Emerging Travel Risk for 2025

As we enter 2025, the world has become a more dangerous place for business travelers. Organizations are facing an increasingly broad coalition of global risks, including terrorism, corporate espionage, natural disasters, crime and violence, and a new Cold War, with the collective West facing off against Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and their proxies.

According to the U.S. State Department, wrongful traveler detentions continue to be a risk. There was an increase in U.S. nationals being wrongfully detained by state actors across the globe through 2022, according to the James Foley Foundation. The reasons for these detentions vary, but they often stem from political or policy disputes between the United States and adversarial nations or involve conflicts with American corporations.

Foreign states often fabricate charges related to national security or terrorism or exaggerate penalties for minor violations. Some governments detain travelers in retaliation for U.S. policy changes, such as visa requirements or sanctions. Often, there is no malicious intent; instead, travelers unknowingly violate a law or fail to comply with a regulation and are subsequently detained. Additionally, some countries—such as China—are implementing exit bans on U.S. citizens, restricting their ability to leave.

However, as one of my experiences below illustrates, wrongful detentions can happen anywhere.

 

The term “detention” refers to any form of imprisonment where a person's freedom of movement is restricted.

Anyone traveling internationally could potentially be at risk. But the risk is heightened for individuals with dual citizenship, U.S. citizens with current or former government or military backgrounds, and business executives. 

For instance, individuals with dual citizenship can be vulnerable under the “Master Nationality Rule.” This means when someone with multiple citizenships is in the country of one of his or her nationalities, that country has the right to treat that individual as if he or she were solely a citizen or national of that country. This limits diplomatic protection from the other country the person is a citizen of and can also make it easier to detain or implement exit bans on dual nationals.

Individuals with military or government backgrounds, on the other hand, will often face enhanced scrutiny and risks. This is because security services in hostile countries may believe that these individuals are still connected to their former organizations and continue to pose a security threat.

Over my 25-year career, I have been detained three times in transit at airports in foreign countries and a few other times during business travel—typically due to corruption from local authorities. I have also worked with global security colleagues who have had similar experiences. If these incidents can happen to seasoned global security professionals, they can happen to anyone.

 

Paul Whelan, an American citizen, was wrongfully detained in Russia from December 2018 to August 2024 on espionage charges.

Whelan had previously been a client when he served as director of security for BorgWarner Corporation. In a strange twist of fate, he was our guest at the Annual International Security Foundation (ISF) dinner during the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., just one month before his arrest in Russia in 2018.

Whelan’s case was extreme—he spent six years in a Russian prison after being detained while traveling for a friend’s wedding. The U.S. government declared him “wrongfully detained,” recognizing that he was innocent and being used as a political pawn. Thankfully, he is now a free man after being part of a major prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia.

 

While traveling from Bogotá, Colombia, to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for business meetings, a fellow American traveler and I were unexpectedly detained at the Buenos Aires airport.

Upon arrival, customs and immigration officials informed us that we did not have the required visa to enter Argentina—something we were unaware of.

We were led to a small, secured room and told we would be expelled on the next flight back to Colombia. Since there were no later flights that evening, we became unwilling overnight guests of the Argentine government, under security watch. As the night progressed, several other Americans joined us in the holding area, many of whom were also expelled on later flights.

The following morning, a settlement was reached: we would fly to Montevideo, Uruguay (a short 30-minute flight), apply for the required visa online, and then return to Argentina.

Later, I discovered that Argentina had recently imposed this visa requirement for U.S. citizens in response to a U.S. policy change regarding Argentinian travelers. Even the airline we flew with, Aerolíneas Argentinas, was unaware of the new rule, inadvertently allowing us to board. As a result, we became entangled in a political dispute and spent a long night detained at the airport.

There were several lessons learned from this experience:

• Sometimes, it’s simply a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
   
• Despite leveraging in-country employees (many of whom were former law enforcement and military personnel) and engaging the U.S. Embassy’s regional security officer, nothing worked.
   
• Remaining calm, polite, and cooperative helped us negotiate our release.
   
• Other travelers who were belligerent and combative had a much harder time.

 

While traveling from Asia, I landed at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow at 4 a.m. This was the final leg of a three-week international business trip covering four other countries: Hong Kong, South Africa, Sweden, and Thailand.

Upon arrival, I had arranged a “fast track” service, which expedites customs and immigration processing. The customs officer scrutinized my passport, however, and began questioning me about the nature of my trip. Due to my itinerary, I was arriving on the very day my Russian travel visa was set to expire, and my same-day departure raised suspicion. Additionally, my rapid travel across multiple countries flagged my entry.

A supervisor appeared, and I was led into a private conference room. My luggage and belongings were taken away for inspection. Two members of Russian security services, along with a translator, entered the room and began questioning me about my travels, my work, and my purpose in Moscow.

Hours passed with no indication of why I was being detained. Eventually, the door opened, and one of the security officers reentered—this time accompanied by a deputy from “Yuri,” my Russian security firm contact. After five hours of uncertainty, I was released.

Some of the lessons learned from this experience included:

• I never learned what triggered my detention, but my key takeaway was knowing the right people matters.
   
• My security firm contact, Yuri, and his organization (composed of former Russian security service members) stepped in and resolved the issue.
   
• In many countries, former military and law enforcement professionals transition into private security roles while maintaining connections with their previous agencies.
   
• Relationships and local contacts can be crucial in situations like this.

 

Beyond wrongful detentions, business travelers also face threats such as hostage-taking and kidnapping for ransom.

Organizations should consider the following recommendations as part of their travel risk management strategy:

1. Educate Employees on Detention Scenarios
    
   • Develop travel security awareness programs that outline risks and best practices.
      
   • Establish clear communication plans with family, employers, and local contacts.
      
   • Encourage employees to enroll in the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates.
      
2. Secure Digital and Personal Information
    
   • Advise travelers to remove any sensitive or controversial materials from social media and electronic devices before traveling.
      
3. Monitor High-Risk Destinations
    
   • Share intelligence on emerging threats and detention tactics used in specific regions.
      
4. Build a Local Support Network
    
   • Establish trusted local contacts who can provide emergency assistance.
      
   • Partner with reliable security providers who can intervene on behalf of detained employees.

The global travel landscape will continue to be complex and challenging for organizations to navigate. Being prepared, having strong travel risk management programs in place, and creating a strong response network to access with both government relationships and private sector support will make the difference in mitigating this emerging risk.

 

This article was originally published in Security Management, a publication of ASIS International. You can read the original article here.

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