Prepare and plan – Experts: “Safe travel is the order of the day!”

Hundreds of thousands of Austrians are currently packing their bags or will soon be boarding the car, train or plane to go on holiday abroad, near or far. However, in all the hustle and bustle, it is often overlooked that should the worst happen, not only summer, the beach and relaxation await, but also dangers or problems abroad.

“Consistently minor and major calamities”
The experts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs know the situation well: “With the several million trips abroad that are made in the summer, there are unfortunately always smaller and larger calamities. With our worldwide network of embassies and consulates, we are the emergency contact and safety net abroad. Whether it’s an accident, illness or loss of your passport, we’ll help you quickly,” explains Axel Wech, head of the Civil Affairs Department and the operational crisis management department abroad.

Important tips for the current season are also available to the public:

• Travel documents and passport validity check: A passport is required for most countries, especially outside the EU, and in some cases it must be valid for at least six months or more. It is also advisable to take copies of all personal and car documents with you on your trip and to keep them separate from the originals.

• Take out travel insurance: Insurance is important, especially abroad, as accidents and illness are unfortunately not uncommon on holiday. So check whether you already have travel insurance and what it covers. Without insurance, return transport can be expensive: return transport without insurance, for example, costs around 17,000 euros from Greece and up to 300,000 euros from Australia.

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises all travelers to register via the International service appso that help can be provided better and faster in the event of an emergency. 352,000 users are already making easy online use of this service. Safe is safe!