Safe Cities

York

Holidaymakers have voted the historic walled city of York the safest place to visit in the world. The survey, by Post Office Travel insurance, found only one per cent of British travellers considered the city to be ‘risky’. And it revealed tourists - considering the Egyptian capital, Cairo, to be the most dangerous - placed three other British cities in the top ten  

The survey of 2,075 UK adults showed that 72 per cent felt the traditional country town of Yorkshire was safe, compared to one per cent considering it risky, and 26 per cent having no view. 

In contrast, only seven per cent thought Cairo was safe - and 56 per cent felt it was dangerous to visit. But London did not even make the top ten - with 58 per cent deeming the capital safe and 16 per cent risky. A stolen wallet (24 per cent) was the most common occurrence for those who had had problems in cities. Bangkok, Istanbul and Marrakech were also deemed most risky to visit on a short break. Of the eight UK and Ireland destinations in the survey, the least-safe was Belfast with only 37 per cent deeming it a sensible destination choice. 

But although 53 per cent reckoned Manchester was safe, 20 per cent thought the city was risky - a higher figure than that for Belfast (19 per cent). 

Top ten safest cities in the world -

1. York

2. Bath

3. Edinburgh

4. Brighton

5. Venice

6. Vienna

7. Dublin

8. Florence

9. Stockholm

10. Copenhagen

FCO Safety Warning

Britons travelling abroad are being warned that they could be targeted by terrorists seeking revenge for UK air strikes against Islamic State (IS) extremists.

The Foreign Office (FCO) has updated its travel advice for all destinations across the globe that British nationals faced a "heightened threat" of attack from "groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria".

It urges all Britons living or travelling overseas to be "vigilant" at the current time. 

The FCO said that it was responding to the "generalised threat" rather than warnings of a specific attack.

The move comes after Home Secretary Theresa May announced in August that the UK national terror threat level had been raised from "substantial" to "severe", meaning an attack is considered ''highly likely''.

Last month, Parliament gave the go-ahead for the RAF to carry out air strikes against IS forces in Iraq and the Government has been supplying arms to the Kurdish peshmerga militias fighting the extremists.

The updated FCO advice states: "There is considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time."

The FCO advises against all travel to most parts of Iraq, and all of Syria, where it says it is unable to provide assistance to any British citizen in leaving the country. There is also advice not to travel within 10km of the border of Syria, within Turkey.

Fraudsters

A recent article warning British holidaymakers to check the credentials of online Travel Packages:

People booking holidays are being urged to check before they hand over money

Fraudsters are stealing as much as £7m a year from UK holidaymakers, a report by police suggests.

Criminals are faking airline tickets and accommodation adverts, and selling bogus package holidays, according to the City of London Police's National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB).

One couple lost more than £1,000 after booking what they thought was a romantic break with a bogus company.

Travel industry experts urged people to do their research before booking.

The NFIB says more than 4,500 cases of holiday-booking fraud were reported in a 12-month period.

Airline-ticket fraud accounted for around 21% of the total scams in 2013, with flights to West Africa a particular target.

About 30% of victims fell foul of fake adverts for holiday villas and apartments.

The report said that some people arrived at their destination only to discover they had nowhere to stay.

Laura from Thirsk, North Yorkshire, booked a Valentine's Day weekend break at Loch Ness for herself and her husband, Sean, a soldier on leave from Afghanistan.

They paid to stay in a lodge advertised on Facebook. But photos of the accommodation had been taken from another website - and the real owners had nothing to do with the people Mrs Parks had paid.

When the couple arrived, they were stranded in a blizzard.

NFIB director Detective Superintendent Peter O'Doherty said the internet had changed the way people booked holidays and was "enabling fraudsters to prey upon those looking for that perfect break".

Mark Tanzer, chief executive of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), said: "Fraudsters are conning unsuspecting holidaymakers and travellers out of thousands of pounds each year - leaving them out of pocket or stranded with nowhere to stay through fake websites, false advertising, bogus phone calls and email scams."

