In a world where global events ripple across borders in real time, travel is more exposed than ever to disruption. From geopolitical instability to cyberattacks, risks are becoming more complex, interconnected, and fast-moving. Travel News spoke with Suzanne Sangiovese, CEO of Riskline, at Business Travel Show in London about how companies and individuals can navigate this “polycrisis” era, and why risk management should be viewed as a way to make travel possible, not to stop it.
A “Polycrisis” shaping global travel
The travel industry is facing an era where no single event exists in isolation. Economists and security experts have adopted the term polycrisis, popularized by the World Economic Forum, to describe overlapping global threats that amplify one another. In travel, this can mean a political crisis disrupting oil markets at the same time that climate change drives extreme weather, compounding the challenges for airlines, hotels, and travelers alike. For example, a geopolitical flashpoint in the Strait of Hormuz could push oil prices above USD 100 a barrel overnight, driving up airfare worldwide.
Suzanne Sangiovese says the pattern is clear.
“There’s not just one crisis in one region. We have several crises happening at the same time, and many are interlinked. You’ve got conflict in the Middle East, cyberwarfare, the war in Ukraine and the knock-on effects from that, political unrest in the US, and then you add in climate change and extreme weather,” she explains.
Even travelers bound for low-risk destinations can experience the fallout, whether through longer flight routes due to closed airspace, higher fuel surcharges, or delayed supply chains affecting hotel operations.
Inside Riskline: Global Risk Intelligence 24/7
Riskline was founded in 2007 in Copenhagen with a mission to provide independent, real-time intelligence to travelers and the organizations that send them abroad. Today, the company’s distributed team of analysts operates in more than 20 countries, monitoring everything from political unrest and natural disasters to health risks and transportation safety.
“We’re an intelligence company. We don’t sell flights or hotels. Our job is to help travelers and the companies that send them make informed decisions,” says Sangiovese.
Riskline partners with travel management companies, technology platforms, and security assistance firms to deliver alerts and destination intelligence directly into the tools people already use. Consumers may encounter Riskline’s work through integrations such as SAP Concur’s TripIt app, which provides entry requirements, vaccination rules, and timely alerts based on itinerary data.
Preparation is the best Risk Management
The principle that prevention is better than cure is especially true in travel risk management. A well-prepared traveler is less likely to make unsafe decisions, encounter avoidable disruptions, or face cultural misunderstandings that can escalate into serious issues. Preparation may include understanding a destination’s political climate, knowing where the nearest hospital is, or simply recognizing that some neighborhoods are unsafe after dark.
Sangiovese sums it up simply.
“A prepared traveler is a smart traveler. Smart travelers make better decisions because they already know how to act in a given environment.”
For example, knowing the dress code in conservative regions, understanding the legal implications for LGBTQ+ travelers, or being aware of local scams can significantly reduce exposure to risk.
The risks we forget to plan for
While terrorism, pandemics, and natural disasters dominate headlines, the reality is that most trip disruptions stem from far more common causes. Lost passports, sudden illness, transportation strikes, or minor injuries can derail plans and incur significant costs. Data from the Association of Corporate Travel Executives shows that everyday incidents are dozens of times more likely to affect business travelers than large-scale emergencies.
Sangiovese stresses that these smaller incidents deserve equal attention.
“It’s the smaller things, a sprained ankle, food poisoning, losing your passport, that can cause the biggest headaches.”
Unprepared travelers may face extra nights in hotels, expensive rebookings, and missed business opportunities, all of which can be mitigated with proactive planning.
Duty of Care starts with the employer
In corporate travel, the concept of duty of care, the employer’s legal and moral obligation to ensure traveler safety, is increasingly under scrutiny. Large organizations may have formal policies, but smaller companies often lack structured risk management. Research from GBTA shows that while 80% of companies believe they fulfill duty of care obligations, only 50% have processes to verify compliance.
Sangiovese is clear on where responsibility lies.
“Duty of care isn’t just sending a pre-trip email. It’s making sure the traveler reads it, understands it, and knows what to do if something happens.”
She also emphasizes that effective duty of care requires traveler cooperation, what she calls “duty of loyalty”, in following safety protocols and staying informed.
