‘Travellers not adequately prepared’, says FCO
The UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office says that new statistics show that over a third of British people travelling abroad to visit friends and relatives, especially during the holiday season, are not adequately prepared.
The FCO said that the figures reveal that 36% of those travelling overseas to visit friends and relatives do not take out adequate travel insurance. Many also fail to check with their GP about extra health care precautions and vaccinations they may need before travelling.
Business Monitor statistics show that in 2001, there were 7,727,000 overseas trips made by UK residents to visit friends and relatives. With a potential 2.8 million of these trips made without adequate travel insurance cover, the FCO has launched its most recent mini-campaign for travellers. As part of the umbrella ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign, the mini-campaign encourages travellers visiting friends and relatives overseas to take out comprehensive travel insurance, check out the FCO travel advice and consult their GP prior to travel.
Baroness Amos, FCO Minister for Consular Affairs, said: “More and more of us are going overseas to visit friends and relatives more often. All trips to overseas destinations need proper planning and adequate insurance cover otherwise the consequences can be serious. Something as simple as photocopying your passport and insurance documents or checking with your doctor for necessary inoculations can help prevent problems when overseas.”
Many travellers visiting friends and family overseas feel safe in the knowledge that they are travelling to be with friends or relatives or believe that they are covered by reciprocal healthcare agreements. Unfortunately this is not always the case.”
The Minister added: “Unfortunately we live in a world where the threat of terrorist action is very real. Therefore it is more important than ever to check our travel advice, which is kept under constant review, before going overseas.”
The FCO web site, www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo, contains the Top 10 Tips for those visiting friends and relatives overseas, country specific travel advice information and a range of general tips and checklists for those travelling overseas.
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