On October 7th, 2023, Hamas militants shocked the world when they launched a deadly attack against Israel. Almost immediately, airlines from all over the world began canceling their flights, stranding thousands of foreign nationals within Israel.
While the Brazilian and Argentinian governments were quite fast to respond, having made evacuation arrangements for their citizens within the first 24-48 hours after the attacks, many governments were surprisingly slow, taking multiple days to respond.
This situation isn’t unique to the events that occurred in Israel. Despite preparations being made by Russia for more than a month before its attack on Ukraine, more than 20,000 Indian citizens, mostly students, were present in the country when Russia invaded.
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In an age of unprecedented connectivity and real-time information, it's alarming how quickly the world can be caught off guard by unexpected events. As we reflect on such events, it becomes clear the key to preventing such situations lies in leveraging existing technology to its full potential.
The technology needed to keep people informed and safe during unexpected crises already exists today. Corporate travelers, particularly those in multinational organizations, are accustomed to using duty of care travel technologies that provide real-time updates, threat assessments and emergency response coordination. These solutions, ranging from travel tracking apps to sophisticated risk management platforms, have proven invaluable for ensuring the safety of employees abroad.
Breaking down barriers
However, there's a crucial caveat – these technologies are often confined within the realms of corporate travel and are accessible only to a select few. Most individuals, especially those traveling for personal reasons or working for smaller enterprises, remain unaware of or excluded from these critical tools.
Travel suppliers such as travel agencies, airlines and insurance companies can do more to ensure travelers stay safe abroad. In doing so, they can simultaneously increase travel confidence and differentiate themselves in the market by providing a superior travel experience.
The advantage travel agencies maintain is knowing the exact itineraries of their travelers. If these travel management companies had access to a feed of pre-qualified, real-time, disruptive or threatening events, they could send additional emails, push notifications or text messages to their travelers based on flight or hotel booking data.
In addition, their customer service teams could potentially provide alternative bookings when necessary. Rebooking options could even be automated to create a superior travel experience and sense of protection for their travelers.
Travel insurance is the industry most responsible for responding to emergencies, and this sector holds the key to democratizing the benefits of duty of care travel technologies.
Adam St. John – Sitata
Unfortunately, access to real-time events of importance is often cumbersome. Most travel management companies perform a manual review of breaking news and then are left to manually pull data out of their systems to try to determine who might be affected. Worse yet, this process is often limited to normal working hours. Overall the current approach that many use is too cumbersome and time consuming to be effective.
Many airlines, on the other hand, are already improving their customer experience by introducing automated rebooking processes during flight delays and cancellations, somewhat driven by a desire to comply with the European Union’s EU 261 regulations that protect air passengers’ rights. These systems provide an amazing customer experience during an otherwise negative event, but what about local transit strikes such as a railway shutdown, which could cause travelers to miss their flights? During these types of in-destination events, airlines are left with potential no-shows, additional scheduling headaches and lost revenue.
Out of all travel suppliers, travel insurance is the industry most responsible for responding to emergencies, and this sector holds the key to democratizing the benefits of duty of care travel technologies. Historically, insurance has been seen primarily as a financial safety net, providing compensation for losses incurred during unforeseen events. However, the industry is undergoing a transformation, realizing the potential to offer proactive services that can prevent or mitigate the impact of crises.
A shift is occurring among some forward-thinking insurance providers. These pioneers are recognizing that adding value beyond claims payments can significantly enhance their offerings.
By incorporating proactive services into their portfolios, such as real-time travel alerts, emergency response coordination and personalized safety recommendations, insurance carriers can revolutionize the way they support their policyholders.
However, many carriers are limited by the fact that their technology is often outsourced and siloed, preventing a truly coordinated response. In addition, many insurance carriers have traditionally focused on competing solely on innovation in coverage and maintaining low prices - a legacy that prevents them from adding additional value for fear of increasing prices and not being the leader in “cheap travel insurance.”
As we navigate an increasingly complex and unpredictable global landscape, the events of the past serve as a stark reminder of the urgency to act and to act quickly. The technology exists today to ensure that no one is caught off guard in times of crisis. By breaking down the barriers that limit access to duty of care travel technologies and unlocking the potential within the insurance industry, we have the tools to create a safer, more informed world for all. It's not just about reacting to crises; it's about proactively preventing them and safeguarding lives on a global scale. The time for change is now.
About the author ...
Adam St. John is CEO of the travel insurance and assistance company
Sitata.