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“Safe Traveler” Offers Consumers Access to Unprecedented Level of Incisive Travel and Destination Information
New Web site is powerful resource for today’s travelers
ST. PETERSBURG, FL — With the launch of Safe Traveler, consumers now have access to a level of comprehensive travel safety, destination and cultural information previously reserved for elite travelers and multinational corporations. Through its innovative Web site (www.safetraveler.com), the Florida-based company provides leisure and business travelers, students and the general public an authoritative single-source for current, relevant travel-related information.
Safe Traveler draws on the unmatched network of intelligence resources and proprietary system of data sorting and evaluation from iJET® Travel Intelligence to compile information that is actionable, timely and pertinent on over 200 countries and thousands of destinations and provides it to consumers through easily accessible and affordable reports. Safe Traveler provides what no other single source can offer the traveling public and its information is also of proven value – as various high-level corporate executives, government officials and VIPs have relied on it for almost a decade.
“It is the combination of up-to-the-minute travel-related information and interactive technology, along with travel experts who provide relevant background and advice, that separates Safe Traveler from other companies or government agencies,” stated John Holchin, executive vice president of Safe Traveler. “The approach to data gathering and evaluation is granular, meaning it reflects not only the larger safety issues but also those most relevant to travelers. We even provide cultural information and guidance to ensure travelers understand local customs. This reduces anxiety, helps people to avoid problems and allows them to more fully enjoy their travel experience.”
In addition to the destination information and travel advice designed to improve traveler safety, the company works with Annapolis, Maryland-based iJET® to produce real-time reports, which include exclusive information on local weather conditions, security alerts and status, healthcare concerns and issues, cultural background and updates, exchange rates and currency issues, local legal guidelines and alerts, entry/exit (visa) requirements, localized transportation updates and alerts, communications and technological information, environmental concerns, financial alerts and tips, language briefs, as well as updates on current local political conditions.
The Safe Traveler Web site was designed for travelers and travel enthusiasts who are in need of information, products and services to improve travel safety and reduce travel anxiety. Offerings include Safe Traveler’s Intelligence Brief, a publication used for research and planning that contains relevant alerts, background and advice at a cost of $7.50. For $25, Safe Traveler offers another service, its Destination Tracker, the world’s first and only interactive travel monitoring service for consumers. The service encompasses continuous updates and advice as well an Intelligence Brief for each country to be visited. The Web site also offers additional products and information to assist with travel planning.
About Safe Traveler
Safe Traveler provides travel safety information, travel tips, advisories, current travel updates, plus cultural and destination information on over 200 countries and thousands of locations.
The Safe Traveler Expands Website Coverage of Great Britain
The innovative consumer website expands their offering of destination information for travelers to the United Kingdom.
For Immediate Release:
(St. Petersburg, FL March 26, 2007) Vacationers, students and professionals planning trips to the United Kingdom now have additional resources to make travel easier and safer thanks to the St. Petersburg, Florida based company, The Safe Traveler. In anticipation of the upcoming travel season the company has expanded their free Destination Brief information for Great Britain to include specific information on England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The background information, which includes tips on activities, accommodations and cultural highlights, is available through their website.
Their website, www.SafeTraveler.com gives consumers an extensive library of free travel preparation information plus access to travel-related books and products such as their Intelligence Briefs®.
“We provide the information necessary to help prepare travelers. Everything we do is designed to enable them to get the most of their trip by reducing or eliminating potential concerns and problems.” according to John Holchin, Executive Vice President at The Safe Traveler. “When someone downloads an Intelligence Brief® for the United Kingdom or any of the 200 plus countries in our network, they are getting the most complete, timely information available on over a dozen subjects or categories ranging from local customs to health and safety alerts. Prior to The Safe Traveler, this level of destination- specific intelligence simply wasn’t available to the general public.”
Holchin adds, “Our free Destination Briefs are designed to help people early in the planning process by giving them unique insights into a country. England, Scotland and the rest of the UK continue to be top travel destinations for Americans so we expanded that coverage to give a more detailed perspective for those considering a trip to Great Britain.”
In addition to the Intelligence Briefs which are downloadable for $7.50, the company publishes traveler safety tips, information, the free Destination Briefs and a free newsletter. The website also offers numerous books and products for travelers or those interested in travel and destinations.
