Article Highlights

 

  • Rescue Operations: Highlighted life-saving missions, including rescuing a teen during a brushfire and retrieving a helicopter pilot following a crash on a frozen lake.
  • Traveler Trends: Solo travel for women, the weirdest global laws, and post-pandemic enrollment in Trusted Traveler Programs dominated interest.
  • Global Travel Insights: From translation app guidance to over-the-counter drug bans, we addressed travelers’ biggest concerns in 2024.
  • Safety Tips: Protecting valuables, avoiding jet lag, and using satellite devices responsibly during emergencies.
  • Celebrating 20 Years: Global Rescue marked two decades of service with over 25,000 operations, showcasing our commitment to travelers worldwide.

 

NEWSMAKER: The New York Times highlighted travel safety guidance from former Navy SEAL and Global Rescue security operations director Harding Bush, who advised travelers not to rely on AirTags and other GPS trackers when they’re dealing with possible theft — they provide a false sense of security. “On a street crime level, you’re still not going to get your bag back, and you wouldn’t want to confront that criminal because it could get you in a less safe situation,” he said.

 

FACT OR FICTION? Readers continue to be fascinated by our article Debunking the Longest Walk, a route that is more fiction than fact and includes immense challenges that make it nearly impossible to accomplish. It’s a route stretching 14,334 miles (23,068 kilometers) from Cape Town in South Africa to Magadan in Russia through the Suez Canal, Turkey, Central Asia, and Siberia.

 

NEWSMAKER: Nearly a hundred news outlets, like the Sacramento Bee, featured the results of the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey that revealed a mix of enthusiasm and caution among the world’s most experienced travelers regarding their future global itineraries following the recent U.S. elections. Approximately 30% of respondents expected to increase their international trips in 2025, while 7% foresaw scaling back on foreign travel. The majority – 55% – anticipated no significant changes to their plans despite the election outcome.

 

TRAVEL SONGS: For several years, the world’s most experienced travelers – Global Rescue members – have shared their favorite songs for travel, making it no surprise that the annual article listing the top travel songs of the year continues to be a sought-after read. “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson was selected as the top travel song for the fourth consecutive year, followed by Toto’s “Africa”, John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” and, making the list for the first time, “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers. You can find the complete list of the top travel-inspiring songs from the past several years here.

 

PICKPOCKET DEFENCE: Forbes Magazine reported on how travelers can keep their valuables safe by reviewing a Global Rescue survey that found that more than twice the percentage of men admitted they don’t use any method to protect their valuables compared to their female counterparts. One out of four male survey respondents (25 percent) don’t have a method to preserve their valuables, compared to less than 10 percent of women. Harding Bush, associate director of security operations at Global Rescue, recommended male and female travelers to separate valuables. “That way, if a thief nabs a shoulder bag or a pickpocket steals your wallet, you still have access to some of your money, credit cards and duplicates of other important documents,” he said.

 

SATCOMS TAKE CENTER STAGE: As leisure, business and adventure travelers push further into remote destinations or localities with limited cellular coverage, they are eager to stay connected using satellite-enabled devices during emergencies and non-emergencies. That’s why this article, “Where Is Your Satellite Phone Illegal?” retains ongoing interest. Travelers are keen to know where their satellite phones – and now satellite-enabled smartphones – are illegal and what risks they face for accidentally bringing one to a country where the devices are prohibited or restricted.

 

WOMEN VS MEN: TRAVEL PREFERENCES: Travel Noire Magazine reviewed the Global Rescue Summer 2024 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey before reporting how men and women choose their dream destinations. Female respondents (37%) list stunning landscapes – like mountains, jungles, savannahs, deserts, surf, reefs, canyons, volcanoes, and glaciers – as the most crucial factor when choosing an international destination to visit. In contrast, an equal percentage of male travelers (37%) prioritize access to adventure activities – such as scuba diving, skiing, mountaineering, trekking, and fishing – as their top consideration.

 

WEIRD LAWS: Camo-wear in the Caribbean. Chewing gum in Singapore. Swearing in public in the U.A.E. These are a few seemingly odd things that are illegal in parts of the world. International travelers love reading the Weirdest Laws in the World article to learn and avoid breaking a rule that could mean a ticket or jail time.

 

OTC MEDS: …and it’s not only gum-chewing rules and camouflage outwear laws that travelers are curious to know. Knowing which over-the-counter medicines are legal here is restricted, unavailable, or banned abroad. This concern makes our story about Over-the-Counter Drugs: Brands and Bans for International Travel one of the most popular articles.

 

NEWSMAKER: Multiple local and national news outlets credited Global Rescue for the rescue of a 16-year-old who was separated from his family during a major brushfire in the Pacific Northwest. A satellite emergency activation to Global Rescue alerted local first responders about the missing teen.

 

LINE UP: If you traveled during the post-pandemic travel surge, you probably waited in long lines to check in, get through security and clear customs unless you – like 70% of Global Rescue members – enrolled in a Trusted Traveler Program, like PreCheck of Global Entry. As more travelers enroll in these programs, the more likely security clearance and customs lines will grow, making our article What’s New in Trusted Traveler Programs? Plenty a trusty resource to stay on the short lines of travel.

 

EPIC FAMILY: Family road trip. Those three words can mean so much to so many people. For Carol van Stralen and her family, it means something epic, making Overlanding: One Mom Reflects on an Epic Family Road Trip one of the most-read stories about a Global Rescue member family and their seven-year adventure.

 

DARING RESCUE IN THE NEWS: Global Rescue was instrumental in saving a helicopter pilot following a crash on a frozen lake about 97 nautical miles (180 kilometers) north of Goose Bay, Newfoundland, and Labrador, Canada. According to reports by CTV News and CBC News, the helicopter pilot was rescued to safety “with minor injuries.”

 

SOLO TRAVEL FOR WOMEN: Whether you’re reviewing Skift research, scrolling Expedia booking data, or reading tea leaves, all resources point to more solo travel for women. But some destinations are as dangerous as they are attractive. To help sort out and balance safety with adventure, we published Solo Travel for Women: The Safest and Most Dangerous Destinations and readers loved it. So, we’ll be exploring and writing more in 2025.

 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: USA Today examined the pros and cons of translation apps for international travelers and spoke with Global Rescue’s David Koo for guidance. “Translation apps are not a replacement for organic fluency,” said Koo, the director of operations for Global Rescue. “But they can help cross important communication barriers when it comes to local navigation, reading menus, managing public transportation, shopping or getting help, even in case of emergencies,” Koo speaks several languages himself and reaches for a translation app even when he knows a language. That’s because he works for a company specializing in security services and understands that bad translations can be dangerous. For example, try telling a doctor at a hospital in Rome about your medication allergies. If you get something wrong, I promise you won’t be sharing a laugh with the staff.

DRINK THE WATER? Depending on where you are and where you’re going, you may want to take a look at one of our most-read articles, Where in the World Is Tap Water Safe to Drink? before turning on the tap, filling a cup and gulping down a (maybe?) refreshing glass of water. You will want to find bottled water if you’re in India, Mexico, Nigeria, Indonesia and Egypt. In Iceland, Norway, Japan and Germany, go ahead and drink the tap water.

 

BONUS: Global Rescue celebrated its 20th anniversary of supporting travelers worldwide by completing over 25,000 operations since our inception by Founder and CEO Dan Richards in 2004. “For two decades, Global Rescue has responded and will continue to respond when people have, in many instances, the worst day of their lives. We try to make it better,” he said. Check out some of our most challenging medevac operations from two decades of emergency medical services here.