International Security Journal hears exclusively from Eeva Ruuska, Americas Operations Manager at Riskline about the global security travel threats.
What emerging travel security threats are you most focused on right now?
Global travel is facing an era of heightened risk, with multiple threats converging simultaneously.
Escalating geopolitical tensions, including the Israel-Hamas conflict and rising India-Pakistan strains, are disrupting flight routes and triggering tighter border controls from Europe to the Middle East and South Asia, creating operational challenges for travellers.
Wildfires are also wreaking havoc, particularly in southern Europe and Canada. In the EU, more than 439,000 hectares have burned so far this year, nearly double the 19-year average.
Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Turkey and Spain are some of the worst-affected countries.
Canada has seen over 7.5 million hectares destroyed, more than twice the ten-year average.
Smoke, infrastructure damage and travel disruptions continue to pose serious health and travel risks.
In Latin America, organised crime remains a major concern for travellers. Mexico and Colombia face ongoing cartel-related violence.
Haiti is increasingly unsafe as gangs extend their control in Port-au-Prince, making travel hazardous and virtually impossible.
Ecuador reports rising attacks on political figures and expansion of gang activity, while Peru faces a rise in homicides, extortion and illegal mining.
Administrative changes are also adding friction for travellers in Europe. The Schengen Entry/Exit System (EES), the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) are introducing additional requirements this year, complicating travel planning and potentially causing delays.
Can you tell us about the technology you provide to help organisations enhance decision-making?
Riskline was founded by travel road warriors and security veterans.
We follow trends in the travel and technology industries and build relevant solutions for organisations and business travellers, delivering data and insights across the full travel lifecycle.
This includes comprehensive destination and city safety reports that allow travel and security managers to assess risks related to political unrest, terrorism, crime, natural disasters, health and local transport.
Covering more than 220 countries and territories and over 260 cities worldwide, these reports are updated regularly and graded across five risk levels.
Reports can be accessed via our portal, which includes a global risk map or integrated directly through an API.
Our Travel Search widget and API combines real-time data from government websites, embassies, breaking news and our medium and long-term reports and alerts, providing information on entry requirements, upcoming events, potential disruptions and safety considerations.
With an interactive map and tailored insights based on trip details and nationality, Travel Search helps keep travellers engaged on our clients’ platforms and in control of their journey for longer.
The TripReady hub supports pre-travel preparation with tailored advisories, presenting relevant safety information for the after-booking, pre-travel stage.
Content is personalised for LGBTQ and female travellers, among others, ensuring users are aware of potential disruptions at their destinations.
Our on-trip Alerts provide 24/7, real-time updates on health, safety, transport and other incidents that could affect travel itineraries.
Each alert is human-verified, includes a risk level, a concise description and practical advice.
Alerts are delivered via API or through the Riskline portal, helping organisations keep travellers safe and informed throughout their journey.
What strategies do you use to ensure your intelligence remains timely in rapidly changing situations?
We operate around the clock, 365 days a year, delivering human-verified, real-time travel risk intelligence.
Our network of analysts spans 22 countries and 11 time zones, working in 18 languages to ensure comprehensive coverage.
We report from where events unfold, providing verified intelligence within minutes, often ahead of governments and international media outlets such as the Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.
Our proprietary platform gathers and analyses information from over 100,000 sources in multiple languages.
Content is translated into English and processed using AI and advanced OSINT techniques.
This allows our analysts to review 20,000–22,500 high-priority messages each week and produce more than 3,300 verified alerts every month, enabling travellers and organisations to be informed and to act swiftly.
How can organisations better integrate socio-economic and environmental factors into their travel security planning?
Organisations can enhance travel security planning by incorporating proactive, destination-specific risk assessments that take into account socio-economic and environmental factors.
This includes potential hazards such as extreme weather, natural disasters and disease outbreaks.
Real-time alerts and destination risk assessments are invaluable tools for monitoring evolving environmental and socio-economic conditions, allowing companies to respond quickly to emerging threats.
Profiling travellers is also key, as factors such as travel experience, demographics and physical and mental health significantly influence individual risk exposure.
Providing comprehensive security briefs and cultural awareness training equips employees to navigate unfamiliar environments and respond appropriately to local sensitivities during emergencies.
In high-risk destinations, dedicated security measures are essential to mitigate threats such as violent crime, kidnapping or civil unrest.
Technology also plays a critical role: real-time tracking and communication enable organisations to locate and assist employees quickly in case of an incident.
Plans must remain flexible and adaptable, given the unpredictability of environmental disasters.
Finally, adequate travel insurance covering medical emergencies, evacuations and other disruptions is indispensable for any organisation with travelling staff.
Read the full article in ISJ.