The NFIB, ABTA and web security advice organisation Get Safe Online are all warning of possible holiday fraud ahead of the Ryder Cup this year, and the football World Cup in Brazil in the summer.

Abta has a full list of tips on how to avoid becoming a victim on its website.

Make sure you have adequate Travel Insurance HERE

Electronic Battery Saving Tips....

Following on from last week's posting regarding the heightened security checks at airports for some long - haul flights, here are a few tips about how to keep your electronic devices charged for as long as possible.

New security checks will mean that passengers may have to show that electronic devices have power or leave the devices behind. This applies to flights to and from the US - but will extend to other routes around the UK.

Here are a few tips which might mean the difference between taking your phone/tablet/iPad abroad or leaving it behind. And remember....while many airport lounges now have charging sockets for phones, they are limited and will be very busy in the future

Power Saving Tips For Phones

There are many of these on the net, but turning down your brightness, turning off your bluetooth and switching off your data services altogether can save bundles of battery life.

Pestering Phones

Stop your phone from being a nuisance and pestering you by turning off all notifications. Every time your phone beeps, whistles or ping with an alert it has used up power by notifying you and searching for that alert. E-mails should be set to manual search and location notifications turned off. Stop all "push" notifications.

Hungry Apps

Activity and GPS enabled Apps can drain power quickly and should be disabled or uninstalled - you can always load them again - easily if they're in The Cloud. Don't use your camera - especially on video and don't watch YouTube or other Video Channels. 

Portable Charging Units

You can buy a Nomad Key which is a retractable charging device to attach to your key ring, check out the normal outlets for THIS

What about a portable charge pack like the INNERGIE products offer, or many more that are available HERE

Or what about a Wind Up Power Pack (HERE) which will get your phone through Airport Security at least.

Just a few tips and hits to get you through the next few weeks of Summer Searches and Checks.

Stay safe and take a look at our website HERE

New Airport Security Checks

Hoping for no queues when you turn up at the airport...

Traveler's watched the news again this week with a mixture of frustration and concern as another announcement surrounding security boarding checks were extended even further.

From The BBC:

All passengers flying into or out of the UK are being advised to ensure electronic and electrical devices in hand luggage are sufficiently charged to be switched on.

Extra security checks came in at some UK airports last week for flights to the US, but these will now be extended.

The government says the checks apply to unspecified flights to and from the UK.

It comes after an apparent terror threat prompted the US to announce extra security checks last week.

But the Department for Transport (DfT) has now issued updated guidelines, saying: "In line with the US advice, passengers on some routes into and out of the UK may now also be required to show that electronic devices in their hand luggage are powered up or face not being allowed to bring the device onto the aircraft.

"Passengers flying into or out of the UK are therefore advised to make sure electronic devices being carried in their hand luggage are charged before they travel."

The department said that "for obvious reasons" it would not elaborate on the routes affected.

We will have a feature next week on how to extend the battery life on your electronic equipment, but as always, we at Holsure advocate that you check your flights and timetables before leaving for the airport.

Take care when you travel and take a look at our website HERE

Safety Issues Again....

A piece from The BBC - a cautionary tale, but a very brave woman. Visit her Facebook page HERE

A woman whose husband and daughter died in a speedboat accident has urged other boat users to wear a safety kill cord.

The Milligan family, who were on holiday from London, were thrown out of their boat off Padstow in May 2013.

Nick Milligan, 51, and his daughter Emily, eight, were both killed. Victoria Milligan lost a leg and her son Kit was severely injured.

A report concluded that if a kill cord had been worn the engine would have cut out when they were thrown overboard. The report said that Mrs Milligan was at the helm of the speedboat Milly on the Camel Estuary when BSkyB sales boss Mr Milligan said she should make a turn. Mr Milligan then reached across to take the helm and increased the engine throttle setting to full, throwing the whole family out of the boat. The boat then continued to circle under full power, striking several members of the family.

The report concluded that if a kill cord had been worn at the time, the engine would have cut out when they were thrown overboard.

