate that the volume will reach 105% of 2019
levels, facilitating travel of around 429 million passengers.

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 being 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 of 2023. This is a 5% increase compared to the same period of 2022. These months fall
within the peak of hurricane and tropical cyclone season, highlighting the increased risk of natural disasters.

Michael Rogers added “With climate change exacerbating existing travel risks, it is important for organisations to have

robust and integrated health and security travel policies that safeguard employees from potential impacts of climate
change during travels. Additionally, encompassing the ISO 31030 standard in organisations’ policies provides a

framework to ensure preparedness for a changing travel security landscape and to be better placed to mitigate
increasingly complex travel risks.”

https://web-release.com/global-travel-soars-amid-evolving-risk-landscape-a-call-for-enhanced-risk-management/ 2/2