(Lebanon, N.H. – July 1, 2024) Millions of international visitors are expected to travel to Paris to experience the 2024 Summer Olympics, running from July 26 to August 11. But many experienced travelers are opting out to sidestep the masses, bypass potential civil unrest, or simply explore new destinations.

“Nearly nine-out-of-10 travelers surveyed are avoiding Paris altogether in 2024 due to a combination of traveler safety concerns due to the possibility of protests and civil unrest, a desire to avoid the crowds expected at the summer Olympic Games host city, or simply a preference to travel elsewhere,” according to Dan Richards, CEO of The Global Rescue Companies and a member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

But among the world’s most experienced travelers making the trip to France to join the quadrennial international sports competition spectacle revealed they expect massive traffic issues, dread encountering bedbugs, and worry over the prospects of petty crime, labor strikes and terrorism.

“Civil unrest and terrorism have surpassed injury or illness as the biggest fear about international travel for the first time in years. It is understandably contributing to traveler preferences for safer destinations,” Richards said.

Criminals will take advantage of the influx of tourists during the Olympics to engage in fraudulent activities such as fake ticket sales, pickpocketing, or identity theft. “Blending in will be difficult for Olympic spectators from other countries, but they can tone down the typical tourist look and reduce the risk of scam artists targeting them for fraudulent schemes or petty crimes,” said Harding Bush, a former Navy SEAL and associate director for security operations at Global Rescue.

Travelers attending the Olympics will likely experience additional potential challenges due to labor strikes, bedbugs, and getting to and from event venues, hotels and restaurants.

Protests, demonstrations, or worker walk-outs can disrupt transportation services and public safety. Bedbug infestations occur in places where there is a high turnover of people and frequent travel, such as hotels and accommodations popular with tourists. Travelers can take precautions, like inspecting bedding and surrounding areas, to reduce the risk of encountering parasitic insects.

The famous Paris metro and bus systems are expected to face challenges during peaks in demand as fans enter and leave stadiums. Driving around Paris will be dicey due to planned road closures, especially near famous landmarks. Authorized taxis are available, but an increase in fakes with drivers looking to take advantage of travelers has been reported.

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About Global Rescue    

The Global Rescue Companies are the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services to enterprises, governments and individuals. Founded in 2004, Global Rescue has exclusive relationships with the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Division of Special Operations and Elite Medical Group. Global Rescue provides best-in-class services that identify, monitor and respond to client medical and security crises. Global Rescue has provided medical and security support to its clients, including Fortune 500 companies, governments and academic institutions, during every globally significant crisis of the last two decades. For more information, visit www.globalrescue.com.