A passerby filmed the speedboat out of control in the Camel Estuary

Nick Milligan and eight-year-old daughter Emily, left, were killed while his wife Victoria and son Kit were seriously injured

Mrs Milligan has a message for other boat users.

She said: "Please always wear a kill cord. Even if you are coming into shore or a pier, always put it on. Just be aware you are driving a powerful machine and always have the right training."

Mrs Milligan added that the family had received full training before the accident.

"My husband was hugely safety conscious," she said."We had done our speedboat courses. He had always worn a kill cord, what happened to us was a horrific accident." 

Mrs Milligan has been raising money for Cornwall's rescue services. She has already raised more than £250,000 for Cornwall Air Ambulance and presented the organisation with a cheque at its base on Thursday.

"I was slightly dreading going to see the rescue helicopter in situ but I found it incredibly uplifting to give back a huge amount of money to the charity which is fully funding their night flying technology," she said.

"That is going to save lives and that's the best legacy we can leave for Nicko and Emily."

And she is hoping to raise more than £300,000 for the RNLI and Child Bereavement UK in a a charity cycle ride starting in Cornwall. The ride leaves Trevose Golf Club in Cornwall on 20 June and arrives 272 miles later at Trinity Fields, in London on 22 June. There are 125 cyclists taking part with a further 25 riders joining for the final stage on Sunday.

Stay Safe In The Sun

From the BBC:

Sunscreen alone should not be relied on to prevent malignant melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer, research suggests. The UK study backs public health campaigns calling for sunscreen to be combined with other ways to protect the skin from sun, such as hats and shade.

Animal research, published in Nature, reveals more about how UV light induces cancer in skin cells. Malignant melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, with more than 13,000 people diagnosed each year. Sun exposure is a well-known risk factor for melanoma skin cancer.

Cancer Research have said It's essential to get into good sun safety habits, whether at home or abroad, and take care not to burn - sunburn is a clear sign that the DNA in your skin cells has been damaged.

But, until now, the molecular mechanism by which UV light damages DNA in skin cells has been unclear. In the new study, scientists at the University of Manchester looked at the effects of UV light on the skin of mice at risk of melanoma. This then allowed them to examine the effects of sunscreen in blocking the disease.

"UV light targets the very genes protecting us from its own damaging effects, showing how dangerous this cancer-causing agent is," said lead researcher Prof Richard Marais.

"Very importantly, this study provides proof that sunscreen does not offer complete protection from the damaging effects of UV light.

"This work highlights the importance of combining sunscreen with other strategies to protect our skin, including wearing hats and loose fitting clothing, and seeking shade when the sun is at its strongest."

Make sure you stay safe in the sun this summer - whether at home or abroad, cover up well because sunburn can ruin your health and your holiday. 

For Holiday Insurance Quotes, please check out our website HERE. 

Reasons To Buy Travel Insurance - Part Two

Loss of documents or cash needn't be a trial, while you're away

Following on from our intermittent articles elaborating upon the reasons not to skimp on your Travel Insurance costs, here are four more reasons which may give you thought....

Personal Accident

I'm afraid that this is just another one of those areas none of us like to consider, yet time and agian we all hear stories of mishaps that happen to unfortunate travellers while away from home, the safety net offered by the NHS and the comfort of our friends and families. Loss of limbs, sight and even life can all leave devastation in their path and while compensation won't change the outcome of the events it may help the recovery or grief of you or your family.

Lost Luggage

Haven't we all had the nightmare of arriving at our destination, only to find that our baggage is on another continent? Or Worse - Stolen! With Travel Insurance, you can be compensated for the loss, and some policies will even cover you replacing lost clothes at your holiday destination.

Lost Documents

It's a hard enough truth to discover that you've lost your passports, tickets or other vital documents - but then to find that you have to pay for them all again.....while you're abroad....

Money

Being robbed, mugged or careless while on holiday needn't be a trial. With a good policy you can be fully covered for the loss and your holiday need not be totally ruined by your misfortune.

