25 Travel Safety Tips for Women

I’ve been a frequent business traveler for longer than I care to admit. In fact, I’ve flown so much that I’m a lifetime Platinum flyer on American Airlines.

While business travel has gotten safer and easier for female travelers, women traveling alone still need to take some special precautions on the road to protect themselves (as well as their belongings).

How to Pack

1. Travel Light and Cheap

Carrying heavy bags not only weighs you down, but slows you down as well. You may have to rely on the kindness of strangers to lift your bags. Travel is tough on your luggage—no matter how expensive it is, so my philosophy is to buy lightweight luggage (“spinners” only, they’re much easier to navigate) on sale. The point is to get in and out of the airport quickly.

2. Dress Conservatively

It helps you avoid unwanted male attention, whether you’re eating alone in the hotel bar or in a foreign country.

3. Leave the Backpack at Home

Bring a handbag that can be worn as a crossbody and zips close. Backpacks are not a good choice—especially in city environments.

4. Carry a Personal Safety Alarm

If you plan to do any sightseeing on your trip or go for a run, a personal safety alarm is a good addition to carry.

5. Pack a Doorstop Alarm

Stay safe in the hotel by packing a doorstop alarm.

6. Bring Backups

Pack a backup credit card and some cash hidden inside your carryon. If someone steals your purse, you’ll have a backup. Always have a copy of your driver’s license or passport as well.

What to Do Before Leaving

7. Keep Your Home Safe

And make sure you’re safe when you get home by making your home look lived in while you’re away. Use an app like SmartHome to turn lights on and off remotely. Or if you’re not that techy, a simple home timer that plugs in does the trick.

8. Stop Mail Delivery

Keep mail from piling up by having your mail held at the post office. Stop newspaper delivery or have a neighbor pick up your papers.

9. Careful with the Luggage Tag

Use a laminated business card as a luggage tag so your home address isn’t exposed.

10. Give Copies of Your Itinerary

Leave your itinerary with a friend or family member and check in daily.

11. Reserve all Transport

Reserve hotel, car or ground transport. Planning ahead prevents you being stuck at the airport. Register with services like Uber or Lyft. (Uber’s come to my rescue more than a few times.)

12. Make Use of Room Service

Both smaller and larger hotels have their pros and cons. But I prefer staying at larger hotels that offer room service. Large hotel chains will have card keys and better security as well.

13. Join Loyalty Clubs

Join the loyalty clubs of all the major chains. At certain levels, you get perks, in addition to accumulating points towards free hotel stays. Some of the bigger chains (Marriot, Hilton, Hyatt, Starwoods) have choices at all price points.

14. Get a Room With an Interior Entrance

Whatever type of hotel you pick, request a room with an interior entrance and above the ground floor. You want to be near the elevator, but not too close to the emergency exits.

On the Way

15.  Use GPS

Spring for a GPS if you’re renting a car. You don’t want to get lost in a strange place, and struggling with your phone on an unfamiliar road is dangerous in itself.

16.  Use Valet Parking

Use valet parking rather than walk to your hotel, restaurant or conference from a distant lot or a parking garage.

At the Hotel

17. Get Two Room Keys

Always ask for two room keys—it helps hide the fact that you’re traveling solo. Keep both with you, one on your person and one in your purse. That way, if your purse is snatched you can still get into your room. (But tell the hotel so they can change your key code.)

18. Don’t Give Out Your Room Number

Make sure no one overhears your room number. If they do, ask for another room.

19. Check all Locks

Once you get to the room, check doors, windows, closets and the shower. Make sure all locks work, and use them—including the deadbolt and security chain.

20. Don’t Open the Door for Just Anyone

If someone claiming to be from housekeeping or room service shows up unannounced, call the front desk to check before opening the door. Many hotels will give you a five-minute advance call if someone is coming up to your room. You just have to ask. 

Socializing and Sightseeing

21. Use Concierge Services

Have some time to view the local sights? Use the concierge’s services and don’t be afraid to ask about safety, whether you’re planning a quick morning run along the river or a fancy dinner, if you’re going solo.

22. Don’t Use a Map

When out and about, use a GPS on your phone instead of a map so you won’t look like a lost tourist. (That said, it’s good to have a map on hand in case your phone dies.) If you still get lost and have to look up new directions, duck into a store or coffee house instead of standing on the street.

23. Keep Your Phone Charged

Keep your smartphone charged. It’s not just a business necessity, but also a smart safety precaution. That’s why my new favorite travel “tool” is the Belkin 3-Outlet Mini Travel Swivel Charger Surge Protector. It’s got dual USB ports and five charging outlets total.

24. Don’t Befriend Strangers

But don’t make friends with strangers. Pickpockets and other criminals prey on solo business travelers. Don’t share too much information with anyone you don’t know, and don’t be shy about cutting off a conversation if it gets weird. Never invite a stranger back to your room.

25. Don’t Drink Excessively

Don’t drink too much. It clouds your judgment and weakens your defenses (not to mention making you look unprofessional).

Bonus: Travel Tips for Comfort

I’d like to add some bonus tips, that have nothing to do with safety, but are all about comfort.