Cybersecurity: The overlooked travel threat
Cybersecurity has emerged as one of the most underestimated risks in travel. The 2023 cyberattack on MGM Resorts, which crippled check-in systems in Las Vegas for days, underscored how a digital breach can create physical disruption. For travelers, the risk is twofold: targeted surveillance in certain countries and crimes of opportunity such as device theft.
Sangiovese warns that some destinations have strict regulations on communications equipment, while others may actively monitor devices.
“In certain destinations, we recommend taking a ‘clean’ phone or laptop, one with minimal stored data, because if your device is lost, stolen, or inspected, you don’t want sensitive information on it.”
From banking data to corporate documents, the consequences of a breach can be significant, making digital hygiene as important as physical safety.
Cultural risk and legal awareness
Physical safety is only part of the equation. Travelers can find themselves in serious legal trouble simply by violating cultural norms or local laws. In some Middle Eastern countries, violent crime rates are low, but laws around public behavior, dress, and relationships are strictly enforced. The consequences can range from fines to detention.
Sangiovese cautions against assuming that “safe” destinations are risk-free.
“In some Middle Eastern destinations, violent crime is rare, but the legal and cultural norms are very strict. If you don’t understand those, you can land yourself in serious trouble.”
Research highlights that legal and reputational risks are becoming a bigger factor in travel decision-making, especially for multinational companies sending staff to high-compliance jurisdictions.
Delivering timely, relevant risk information
The effectiveness of risk communication often hinges on timing and delivery. Riskline advises embedding information into tools travelers already use, whether that’s Microsoft Teams, email, or a company intranet. Sending lengthy PDFs weeks in advance, Sangiovese notes, is unlikely to be effective.
“It’s about getting the right information, to the right person, at the right time, in the right way. If your people are already on Microsoft Teams all day, put the updates there. Don’t expect them to go to another platform.”
Best practice involves delivering updates at multiple points: when booking, just before departure, during travel, and on return. This approach keeps safety top-of-mind without overwhelming the traveler.
Inclusive and flexible travel policies
An effective travel policy must be both inclusive and adaptable. This means recognizing that not all travelers face the same risks and ensuring policies account for gender, sexuality, disability, and experience level without requiring personal disclosure. According to GBTA’s Business Travel Pulse, over 70% of LGBTQ+ travelers conceal their identity abroad due to safety concerns, showing why proactive policy design matters.
“You need representation when you create policies. That means voices from female travelers, LGBTQ+ travelers, people with disabilities, first-time travelers. One policy doesn’t fit everyone,” says Sangiovese.
Flexibility is also crucial, for example, allowing itinerary changes if a hotel is near a protest site or a meeting location becomes unsafe.
AI’s role in travel risk intelligence
Artificial intelligence is transforming the way risk information is gathered and processed, but Sangiovese cautions against seeing it as a replacement for human judgment. Riskline uses AI internally to scan vast amounts of data, filter out irrelevant content, and flag potential incidents for analyst review.
“We use AI as an aid, not a replacement. It helps us filter noise so our analysts can focus on verifying the information that matters. It’s still very much a human-led process,” she says.
She adds that AI-driven traveler tools will only be as effective as their input data, or as she puts it: “Garbage in, garbage out.”
Risk bas a branding problem
The word “risk” can sound negative, but Sangiovese argues it should be framed as a service that enables safe, confident travel. Some companies are already rebranding risk communications as “destination readiness briefings” or “travel insights,” making them feel less like warnings and more like value-added services.
“Risk isn’t a travel stopper, it’s a travel enabler. If we frame it as something that makes your journey safer and less stressful, people will actually travel more, not less,” she says.
Looking ahead: Personalization and education
Travel risk management is shifting toward personalization. Advances in mobile technology, health tracking, and data analytics are making it possible to create traveler-owned risk profiles that capture preferences, medical considerations, and past travel patterns. Unlike current systems, which are tied to an employer or booking platform, these profiles would be portable, giving travelers continuity even when switching companies or travel providers.
“The ideal scenario is that each traveler has their own risk profile they can take with them, no matter who they book with,” Sangiovese says.
Achieving this vision would require industry-wide cooperation on data standards and privacy safeguards, a challenge comparable to building universal electronic health records. Until then, Sangiovese sees education as the most immediate and impactful way to reduce risk.
“Whether you’re traveling for work or leisure, domestic or international, understanding risk is part of making your trip smooth and enjoyable.”
Read the full article in Travel News (Norwegian).