More to follow, but please check our website for more Travel Insurance information HERE

More Trouble Hotspots

Peaceful...for now...

In the news again this week are the troubles that have beset Egypt, although Sharm El Sheikh, which is far enough away from the problem areas has been assiduously omitted from the bulletin warnings.  With the ongoing Islamist Militant threats, the UK Foreign Office has seen fit, yet again, to warn tourists, tourist operators and Travel Agencies to avoid the Sinai Peninsular. 

It will prevent Britons from travelling to other Red Sea resorts such as Taba, Dahab and Nuweiba - popular destinations under normal circumstances. 

In the Sharm El Sheikh resorts, security has been tightened and the BBC were seen reporting from the shore of the Red Sea with a deserted beach in the background while stoic Brits stood fast with their decision to turn up anyway. 

One of the issues here, though, is the difficulty in obtaining travel insurance policies for holidays to the region. 

We at Holsure would always advise looking at the FO website, the weekend newspapers and news bulletins to ensure that your destination is a safe and secure one, but also check with your travel insurance provider to ensure full cover during your holiday and to ensure your trip is still covered. 

Check our website for further information and quotes for affordable cover. 

Travel Safety

St Lucia - the scene of recent tragedy...

We've all heard the news of people tragically killed, injured or abducted or caught up in political events while on foreign holiday trips. We naturally become more concerned when these events occur in destinations in which we are especially interested or may even have booked a trip to. The news lately has been full of the awful killing of Roger Pratt whilst he defended his wife on the Island of St Lucia and many are asking if St Lucia is safe.

We heard too of the kidnapping for ransom of Paul and Rachel chandler a few years ago and the trauma they suffered for over a year and, of course, the Arab Dawn uprisings two years ago caused many to question their intended destinations in and around North Africa.

So what can you do if you feel alarmed or nervous about the news or events in a country to which you intend to travel?

Well, the first thing is to put your concerns into perspective and get out a map to discover if events that cause concern are actually anywhere near where you are staying. Countries are generally large and often the holiday resorts are hundreds of miles away from the political or criminal events that may be occurring. But this is not always the case, as with St Lucia, and so you may wish to seek further advice.

A good place to start is the FCO - the Foreign and Commonwealth Office - which has a website dedicated to advice regarding "Hotspots" around the globe. Go to the Home Page HERE and type in the country to which you are travelling and check the advice our Government are giving. Be aware though that often these warnings are delayed as long as possible to ensure that the Government does not give erroneous or misleading advice to travellers.

Next you could check with your travel agent or, as we always advocate at Holsure, you can do some research on the net to see what other travellers have posted regarding their trips, vacations, experiences and journeys. Trip Advisor is another good place to start HERE or Lonely Planet HERE.

It's difficult to have complete confidence in a holiday abroad when you are aware of political disruptions or regular incidences of crime, but with care and research you can find out just how real those threats may be.

Remember too that a good Travel Insurance policy should cover you for holiday cancellations and last minute changes, but check with your provider. We, at Holsure, always ensure that your policy will cover all that we can possibly provide at your request and we are more than happy to discuss the clauses and conditions until you are fully happy with the plan you have.

2014

Here at Holsure we sincerely hope that you had a wonderful Christmas break, and weren't too affected by the storms and floods if you live in the UK.

We hope too that you have a most fantastic 2014 and reach some of the destinations to which you aspire.

We have just heard that Michael Schumacher's condition has improved slightly after his skiing accident and, along with many others, we wish him a full and speedy recovery. Michael was wearing a helmet at the time of his accident and we can only reiterate the need for full safety equipment to be used when taking part in any wintersports activity that requires it. Michael is an advocate of safety both with The Grand Prix Drivers' Association in Motor Sports and in his love of skiing. Always at the forefront of ensuring driver security in the car and on the track, he carried this concern into his other sporting loves - we should follow his example, for ourselves and our family.

Our website can offer more help in this and other areas, HERE

A Happy New Year to all our followers and readers, and most certainly to a hero of our time - good luck Michael.