• Bring slippers or slipper socks. They keep you cozy on the plane, feel amazing after a long day on your feet and keep you safe from that yucky hotel carpet.
• If you color your hair bring your own (travel-size) shampoo and conditioner. Even the shampoo at higher-end hotels contains sulfates, which is bad for your hair color.
• I often book online and request a small refrigerator in my room. That can save a lot of money if you’re a soda addict (like I am), or if you want to avoid pricey room service or restaurant charges.
• Always bring a laptop mat, especially if you plan to use your computer from the bed. (Hotel desks are never comfortable for me.)
• If you’re on an extended trip and plan to stay at more than one hotel, bring extra plugs/chargers for your computer and phone. It’s very easy to leave these items behind.

Photos via Shutterstock
source : http://smallbiztrends.com/2015/06/travel-safety-tips-for-women.html

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30 over Country { Let the World be Your Playground } JANET HSIEH

JANET HSIEH // TV show host

Janet Hsieh is a lifestyle expert. She is the host of all nine seasons of "Fun Taiwan" on the Discovery, Travel, & Living channel.

Hsieh enjoys traveling, cooking, dancing, exercising, kickboxing, and photo taking. She describes herself as a professional traveler and a lifelong student. Through her talks, she shares her outlook on lifestyle with others.

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Solo Travel Changed Me: 15 Women Share How

"The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before." Albert Einstein

Many are going it alone these days. Some for a few weeks while other's plans come with everything except an end date. Wherever in the world you find a solo traveler, there's one thing most have in common and that's how their independent wanderings have changed their lives.

Traveling alone transforms you, shakes up your view of the world and lets you rediscover yourself over and over again. Solo travel changes you. It's a teacher in and of itself: you, the traveler, are the student and the lessons you learn on the road? Well that all depends on you.

For me, solo travel has transitioned from something I feared into something I now fearlessly seek. It's a never-ending love affair between the world and myself. I continuously fall head over heels with places and cultures, people and food, going at my own pace and standing still. I continuously fall in love with myself. I'm constantly learning, growing and evolving into the person I was always meant to become.

Below are 15 other young inspirational women who I admire. I've stalked them on social media, read each of their stories and picked their brains to learn exactly how solo travel has changed their lives too. Between them, they've explored much of the world alone and show no signs of slowing down. I'm pretty sure these bold and fearless women will inspire you to take your first solo trip if you haven't already:

1. Kristin Addis- Be My Travel Muse

"I left a life as a Los Angeles-based investment banker to travel solo and it did wonders for lowering my stress levels and raising my enjoyment of life. It has made me more fearless and independent. I now crave distant corners of the earth all the time."

2. Elizabeth Carlson- Young Adventuress

"Solo travel taught me how to take care of myself. It has opened my eyes to a new way of living outside my comfort zone and forced me to try things I wouldn't have otherwise."

3. Lesley Murphy- The Road Les Traveled

"Solo travel allows me to see the world through my own lens and nobody else's. Not only have I learned patience, acceptance and understanding of the world, but I've figured out what makes me want to get out of bed and bust my ass every day of the week."

4. Lauren Miller- Can't Stay Put

"Solo travel has enabled me to know and learn myself. God continues to reveal my purpose on earth while traveling alone and by enabling me to be still in the moment."

5. Christine Amorose- C'est Christine

"I've always been independent, but traveling solo has made me more confident and more comfortable with my own company."

6. Juliana Luna- Project Tribe

"I am more open and aware of how diversity enriches lives. I now see things from other's perspectives which helps me break my pre-conceived notions of people and their habits."

7. Marissa Anwar- Darling Escapes

"Solo travel has changed the way I interact with the world and myself. I trust my gut far more than I did before and learned that people are far more kind than we are led to believe."

8. Brooke Saward- World of Wanderlust

"I have become a more patient, understanding, and open person. I love trying and learning new things and I love meeting new people."

9. Zim Ugochukwu- Travel Noire

"I think better on my toes and I adapt better to change. I have more patience and I'm much more bold. I'll travel to places where English isn't a spoken language."

10. Kiersten Rich- The Blonde Abroad

"Traveling has changed my life and is the single greatest gift I've ever given myself. Solo travel gives me insight into my own independence. It's an opportunity to experience new cultures and learn more about what's best for me."

11. Lucie Josma- Miss Jetsetter

"Alone I'm able to travel to more countries and actually enjoy the sights I'm visiting. I appreciate traveling so much more now than before. Before, I traveled just to go somewhere. Now, I find myself wanting to immerse in the culture that I'm experiencing."

12. Jessica Wright- Bontraveler

"Solo travel teaches me how to solve problems and helps me realize how small my own problems are in the bigger realm of the world. Through traveling, I've learned the beauty of being left to my own thoughts and discovering myself in a foreign city."

13. Seattle Dredge- Seattle's Travels

"If I could go back and choose between University and traveling, I would have chosen to travel full time. I've learned more from traveling than from anything else in my life, and am much more independent than I would have been without it."

14. Kate McCulley- Adventurous Kate

"Solo travel has given me so much confidence. After navigating public transportation systems in foreign countries and ordering food where the menu is in another alphabet, I feel like I can do anything!"

15. Nastasia Yakoub- Dame Traveler

"I've made the most wonderful friends a girl could ever ask for and the fact that they come from all corners of the world makes it that much better. It's a beautiful thing to meet such like-minded individuals and feel like you've finally found that connection and common ground."

Photo credit: all photos were provided by each individual mentioned

Jaimee Ratliff is a travel blogger at This Way North and the author of her first ebook, Party of One: An inspirational guide to letting go of fear and loving solo travel.

Follow Jaimee Ratliff on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Jaimee_Ratliff

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