NEWS
PRESS RELEASE
Volcano Eruption in Hawaii; A Possible Threat For Travelers, Residents
Rescue and medical evacuation teams are standing by to assist travelers who may need field rescue, medical evacuation or medical advisory.
Lebanon, NH – November 29, 2022 – Global Rescue operations experts are standing by to assist travelers who may need field rescue, medical evacuation or medical advisory due to the volcanic activity reported at Mauna Loa, a wide volcano that makes up more than half of the Big Island of Hawaii, rising 13,681 feet above sea level. According to the U.S. Geological Service Volcano Notification Service (USGS VNS), the eruption of Mauna Loa has migrated from the summit to the Northeast Rift Zone where fissures are feeding several lava flows. “Global Rescue’s intelligence and operations teams are monitoring the event and will report unsafe sulfur dioxide levels in the area in case air quality decreases,” said Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue, the leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services. Travelers are advised to monitor developments as conditions can change rapidly and with little notice. “Lava flows are not threatening any downslope communities and all indications are that the eruption will remain in the Northeast Rift Zone. Volcanic gas and possibly fine ash and Pele's Hair may be carried downwind,” according to USGS VNS reports. “Flight disruptions or evacuations may be ordered if the situation escalates. Travelers should be prepared to utilize any means necessary to exit the affected region, including air, sea and land travel. Monitor local media, government alerts and airport notices to stay informed as the situation develops,” said Harding Bush, a former Navy SEAL and manager of security for Global Rescue. “Travelers should check with the airlines and see if they are still able to fly to their destinations. Volcanic ash is a dangerous element of a volcanic eruption. The ash can damage aviation equipment, it’s very fine and can damage jet engines. Ground vehicle transportation may be affected, too, for the same reasons,” Bush said. Volcanic ash near a flight path shuts down all aviation. In 2010 a volcano eruption in Iceland shut down air travel in Europe for a significant time. “Travelers have learned that anything can happen during a trip, especially since the pandemic. Their mindset has made a tectonic shift, moving travel protection for emergency evacuation from ‘optional’ to ‘obligatory’. Travelers learned that emergency rescue and evacuation services are often essential, whether it's due to COVID-19, a natural disaster, civil unrest or simply needing emergency help when you're traveling,” Richards said. ### Contact Bill McIntyre at bmcintyre@globalrescue.com or 202.560.1195 (phone/text) for more information. About Global Rescue Global Rescue is 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.
World Travel and Tourism Global Summit Kicks Off in Saudi Arabia
Travelers Shrug Off Inflation, Flight Disruptions For the Holidays
Lebanon, N.H. – November 21, 2022 – Travelers are shrugging off inflation and working around anticipated flight disruptions for the holidays based on the results of the Global Rescue Fall 2022 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey. Despite inflation and the rising cost of travel, the majority of travelers (70%) have not canceled or postponed an international or domestic trip. To overcome airline staffing issues, more than half of travelers (55%) will fly nonstop whenever possible to minimize potential flight disruptions due to airline staff shortages during the fall and winter holidays.
“In the face of airline disruptions and the rising cost of travel, travelers are sticking with plans to travel,” said Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue, the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services and a member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Two-thirds (66%) of travelers will journey domestically for Thanksgiving or a similar holiday at the end of November, and 59% will travel domestically for the holidays during December, according to the survey.
“Travel is back to pre-pandemic levels and that means heavy crowds at airports. Travelers should book nonstop flights whenever possible to avoid delays or cancellations due to airline staff shortages. They should join a trusted traveler program like TSA PreCheck to move through security faster,” said Harding Bush, a former Navy SEAL and manager of security operations for Global Rescue.
Inflation is not curbing most traveler spending behavior. Nearly half (47%) of travelers are not making any changes while on travel but among those who are 11% are flying on less expensive plane tickets, 10% are lodging at less costly places, 8% are eating out less or at less expensive restaurants and another 8% are traveling for fewer days, only 4% are reducing or not buying souvenirs or gifts during their trip, according to the survey.
The survey also revealed growth in business travel, although not back to pre-pandemic levels. According to the survey, the majority of business travelers (71%) have already resumed business travel while another 14% expect to go back to business travel by summer of 2023.
Bleisure travel — a portmanteau of business and leisure that refers to a growing trend of business travelers tacking leisure days onto a work-related trip — may boost the return to business travel. The survey revealed that the majority of business travelers (73%) plan to use bleisure travel and take a few extra days for personal enjoyment following a business trip.
“Whether you’re an employer looking to use bleisure travel to incentivize a return to business travel or an employee looking to take advantage of it in the future, it's important employers make certain their duty of care legal requirements are comprehensively detailed,” Richards said.
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Contact Bill McIntyre at bmcintyre@globalrescue.com or 202.560.1195 (phone/text) for more information.
About the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey
Global Rescue, the leading travel risk and crisis response provider, conducted a survey of more than 1,000 of its current and former members between October 25 and 31, 2022. The respondents exposed a range of behaviors, attitudes and preferences regarding international and domestic travel.
About Global Rescue
Global Rescue is 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.
Traveler COVID Fears Dramatically Subside
Lebanon, N.H. – November 16, 2022 – For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic, traveler fears about COVID are dramatically subsiding. The Global Rescue Fall 2022 Traveler Safety and Sentiment Survey revealed the biggest fear or concern about international travel among the world’s most experienced travelers is having an injury or illness – but not a COVID-related illness.
Traveler fear of COVID is no longer their biggest concern. Since August 2022, apprehension about COVID dramatically dropped at a rate of 39%, down to 20% compared to 33% in late summer.
“Travel confidence is exploding in a positive direction. Borders are open, TSA data reflects traveler volumes pushing past pre-pandemic levels for the first time in more than two years, and travel spending is at its highest since the pandemic started,” said Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue.
Today, a third of travelers (33%) said their biggest fear is suffering a non-COVID illness or injury followed by trip cancellation (13%), civil unrest (11%), being robbed (5%), natural disasters (3%) and nuclear attack (less than 1%).
The survey further revealed that escalating threats of international military action and ongoing natural disasters make travelers more likely to obtain travel security services. When war broke out between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022 more than a third of surveyed travelers started buying security evacuation protection. Nearly a year later, the war continues and more than half of travelers said they are more likely or much more likely to acquire travel security services.
“Travel uncertainty generally increases traveler demand for emergency medical and security services. Between the war and the pandemic, travelers want medical and emergency response services more than ever," Richards said.
Contact Bill McIntyre at bmcintyre@globalrescue.com or 202.560.1195 (phone/text) for more information.
About the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey
Global Rescue, the leading travel risk and crisis response provider, conducted a survey of more than 1,000 of its current and former members between October 25 and 31, 2022. The respondents exposed a range of behaviors, attitudes and preferences regarding international and domestic travel.
About Global Rescue
Global Rescue is 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.
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