British Behaviour Abroad Report

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) have released the first ever British Behaviour Abroad report. The report, which releases incident figures for the first time, highlights the key problems that Britons experience in the most popular destinations. According to the most accurate figures available, the period April 04–March 05 saw 1,663 Britons arrested in Spain, 1,370 lose their passports in the USA and 841 hospitalised in Greece.

The FCO believes many of these problems could be prevented and by releasing these figures, it hopes to encourage travellers to be more prepared for their trip and more aware of their environment whilst abroad.

Foreign & Commonwealth Office Minister, Lord Triesman, said: ‘Falling sick, being a victim of crime or dealing with a misfortune affecting your self or your family can be traumatic enough under any circumstances. When they happen abroad they can be even more difficult, complicated and expensive to resolve. As this report shows although some of the incidents people face are unavoidable, many can be prevented with a little planning and careful preparation’.

Passports

Spain has the highest number of reported lost or stolen passports per year (4,774 in this period).
Each emergency or temporary passport application without photocopied details and a police report will take significantly longer to process.

• 62% of those surveyed had never taken a photocopy of their passport before going on holiday
• 61% have never taken the contact details for their nearest Embassy with them when they travel

FCO advice to prevent the loss of your passport abroad:

• Before you travel, make two photocopies of the page with your details on. Leave one with friends or family at home and take one with you when you travel
• Take the number of the British Embassy that will be nearest to you (find out which it is at British Embassies, High Commissions or Consulates or 0845 8502829
• Once abroad, keep your passport in a safe place (e.g. hotel safe). If you need to carry ID when you’re out and about, use the photocopy
• If you lose your passport or it is stolen, report the loss immediately to the nearest local police station and obtain a police report before contacting the nearest Embassy. Have your photocopy handy

Arrests

• Spain had the highest number of arrests in this period with 1,663, followed by the USA with 1,460
• Almost one third (32%) of Brits admit to never checking out the laws and customs of their destination before they travel
  41% admit to drinking ‘much more’ on holiday than they would at home

FCO advice to prevent unwittingly getting into problems with the law abroad:

• Before you travel, check out the local laws and customs of your destination – what might be perfectly appropriate behaviour or dress in one country might be completely different in another. Get a good guidebook or check out Travel advice by country that contains the latest travel information by country
• Many arrests are due to behaviour caused by excessive drinking. Know your limit and try not to drink more than you usually would at home
• Avoid areas where you might be unwittingly caught up in trouble e.g. rallies, marches or protests

Drugs

• The USA had the highest number of Britons arrested for drugs offences (259 in this period), followed by Spain (194) and Thailand (111)
• 63% didn’t know that some medication in the UK e.g. alcohol based prescription drugs and painkillers such as Codeine are illegal in some countries. In Japan for instance, the Vicks inhaler and Sudafed are illegal

FCO advice to prevent getting arrested on drugs offences:

• Know the drugs laws of your destination; they are more severe in some countries than others
• Some medicines that are perfectly legal in the UK are illegal in other countries - check out Travel advice by country and always carry your prescription with you
• Don’t be tempted to get involved with drugs – either taking them or carrying them for other people

Hospitalisations

In this period, Spain had the highest number of hospitalisations, with 1,137 UK citizens being admitted to hospital, followed by Greece with 841 and Thailand with 200. Failing to take travel insurance can cost a lot more than you think. If you suffer a broken leg in Europe it can cost you up to £7000, while an air ambulance from the USA can cost up to £35,000. Even a simple bout of gastro-enteritis in the Mediterranean will set you back £600.

35% of us admit to not always taking out full travel insurance when we go abroad and more than one in ten of us admit to worrying less about our personal safety while on holiday.

FCO advice to prevent yourself becoming ill or injured whilst on holiday:

• Find out about vaccinations or medication for the country or region you are going to well enough in advance for any preventative medication to take effect
• Always stick to local health and safety guidelines, such as sticking within your level of experience on ski slopes and not diving into water of unknown depth
• Always take out full travel insurance and ensure it covers you for everything you intend to do – otherwise you risk hefty medical bills if you become ill or injured
• If you’re going to be driving, familiarise yourself with the rules of the road, the condition of the roads and whether the general style of driving is different to the UK – and if you’re hiring a car always do so from a reputable company

Deaths

Spain experienced the highest number of British deaths in this period (including British residents) with 1,243, followed by France with 294 and Thailand with 274. Despite the headlines, most deaths abroad are due to natural causes.

FCO advice around death abroad:

• Ensure all members of your party have declared all medical conditions to their travel insurer – if an uninsured person dies whilst abroad any treatment they have received and their repatriation to the UK will not be covered
• All deaths must be registered in the country in which the death occurs. If a person in your party dies, whatever the circumstances, report the incident to the local authorities immediately
• There is no obligation to contact the British Consul / Embassy but they can offer support and practical advice at this distressing time