NEWS

Lebanon, NH – March 21, 2023 – Despite growing fears of civil unrest, millions of people are expected to visit Jerusalem this year as part of a religious pilgrimage or religious tourism to the Holy Land. The biggest risk of traveling to Jerusalem during the spring holidays is the sheer number of people.  

“Like any other place teeming with people, crowds can make it challenging to move around the city. There’s no avoiding large gatherings. They’re just part of the deal. Avoid them when you can, embrace them when you can’t, with caution,” said Kent Webber, senior manager, Intelligence Products & Services at Global Rescue. “Crowds also increase the risk of pickpocketing, car theft, identity theft, and other crimes.”  

One of the oldest and holiest cities in the world, Jerusalem attracts roughly 1.5 million Jews, Muslims, and Christians combined each spring, whose pilgrimage during the Passover, Ramadan, and Easter holidays, accounts for a 55% increase in the city’s year-round population of 970,000 residents.   

Travelers flocking to the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchr, the Dome of the Rock, Temple Mount, or elsewhere throughout the city during these religious holidays should follow five guidelines to minimize risk.  

First, visit popular attractions during off-peak hours to thwart would-be pickpockets. Harding Bush, senior manager of Security Operations at Global Rescue, advises travelers to wear clothing with zippered pockets or pockets on the inside, like a vest or a sport coat, that make it difficult to snatch a wallet. Also, leave that expensive watch back home. To foil identity thieves, travelers should hide things with their names, phone numbers and addresses on them. No exposed luggage tags.  

Next, monitor local activities. Exploring one of the most deeply divided and contested areas in the world during the spring holidays heightens tensions. “Violence can occur in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza without warning,” according to the U.S. Department of State. Escalating violence in Jerusalem and the West Bank has been reported in recent weeks. Travelers should register with their country’s embassy and sign up for alerts and advisories. American citizens in Israel, for example, should join the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive emails and text messages from the United States Embassy in the event of emergencies in the area.  

Third, expect traffic and plan around it. Expect delays and, perhaps, the inability to access certain areas. Hiring a local professional driver will help streamline your adventures and get you around some of the congestion. “Driving a vehicle in a foreign country is a high-risk activity. Always hire a local driver who knows the area. Being unaware or confused by directions can bring you to a vulnerable location or make you an obvious target for attack,” said Bush.  

Fourth, stores and markets may not be fully operational, or open at all, during the holidays. Ask the staff at the hotel for a list and a map of these services and make sure they’re open. Local knowledge is the key here.   

Finally, visitors should be respectful of these traditions and avoid behavior that may be seen as discourteous or, worse, profane. The influx of travelers in the city during this period is there for religious pilgrimage or faith-based tourism and their customs and practices abound.   

Israel is a reasonably safe place to travel, and it receives a “moderate” security risk rating owing to the persistent possibilities of a terrorist attack and ongoing political violence. 

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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.        

Lebanon, N.H. – March 14, 2023 – Global Rescue, the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services, will deploy a team of specialists to Nepal to perform rescue operations during the Mount Everest 2023 spring climbing season where a record number of rescues are expected. 

“During the two-month 2023 Mount Everest spring climbing season, there will usually be several rescue operations performed each day, keeping the deployment team busy from before dawn until nearly midnight. The busiest time is the two-week Mount Everest summit window when the medical and rescue operations team performs up to 25 rescues a day,” said Dan Stretch, a Global Rescue operations manager based in Nepal during the Mount Everest climbing season who has performed more than 500 evacuations and crisis response operations in the Himalayas.  

Recovering climbers and trekkers is much more than a high-altitude mountain chopper rescue. Performing a rescue includes helicopter and ambulance transports, hospital admissions and looking after individuals admitted to a hospital for care. “The deployment team members are located in multiple areas to support individuals throughout their rescue, transport, recovery and safe return home,” Stretch said. 

Ignoring symptoms of altitude sickness during climbs is one of the major avoidable blunders mountaineers and trekkers make during this time, according to Stretch. “Ascending higher with symptoms of altitude sickness in the hopes of getting better is unwise. Generally, you won’t get better. Everyone needs to heed the warning signs. It can mean the difference between a successful summit and cutting your expedition in half and potentially ending up hospitalized,” he said.  

