Control Risks predict a rise in the kidnap threat to foreign nationals over the next one-to-two years.

“A return to business travel – mapping out the kidnap and extortive threat” is a very interesting report released by Hiscox, in partnership with Control Risks, looking into the decline of kidnapping as a consequence of reduced business travel during COVID-10, but the likely reversal of such trends as the world begins to emerge from the pandemic and resume travel.

“In many of the countries where kidnapping and extortive crime are common, a sustained economic downturn and proliferation of more sophisticated criminal gangs have caused kidnappers to operate increasingly aggressively.”

We could possibly witness, then, the concomitant uptick in Kidnap for Ransom Response Training requested by corporates as their risk management teams seek to mitigate the threat to their business personnel.

“While a return to international travel will bring a plethora of benefits and opportunities for international business, so too will it present opportunities for criminals seeking to exploit a more mobile business world. Businesses will therefore have to consider the extortive threats posed to their employees, wherever they go. Organisations should ensure that any threat and risk assessments are updated with current analysis ahead of travel to account for how environments have changed during the pandemic period. This process should include locations that were frequently visited and familiar to travellers pre-pandemic”.

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