The Know Before You Go Campaign is a joint venture between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the travel industry to ensure that British travellers are better prepared when they go overseas. Every year thousands of British travellers seriously regret not taking a number simple steps. When travelling aboard the FCO strongly encourages all travellers to adhere to the travel advice given below. Key messages include:
- Taking out comprehensive travel insurance, and reading the small print.
- Checking the FCO’s country travel advice.
- Researching your destination – know the local laws and customs.
- Research the health risk on the NHS travel health information page as soon as possible before travelling, and if necessary visit your GP.
- Check your passport is valid and you have all necessary visas.
- Make copies of important travel documents and/or store them online using a secure data storage site.
- Tell someone where you are going and leave emergency contact details with them.
- Take enough money and have access to emergency funds.
The FCO travel website contains information about services available to British Citizens and detailed practical advice and tips for having a safe and enjoyable time abroad. Listed below are links to sections of the FCOs website, these together with other sections of the site, are designed to assist you prepare for your holiday and stay safe while abroad.
The FCO’s country advice is full of useful information for countries throughout the world including a travel summary, sections on safety and security, entry requirements, health and local laws and customs.
The FCO’s travel very handy travel checklist to help you plan for your trip abroad and stay safe whilst you are there.
If you are a British national, and travelling or living abroad, or planning to do so, use our LOCATE service to tell the FCO. British embassy and crisis staff can then give you better assistance in an emergency such as a tsunami or terrorist attack. The FCO are encouraging all British nationals travelling and living abroad to register with us on LOCATE, even for short trips.
Travelling to different climates and environments abroad can expose you to disease and health risks. You should be aware of the dangers and how to stay healthy. Diseases which aren’t present in the UK such as yellow fever, malaria, rabies and dengue fever are common in some areas of the world. Visit you GP as soon as possible to see if you need any vaccinations or other preventative measures. The link also contains general health tips and advice on long distance journeys.
It is a requirement for all Corinthian Travel clients to take out comprehensive travel insurance. An emergency abroad can be extremely expensive. If you need to be returned to the UK it could cost you thousands of pounds, unless you are adequately insured. Click here for more information about travel insurance and advice on what your travel insurance policy should cover.
Don’t be a victim of theft and fraud when you’re abroad. Click here for advice on keeping your money safe while abroad and what you can do to protect yourself financially prior to departure.
Many people suffer from an upset stomach or diarrhoea because of something they have eaten or drunk abroad. More seriously, cholera, typhoid and hepatitis A can be contracted from contaminated food and water. This section contains advice on precautions that can be taken to avoid becoming ill while abroad.
Whilst you can prepare for your travels, sometimes you can't prevent things going wrong. Here's what the Foreign and Commonwealth Office can and cannot do to help
What if something goes badly wrong while you’re abroad? What if you’re the victim of a crime, or fall ill? What if someone close to you dies abroad, or suffers other serious misfortune? In this section the FCO explains how they can help.
Making responsible choices about your holiday can help protect communities and the environment around the world.Tourism can have a negative impact on the environment – so the FCO have prepared a few tips on how you can reduce your impact, help to protect endangered species and preserve local cultures. It can also have a negative impact on communities in destination, but there are lots of things that you can do to make tourism a positive experience for all.