Avalanches are a dangerous reality in the snowy high mountains, and so is the brutal weather. Preparing for them is a key element of the deployment team’s activity. “Avalanche risk is a factor when we determine the safety of ground rescue. We monitor the weather and receive daily reports from our team. There are times when adverse weather can prevent or delay helicopter rescue. At these times we rely on ground rescue or have members shelter in place until the weather clears,” he said.   

Last year, there were a record-breaking number of climbing permits issued, and Global Rescue conducted a record-breaking number of rescue operations. The 2023 spring climbing season will set new records.  

“There will be more people in the region adventuring, partly from the COVID backlog but also due to increased demand to go trekking and climbing,” said legendary mountaineer and a member of the Global Rescue Mountain Advisory Council Ed Viesturs.  

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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.      

LEBANON, N.H. (March 11, 2023) – U.S. Alpine Ski Team athlete Mikaela Shiffrin secured her 87th World Cup in Sweden today becoming the winningest alpine skier in history. Shiffrin’s win broke the tie of 86 wins set by Ingemar Stenmark in 1989.  

“Congratulations to the Greatest Of All Time, Mikaela Shiffrin. Her history of hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, talent and love of skiing is an example for all of us. She is an exceptionally gifted, focused and indomitable athlete in a highly competitive global sport. Winning her 87th World Cup race and surpassing all other skiers is an astonishing achievement,” said Dan Richards, the CEO of Global Rescue, which has provided travel risk management and crisis support since 2006 for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard teams. 

Shiffrin’s win elevates her past Stenmark’s record of 86 World Cup wins. 

“It is truly magnificent to be able to watch Mikaela Shiffrin write her name into history,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President & CEO Sophie Goldschmidt. “She is the definition of a champion, both inside and out, and the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team couldn’t be happier to celebrate this massive achievement with her. We can’t wait to watch Mikaela win even more in the future!”  

Shiffrin credited her team, family and friends for her success and for helping her remain strong, focused, and positive and having the right goals. “It’s been incredible to be part of that. I’m just really thankful.”  

She added that she still has a strong desire to compete. “It’s not over yet, which is even more ridiculous! I still had the same feeling at the start of this run that I have every race—I shouldn’t feel pressure, but somehow I feel something in my heartbeat. That’s the anticipation we want to feel as ski racers and I have it—it’s stronger than ever. I’m just getting started.”. 

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For more information contact Bill McIntyre at bmcintyre@globalrescue.com or +1 (202) 560.1195.  

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.  

Lebanon, N.H. – March 6, 2023 – One-out-of-four international travelers needs hospitalization or medical attention during travel but nearly half of them do not obtain a pre-travel health screening, and fewer do any research about the quality of medical care at their destination beforehand, according to the Global Rescue Winter 2023 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey. 

According to the Merck Manuals, when it comes to foreign travel, about 1 in 30 people traveling abroad require emergency care. That percentage is higher among the world’s most experienced travelers. According to the survey, one out of four (24%) revealed that they needed hospitalization or medical attention during travel.  

Unfortunately, only about a third (38%) of surveyed travelers researched the quality of medical care at their destination before traveling abroad. The balance (62%) did not do any research in advance. 

“In today’s travel landscape, you may not want to travel to any destination where the level of medical care isn’t up to your standards unless you have medical evacuation services. It puts you, your health and your trip at risk,” said Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue.  

“Hospital layouts differ. The medication might not look the same. Some hospitals use IVs with glass bottles instead of plastic bags. Triage may be done differently than it is in the United States,” said Jeff Weinstein, medical operations associate manager at Global Rescue.  

“Travelers should obtain destination reports covering everything from travel health and personal security advice to currency and common scams before taking a trip, especially to a foreign country,” Richards added.  

More than half (54%) of the world’s most experienced travelers surveyed by Global Rescue said they obtain a pre-travel health consultation with a physician to discuss their itinerary, pre-existing conditions, a medications list and any health concerns they may have to decrease medical risks during travel.  

That’s nearly two times better than the average, according to Mass General Brigham that reported 30 million travelers visited limited-resource countries overseas, but only 25 to 30% sought medical advice before they went.  