The Safe Traveler provides travel safety information, travel tips, advisories, current travel updates, plus cultural and destination information on over 200 countries and thousands of locations. For more information visit, www.safetraveler.com,
The experts at The Safe Traveler are available for interviews on travel safety, culture and travel-related topics. For more information contact:
The Safe Traveler Warns of More Flight Delays in the Future
The worst may be over for most fliers stranded by the late winter storms but the skies are not clear according to the travel safety website.
For Immediate Release:
(St. Petersburg, FL March 21, 2007) As several of the nation’s airlines struggle to clear the passenger backlog caused by the cancellation or delay of thousands of flights March 17th and 18th, The Safe Traveler, a St. Petersburg, FL based company, advises fliers that increased delays and cancellations may become a more common occurrence.
“The airlines have received a lot of criticism for their handling of the weather delays this winter,” according to John Holchin, a spokesman for SafeTraveler.com, a website devoted to travel safety information and updates, “and they’re dealing with the limitations of the system as they work to cost-effectively minimize customer inconvenience. It is possible that we’ll see airlines increase the number of pre-emptive cancellations if weather forecasts indicate storms.”
According to the website, which cited Bureau of Transportation statistics, 22.6% of all flights experienced a delay in 2006. Cancellations were 1.7% of all flights. Those numbers increased in January of this year to 24.2% delayed and 2.53% cancelled entirely.
While the worst of winter may be over, The Safe Traveler predicts travelers may see an increase in delays or cancellations throughout the upcoming vacation season, as airlines operating in areas subject to spring and summer storms work to adjust their scheduling balance.
Beyond the inconvenience of delays and cancellations, it is important for travelers to take precautions to minimize problems. The website, SafeTraveler.com offers tips and advice to help stranded travelers cope with the delays and avoid additional problems.
“Now more than ever, it’s important for travelers to be proactive with their travel plans and safety,” adds Byron Hamilton, a contributing writer for the website. “Be flexible and informed. Know as much as you can about each leg of your journey. Our website is a great resource to start.”
Some other tips Hamilton says The Safe Traveler recommends include: Avoiding tight connections and schedules; checking with your carrier before you leave for the airport; checking for airline alternatives at websites such as FareCompare.com; and most importantly remaining diligent if you are stranded. “As frustrating as a delay might be, being the victim of petty crime or other problems will only make things worse. Use your common sense and don’t let your guard down.”
The Safe Traveler provides travel safety information, travel tips, advisories, current travel updates, plus cultural and destination information on over 200 countries and thousands of locations. For more information visit, www.safetraveler.com,
The experts at The Safe Traveler are available for interviews on travel safety, culture and travel-related topics. For more information contact:
Consumers Have a Powerful New Travel Resource
Thanks to The Safe Traveler Launch.
New website providing single-source travel safety, cultural and destination information makes travel planning easier, safer and more convenient for consumers.
For Immediate Release:
(St. Petersburg, FL March 16, 2007) Leisure and business travelers, students and the general public now have access to a level of comprehensive travel safety, destination and cultural information previously reserved for elite travelers and multinational corporations. Thanks to the St. Petersburg, Florida based company, The Safe Traveler, and their new website SafeTraveler.com, the traveling public can access an unprecedented level of incisive travel and destination information.
The company draws on an unmatched network of intelligence sources and a proprietary system of data sorting and information evaluation to provide travel alerts and background information on over 200 countries.
In addition to destination information and travel advice designed to improve traveler safety, the company works in partnership with iJET® from Annapolis, Maryland to produce real-time reports which include exclusive information on local weather conditions, security alerts and status, healthcare concerns and issues, cultural background and updates, exchange rates and currency issues, local legal guidelines and alerts, entry/exit (visa) requirements, localized transportation updates and alerts, communications and technological information, environmental concerns, financial alerts and tips, language briefs plus updates on current local political conditions.
“Before the launch of The Safe Traveler and our website, www.SafeTraveler.com, the public never had access to this level of current, relevant travel-related information.” according to John Holchin, Executive Vice President at the Safe Traveler, “But beyond that, we’ll soon unveil a program that allows travelers to receive updates and alerts anywhere in the world during their trip. If conditions change, we’re able to immediately notify them. We can even alert them after their trip if health issues arise in the areas they visited.”
