Managing business travel involves more than booking flights and accommodations. A key part of the role includes implementing policies and strategies aimed at safeguarding team members every step of the way. Corporate travel often means relying on hotels to serve as a home base while on the road. Though hotels are convenient and generally safe, it’s important to identify best practices to reduce potential risks to travelers. Implementing proven hotel room safety tips and promoting the use of effective hotel safety devices can improve overall hotel room security, helping your team stay safe and focused during business trips.
Research Accommodations in Advance
Travel managers often need to vet hotels to ensure they are safe and secure for travelers. Beyond checking general reviews and star ratings, dive deeper into more specific factors that impact hotel room security. This includes:
- Assessing the neighborhood
Use tools like Google Maps Street View and local crime data resources to evaluate the surrounding area. Generally, accommodations are safer in areas with well-lit streets with visible security features. - Verify hotel security features
Being able to see security features is great, but you should know if they are functional. See if you can learn more about the hotel’s controlled access points, surveillance initiatives, parking security, and hotel room safety components. - Consult destination safety tools
Platforms like TTTMobile’s Destination Insights provide real-time data on neighborhood safety trends and alerts that could impact travelers.
Prioritize Parking Safety
This is applicable for business trips where team members are driving themselves, either with their own vehicle or a rental car. Consider covering the cost of parking in secure garages, well-lit and monitored lots, or valet services. If possible, encourage travelers to remove valuables from their vehicles and park in spots within eyesight of their room or under streetlights to minimize the risk of theft or vandalism.
Avoid Booking Rooms on Ground Floors
One of the most important hotel room safety tips is to avoid ground-floor bookings. Ground-floor rooms are more accessible to the public simply because of where they are located. Instead, try to secure rooms on mid-level floors that are close to emergency exits in case quick evacuation is necessary.
Encourage Hotel Safety Devices and Door Security
Hotel door security goes beyond locking doors. Travel managers can advise team members to use deadbolts and security latches where available. Additionally, program managers can advocate for portable hotel safety devices like rubber door stops or portable door locks for an extra layer of protection against unauthorized entry. Other simple habits, such as leaving the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door and leaving lights or the TV on while away, can deter potential intruders by creating the illusion of occupancy.
Promote Securing Valuables with In-Room Safes
Remind travelers to take advantage of in-room safes if the hotel provides one. Safes provide peace of mind when storing laptops, passports, or other sensitive equipment and documents. If a safe isn’t available, provide travelers with locks so they can keep materials secure in luggage. Hard-sided luggage bags are preferred as well, since they can’t be easily accessed.
Suggest Conducting Room Checks
After travelers check in, travelers should perform a quick inspection of their hotel room for signs of tampering or other possible security concerns. This includes checking door and window locks, verifying smoke detectors, and scanning for hidden cameras or suspicious devices.
Equip Travelers with TTTMobile
The Travel Team empowers our clients and their travelers with access to our mobile platform, TTTMobile. This app centralizes travel information and safety tools, including:
- Predictive flight alerts to avoid delays
- Real-time airport navigation
- Neighborhood safety insights, ideal for assessing hotel safety
- Seamless integration with platforms like SAP Concur
Oversee Safety with Duty of Care Platforms
Our Duty of Care platform integrates with TTTMobile, providing a comprehensive approach to business travel safety. This ensures you and your business travelers receive:
- Real-time, opt-in traveler tracking
- Country-specific risk profiles and travel restrictions
- Instant updates on airport safety measures
- Two-way messaging between travel managers and employees
Partner with The Travel Team
Managing hotel safety, logistics, and traveler wellbeing is a demanding responsibility, but you don’t have to do it alone. The Travel Team works with corporate travel managers to streamline every aspect of business travel, from vetting hotels for robust hotel room security to integrating safety tools like TTTMobile into your travel program. Let us help you foster business travel where success, security, and traveler satisfaction go hand in hand.