“Certain health conditions and medications can increase your health risks during travel and these risks will vary by destination, activities and mode of travel,” Weinstein 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 2,000 of its current and former members between January 30 and February 4, 2023. 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.       

The world’s most experienced travelers expose how to manage inflation, potential airline disruptions and a very busy forecast for global tourism in 2023 

Lebanon, N.H. – February 27, 2023 – Global tourism is expected to rise by 30% in 2023, according to reports and the world’s most experienced travelers have revealed their secrets, and mistakes, on how to manage the upcoming busy travel year, crowded destinations, higher costs and potential travel disruptions.  

The majority of travelers (41%) are planning trips further in advance to lock in reservations and prices, according to the Global Rescue Winter 2023 Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey. Another 18% said they plan to travel during off-peak seasons. Thirteen percent said they will seek undiscovered destinations or locales that are off-the-beaten path, 11% said they would avoid traveling on weekends and holidays to avoid crowds, and nearly 5% revealed they would skip international travel and take trips domestically only. About 1-in-10 said they would not do anything differently. 

The predicted rise in travel coincides with higher travel-related costs. Nearly half of the surveyed travelers (45%) are planning to absorb the higher travel costs without skimping. The other half will look for less expensive destinations (13%), reserve less costly lodging (8%), shorten trips (6%), find destinations that have an advantageous currency exchange with their home country currency (5%), do less shopping (5%), dine out less (4%) and do more bleisure travel combining work-related travel with leisure trips (3%).    

Recurring news about airline staff shortages, disrupted flights, and jumps in cancellations are forcing travelers to protect their trips. More Americans are cautious after a spike in flight cancellations at the end of 2022, according to a Reuters report.   

“As travel returns to pre-pandemic levels, more travelers than ever believe emergency rescue and evacuation services are essential, whether it’s due to COVID, a natural disaster, civil unrest or simply to help assist with more complicated travel logistics. Travel protection for emergency medical services and evacuation is no longer optional; it’s obligatory,” 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. 

Scheduling nonstop flights (35%) whenever possible is the leading way survey respondents will manage potential flight disruptions and staff shortages followed by purchasing travel protection (30%) for delayed or canceled flights, lost luggage, and trip cancellation, according to the Global Rescue survey. Eleven percent of travelers said they will avoid checking luggage and opt for carry-on baggage and 7% said they would travel during off-peak days and times. 

As travelers plan trips for 2023, respondents revealed a shift in the types of travel they want compared to responses from spring 2022. The biggest change is a 40% dip in respondents who are planning to travel to visit family and friends. Another change is the 21% decline in surveyed travelers who are preparing for outdoor adventure trips. 

Despite the shift, outdoor adventure travel led all types of international travel planning followed by a bucket list trip (26%), a culture exploration trip (24%), visiting friends and family, a dream trip (15%) and a wellness trip (5%). A fifth of respondents reported the international trips planned for 2023 were work-related or bleisure.  

The survey revealed 7-out-of-10 of the world’s most experienced travelers are members of a Trusted Traveler Program, like TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, compared to only 22% of American flyers, according to a survey reported in Yahoo! Finance. 

As travel returns following the easing of pandemic restrictions, many travelers are readjusting to travel. According to the Global Rescue survey, even the most well-traveled individuals make mistakes following a travel layoff. Survey respondents admitted that over-packing (28%) was the biggest travel mistake since returning to travel, distantly followed by overly ambitious travel itineraries (9%).  

Travel mistakes like forgetting an international plug adapter, failing to change your phone data plan, drinking unsafe water or forgetting to notify your bank you would be out of the country each accounted for 4% or fewer responses. Letting your passport or Trusted Traveler Program membership expire, tipping inappropriately, forgetting your prescription medicine, or medical security protection each accounted for fewer than 2% of responses.  

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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 2,000 of its current and former members between January 30 and February 4, 2023. 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.      