It is this combination of timely travel-related information and interactive technology that separates The Safe Traveler from other companies or government agencies. The web site was designed as a single-source where travelers or those simply interested in traveling, could find information, products and services to improve travel safety and reduce travel anxiety. The approach to data gathering and evaluation is granular, meaning that it reflects not only the larger safety issues but those most relevant to travelers.
“A local taxi strike may not warrant a State Department Alert but it impacts travel and is important if it affects your trip,” Holchin continues, “that’s why we report on so many aspects of travel. We even provide cultural information and advice to help travelers understand local customs. That reduces anxiety, helps people avoid problems and more fully enjoy the travel experience.”
The website, www.SafeTraveler.com provides a combination of free destination information, travel tips, a newsletter and advice. The site also offers comprehensive up-to-the-minute destination reports through their Intelligence Briefs® which can be downloaded for $7.50 plus a variety of travel-related books and products.
The Safe Traveler provides travel safety information, travel tips, advisories, current travel updates, plus cultural and destination information on over 200 countries and thousands of locations. For more information visit, www.safetraveler.com,
The experts at The Safe Traveler are available for interviews on travel safety, culture and travel-related topics. For more information contact:
Airport Delays May Increase Risk of Crime
According to The Safe Traveler.
Website devoted to travel safety information reminds those passengers facing delays to take precautions to help ensure their safety.
For Immediate Release:
(St. Petersburg, FL March 5, 2007) With increasing levels of traffic, delays are a fact of modern air travel. In fact in 2006, 22.6% of all flights were delayed and 1.7% were cancelled. That equates to nearly one quarter of all flights experiencing some type of delay according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics website: www.transtats.bts.gov.
Most airport delays are of a short duration. However the recent winter storms across much of the United States pointed out that for some, delays and cancellations can lead to significant travel disruptions. From Colorado to New England, tempers flared and frustrations grew as weary passengers dealt with cancelled flights and adjusted travel plans caused by the February storms. The most fortunate were able to return home or find accommodations at area hotels. The less fortunate were forced to deal with extended stays in the airport terminals.
Travelers experiencing delays can also unfortunately find themselves dealing with the fact they are victims of crime, despite the relative safety of airports, according to the travel safety website, www.SafeTraveler.com.
The confusion, fatigue and desperation caused by airport delays, particularly extended delays, can create an opportunity for criminals to prey on stranded passengers. Harried passengers may let their normal defenses lapse, increasing their vulnerability to petty crimes such as pickpocketing. Credit card thieves may find the confusion provides an advantage as travelers reserve hotels, cars, etc. over the telephone. Unscrupulous drivers and hotel operators may price gouge.
And it's not just "professional" criminals that can cause problems. A bag left unattended or with valuables exposed can create a tempting "crime of opportunity." Without proper precautions, victims of delays can easily become victims of crime. Avoid Becoming a Victim
Fortunately the same common-sense steps you should take when normally traveling can help protect you from crime during a delay. The challenge is not letting the frustrations or fatigue caused by the delay lower your defenses. Here are a few tips from The Safe Traveler's website that can help keep you from becoming a victim of crime.
1. Don't assume that because you are in an airport you are safe from petty crime. The steps taken to ensure safe air travel can help ensure your overall safety but they are not focused on preventing petty crime such as pickpocketing or credit card theft.
2. Minimize the valuables you bring when traveling. Do you really need all the gadgets? The fewer you bring, the lighter your travel and the fewer opportunities for problems.
3. Protect your personal property. Keep bags, purses and wallets closed and with you at all times. If you're tired and need to nap, try using the bag as a pillow or keep your arm around it.
4. When using the restroom, keep bags and luggage in your line-of-sight.
5. If you're shopping or eating in a food court, avoid leaving items unattended, even to get-up and throw something away. If you must, keep the item in your line-of-sight.
6. If leaving the airport always use authorized transportation. If possible confirm rates prior to leaving.
7. Never leave personal items with others if you're going outside. While it may be a hassle to go back through the security screening, don't ask a stranger (even if they're from your same hometown or traveling to the same destination) to watch your bag.
