More than any other industry, the travel industry changes quickly -- and business travelers may be the ones who bear the consequences. There are a few so-called travel industry disruptions that are actively making travel more dangerous and those who are interested in keeping themselves safe while on the road may need to take steps to protect themselves.
Location Tracking on Social Media Accounts
Did you know that Facebook actually tells people where you are -- right at the moment? When you post status updates and send messages, your location is appended. People can tell where you are and that you're not in town, which can be dangerous for your family and yourself, depending. If you value privacy, lock down your accounts before you head out.
Room Share Services Are Based on Faith
A few major scandals have made people a little cautious about home and room shares, like Airbnb, which are intended to substitute for traditional hotels. Many business travelers presently use Airbnb to be closer to convention centers and to save money, but there's a lot of faith involved in the transaction. Recently, one Airbnb guest reported that the owner of the place was coming in and out while they were there -- a violation of the agreement and quite scary!
Reliance on Smartphones and GPS Technology
Perhaps the largest danger business travelers are getting into now has to do with the smartphone in their pocket. Many travelers use their smartphones to navigate, but there is a problem there for those who are unfamiliar with areas. When you rely on a smartphone, you don't necessarily know how safe the areas you're going in are. Most business travelers are better off asking a driver or their hotel for directions. Google Maps, unfortunately, cannot give you an opinion of how safe an area is or avoid high crime areas.
Of course, not all trends are bad -- they just mean that you need to be more cautious. Business travelers who are concerned about safety may want to stick to more traditional methods of travel, such as chauffeured services and traditional hotels, rather than risking it with new technology.