Lebanon, N.H. – February 13, 2023 – Traveler fears of COVID continue to plummet while concerns over civil unrest increase. The Global Rescue Winter 2023 Traveler Safety and Sentiment Survey revealed the greatest anxiety among the world’s most experienced travelers about international travel is having an injury or illness unrelated to COVID. The survey further uncovered a major shift in traveler worries about civil unrest and terrorism in international destinations. 

Since August 2022, apprehension about COVID dramatically dropped at a rate of 61%, down to 13% compared to 33% in late summer, according to the results of the quarterly surveys. While COVID fears continue to plunge, other traveler reservations are rising. Traveler concerns about civil unrest and terrorism nearly doubled in the last six months, jumping to 14% in the latest survey from 8% in late summer 2022. 

Today, more than a third of travelers (37%) said their biggest fear is suffering a non-COVID illness or injury, followed by civil unrest (14%), trip cancellation (12%), being robbed (4%), natural disasters (3%) and nuclear attack (less than 1%).   

When it comes to traveling internationally there are other concerns travelers have that, while less severe than illness or injury, are nevertheless worrisome, especially as travel returns to pre-pandemic levels but staffing shortages within the travel industry persist. Nearly a quarter (23%) of survey respondents said hotel and lodging safety was most important, while 10% worry about car service and taxi safety. Some want to know if the destination is safe for families (15%) or women (11%) to travel. Ten percent want to know if they’ll need physical protection. Identity theft and cyber security remain important concerns with 9% of respondents. Less than 3% worry about automobile rental safety or environmental safety. 

“Traveler confidence is skyrocketing and they are mitigating their worries by safeguarding their trips and safety with more protections,” said Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue. “Whether it’s flight disruptions, war, natural disaster, or a pandemic, the new normal for travelers includes travel protection for emergency medical services and evacuation. Travel protection services are no longer a take-it-or-leave-it option. We are forecasting significant increases in demand for travel protection services,” 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 2,000 of its current and former members between January 30 and February 4, 2023. 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.     

LEBANON, N.H. (Jan. 24, 2023) – U.S. Alpine Ski Team athlete Mikaela Shiffrin secured her 83rd FIS World Cup win in Italy to become the winningest female skier of all time. 

“Congratulations to the Greatest Of All Time, Mikaela Shiffrin. She is an incredibly talented, mentally resilient athlete in a highly competitive global sport. Winning her 83rd World Cup race is a spectacular achievement,” said Dan Richards, the CEO of Global Rescue, the company providing emergency and crisis support since 2006 for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard team in the event of illness or injury among any of the team members. 

Shiffrin’s win elevates her past the previous record holder, American skier Lindsey Vonn, and moves her within three victories of Ingemar Stenmark’s record of 86 World Cup wins. 

“Mikaela Shiffrin is now not only the best woman alpine skier of all time, but she is also a great person, teammate and role model for the sport of alpine skiing,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “As an organization, we are so proud of her accomplishments and cannot wait to see how she further transforms the sport and the history books next.”  

Shiffrin admitted she was nervous before her run, but her anxiety washed away once it was time to go. “Everything went quiet and I just pushed as hard as I could at every turn. It’s still hard for me to believe that I have the mental focus again to be strong on the second run. It’s something I don’t take for granted.” 

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For more information contact Bill McIntyre at bmcintyre@globalrescue.com or +1 (202) 560.1195.  

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.  

Biden Administration pushes court to restore traveler mask mandate. 

Lebanon, NH – January 17, 2023 – Travel industry leaders strongly oppose the Biden Administration’s decision to fight to keep a mask mandate in place.  The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments on Tuesday from the Biden Justice Department on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to reinstate a mask mandate for air travel, after a federal judge in Florida struck down the mandate last April, according to news reports. 

“The decision by the Department of Justice to fight to reinstate the mask mandate is not medically indicated and it contradicts President Biden’s declaration in September that the pandemic is over,” 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. 

“It is a reckless, unnecessary action that will spread traveler fear and uncertainty further damaging an industry badly ravaged by the pandemic,” Richards said. 

The fight to keep mask mandates is not a popular one among travel industry groups. The U.S. Travel Association, for example, praised the elimination of the mask mandate. “The current decision to halt enforcement of the federal mask mandate effectively returns the choice of mask usage on planes and other forms of public transportation to travelers and travel industry workers, a further step toward endemic management of COVID,” Tori Emerson Barnes, the association’s executive vice president, said at the time. 