8. If possible, store your items in an airport rental locker.
9. Use care when entering credit card information over a phone. Don't flash the card. Cover your hands if entering the numbers on the key pad or speak quietly if reading them aloud.
10. Keep your items in view when passing through security screening.
11. Try to use well-known hotels and confirm rates. Supply and demand may be factors in pricing (as well as making last minute reservations) but you should not expect to pay exorbitant rates just because you are stuck in a city due to a storm.
There may be little you can do to prevent being a victim of an airport delay but common sense and a few simple steps can help keep a frustrating situation from becoming a bad travel experience. Being a safe traveler means being a smart traveler.
The Safe Traveler provides travel safety information, travel tips, advisories, current travel updates, plus cultural and destination information on over 200 countries and thousands of locations. For more information visit, www.safetraveler.com,
The experts at The Safe Traveler are available for interviews on travel safety, culture and travel-related topics. For more information contact:
The Safe Traveler Launch Provides Consumers Access
to Unprecedented Travel and Destination Information.
For the first time ever, the general public has access to a single-source for comprehensive travel, safety, cultural and destination information, updates and alerts on thousands of locations.
For Immediate Release:
(St. Petersburg, FL February 20, 2007) Travelers, students and the general public now have access to a level of comprehensive travel, cultural and destination information previously reserved for government officials and elite travelers. Thanks to the St. Petersburg, Florida based company, The Safe Traveler, and their new website www.safetraveler.com, the traveling public can access an unprecedented level of travel and destination information.
The company draws on an unmatched network of intelligence sources and a proprietary system of data sorting and information evaluation to provide travel alerts and background information on over 200 countries and thousands of cities.
“For most travelers or those considering a trip, travel is a rewarding experience,” according to Robert L. Oatman, a noted Intelligence Expert and advisor at The Safe Traveler, “but it is also stressful. Quite often you find yourself in new surroundings and situations. You may feel uncomfortable and vulnerable rather than fully enjoying the experience. A lack of knowledge about local conditions can also lead to problems that could have been easily avoided.”
“The Safe Traveler is about providing the information necessary to prepare travelers for their trip and alerting them to possible problems if they arise,” Oatman continues. “Travel safety is about more than terrorism, though that’s unfortunately a concern. It’s also about understanding your destination; what to expect when you get there; and what to avoid or do to make your trip more rewarding. Conditions change quickly in the modern world and with this website and the information it offers there is now a way for people to be informed of anything that might impact their plans.”
The company combines cultural information with background data on each country to form the basis for their reports. Data from an extensive network of high level, in-country intelligence sources is then evaluated, rated and added to create what the company calls an Intelligence Brief. These briefs cover thousands of destinations, providing easy-to-use information on over a dozen topics of interest including local weather conditions, areas of interest, health and safety alerts, local customs, airport security, political conditions, etc.
“We provide a combination of information that is being gathered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with the knowledge and insights of country experts to create a timely and accurate picture of local destinations,” adds Rob Hukezalie, President of The Safe Traveler. “Because of this combination of local sources, monitoring and evaluation, even government agencies aren’t able to offer the public this level of information. When someone downloads an Intelligence Brief they are getting the most complete and current information on that country available anywhere.”
“The Safe Traveler website was developed as an authority site for anyone interested in travel or destinations anywhere in the world.” according to John Holchin, Executive Vice President for The Safe Traveler. “In addition to the extensive information, updates and alerts we offer, the site will ultimately serve as a hub for all things travel-related. Anyone considering a vacation, business trip, outsourcing, studying abroad or simply researching a country needs to visit www.safetraveler.com. It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned traveler or planning your first Caribbean cruise, you’ll find information, products or services that will make your trip easier, safer and more enjoyable.”
The website, www.safetraveler.com, provides visitors with an extensive library of free destination, cultural and travel information plus other products, books and services, in addition to the Intelligence Briefs which are downloadable for $7.50. Users can also sign-up for free travel newsletters and updates.
The Safe Traveler issues press releases on travel, safety and cultural issues as warranted. The experts at The Safe Traveler are available for interviews on travel safety, culture and travel-related topics. For more information contact:
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