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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   

The World’s Most Experienced Travelers Name the Top 25 Travel Songs  

Lebanon, N.H. – January 14, 2023 – As travelers shrug off inflation and emerge from holiday travel disruptions, people are searching international trips in droves, according to a recent report. Global Rescue conducted a survey of the world’s most experienced travelers to identify a collection of the best travel songs to inspire trip-takers.   

“Travel confidence is exploding in a positive direction. TSA data reflects traveler volumes pushing past pre-pandemic levels for the first time in more than two years. Call it revenge travel or make-up travel, the comeback to international travel is surging,” 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.  

“People are gearing up for a return to travel after the pandemic pause. They are driving a significant rebound in travel activity and the Global Rescue survey revealed the Top 25 travel songs that inspire adventure, encourage exploration, and re-connect us with loved ones,” Richards said.     

Eddie Money’s “Two Tickets to Paradise” was identified as the favorite travel song followed by:   

• Dancing Queen by ABBA 
• Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers 
• Caribbean Queen by Billie Ocean 
• Three Little Birds by Bob Marley 
• Saturday in the Park by Chicago 

• Teach Your Children by CSNY 
• Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker 
• Already Gone by Eagles 
• Rocket Man by Elton John 
• Lose Yourself by Eminem 

• Autumn Leaves by Eric Clapton 
• Fly Me to the Moon by Frank Sinatra 
• I Got Your (I Feel Good) by James Brown 
• Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey 
• Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd 

• Nothing Else Matters by Metallica 
• Burn it to the Ground by Nickelback 
• I’m Leavin’ on a Jet Plane by Peter, Paul and Mary 
• Timber by Pitbull 
• Bohemian Rapsody by Queen 

• Born to Be Wild by Steppenwolf 
• Don’t You Worry About a Thing by Stevie Wonder 
• Burning Down the House by Talking Heads 
• Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison 

The complete collection of The Global Rescue Top Travel Songs is available on Spotify.  

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.      

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.  

Lebanon, NH – January 12, 2023 – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the re-appointment of Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue, the leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services to an additional two-year term on the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB).

“[Richards’] experience will be important as the Board provides me with advice and counsel on issues and concerns that affect the U.S. travel and tourism industry. I appreciate your willingness to devote your time and efforts to the Board,” said Secretary Raimondo.

“I look forward to sharing my knowledge and recommendations with Secretary Raimondo and the Board to help the travel and tourism industry recover from the devastating impacts of the pandemic and work to shield the industry from future threats,” Richards said.

The board is comprised of 32 leaders from businesses and organizations in the domestic travel and tourism industry. Participating leadership includes Brian Chesky, the CEO of Airbnb, Bill Hornbuckle, the CEO of MGM Resorts and Matt Goldberg, the CEO of Trip Advisor, among others. Members advise the Secretary of Commerce on how government policies and programs affect the travel and tourism industry and offer counsel on current and emerging issues to support sustainable growth of the travel and tourism industry as our nation’s economic engine.

“Travel and tourism returned with force in 2022 as we opened up our country once again to visitors from around the globe,” said Secretary Raimondo. “The U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board plays a vital role in providing expert recommendations and industry insight to optimize the American travel experience,” she said.

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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. 

Rescue and medical evacuation teams are standing by
to assist travelers who may need field rescue, medical evacuation or medical advisory.

Lebanon, NH – January 6, 2023 – 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 within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Kīlauea’s summit caldera within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

According to the U.S. Geological Service Volcano Notification Service (USGS VNS), the Kīlauea volcano began erupting at approximately 4:34 p.m. HST on January 5, 2023, when the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory detected a glow in Kīlauea summit webcam images indicating that the eruption had resumed.

“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.”

The opening phases of eruptions are dynamic, according to information from USGS. “Webcam imagery shows fissures at the base of Halemaʻumaʻu crater generating lava flows on the surface of the crater floor.”

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory elevate Kīlauea’s volcano alert level to WARNING and its aviation color code to RED as this eruption and associated hazards are evaluated.

“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 senior 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.

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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.